bs"d
Dear Friends, amv"sh
What you are about to read is extremely harsh words by a generally soft spoken peace loving individual by the name of Odeleya Jacobs. The letter today following the massacre of young Yeshiva students follows another strong letter she had written a week ago, February 28th to Rabbi Weinreb and Mr. Savitsky to end the Silence. For your reference I am including both letters in sequence. (see below).
Let the truth be told that Rabbi Weinreb and Mr. Savitsky are only one example of all the Rabbinic Leaders that have been silent. In all fairness, in the Orthodox circles in America, Rabbi Weinreb and Mr. Savitsky shouldn't have to shoulder the entire blame for allowing the situation in Israel to escalate by their Silence. Their silence is shared in America with Agudath Yisroel of America and the Young Israel and even Chabad International. And to be totally fair, let us add blame to all of us, the baale baatim that have been brainwashed to believe that we don't have a voice especially when our leadership is silent and that surely the Rabbinic leaders know better. Yet, each and every day we put on Tefillin and Bentch and say the Shema and Davan and recite passages that Hashem has promised Eretz Yisroel to us as an eternal Inheritance to the seed of Avraham Yitzchok and Yaakov. We are told to Davan with Kavana (intent) yet assume that nothing we say should be taken literally but rather we are over an Issure DOraysa a Biblical Violation of lo Sosur, (one should not depart the ways of the halachic teachings of our Rabbanic Leaders and Rashi on Lo Sosur and 'even if they tell you left is right and right is left'.) if we dare even question the fact that we are disregarding these passages regarding our entitlement to the Land of Israel.
How have we have been so silent when Bush has been talking about the Roadmap since 2002?
And if we are obligated to follow Rabbinic teachers then there are plenty of Rabbanic leaders, including the Lubavitcher Rebbe, that clearly came out with a Psak of no territorial concessions. (There is also the nascent Sanhedrin and the Rabbinical Congress of Peace RCP to rely upon as well) Why have some of us chosen Davka Rabbanim that have remained Silent?
In answer to the question of whether we violate the Biblical commandment of Lo Sasur, doesn't the Torah also say "Al Pi Hatorah" that lo Tasur, is when there is a Sanhedrin in Yerushalayim and they rule according to the Torah. I would expect that these same Rabbanim who might be upset when we don't follow them would work very hard to establish a working Sanhedrin so that we would indeed be obligated by their Rabbinic Rulings. Unfortunately the nascent Sanhedrin and the concept of rein acting the Sanhedrin has received a rather cold reception and even met with disdain by many.
Yes there has been a grassroots effort going on ever since Gush Katif that have been calling our Rabbanim from the mainstream Orthodox Organization such as Agudath Yisroel and OU and YI persistently begging them to please take a stand for Eretz Yisroel. We begged to express our public entitlement to all of Eretz Yisroel including Yesha and not just Jerusalem. We implore them to support the struggle of the innocent, righteous hilltop youth and their families that courageously keep to the teachings of their religious education of loving Eretz Yisroel, walking it's every hill and valley, sowing the Land, reaping the harvest, praying for rain, settling the Land, living on the land and trying to the best of their ability to keep the Commandments Mitzvoth Telutot Baaretz such as Shemittah. These families are cream of the crop, the righteous and the G-d fearing. Yet, they have been met with fierce resistance. After Gush Katif they were offered psychological counseling when their lives have been turned upside down, their homes destroyed, their families in disarray, their idealism, their Mesirus Nefesh interpreted as rebelliousness and criminal and reckless. They have been demonized and portrayed as religious fanatics, extreme Messianists, they and their kids have been physically beaten in Amona, their young daughters incarcerated, suffered humiliations and degradations in a high security prison.
Can't we recognize that we have all betrayed them? They who have been true to our religion, they who see their religion as relevant to living their lives in Eretz HaKodesh and we who have lacked the courage to speak up and support their struggle have betrayed them. They don't need psychological counseling. They just need our apologies for betraying their innocence for not standing up for our religious beliefs as they have done.
So what has been the outcome. Some of these youths have turned to drugs and other evils. Our enemies are empowered by this blatant Chillul Hashem and we are confused why G-d is giving them the upper hand.
Oh yes, I have another group of individuals to blame. In fact these are the same righteous families that I just described. What is their fault you ask. You portrayed them as almost perfect. Let me bring you back to weeks before the expulsion of Gush Katif. I was there. I am a witness. The women of Hebron came to the women of Gush Katif and they argued. The women of Hebron told the women of Netzarim, please let us come down. thousands, tens of thousands of us to support you. It will be harder for the army to throw us all out. The women of Netzarim said, we appreciate your concern but please don't come down. Our children need their routine, All the people here will be too much of a balagan a mess. We can't take responsibility of all the youths that will come to our Gan Eden here in Netzarim. We need to keep our privacy, our normalcy and having everyone here with us will be chaotic. We pray with our hearts and soul that G-d will hear our prayers and heed them. We know that G-d won't forsake us. But the women of Hebron argued that this too is our Land. We are not doing this for you. We are doing this for us. And the women of Nezarim argued back please just send us your moral support and money so we can plant and keep up the normal routine in spite of the rockets and threats facing us.
So where is the fault? I believe that the women of Netzarim and perhaps the same holds true for the loyalists of the Land of today, don't realize that because we are one Nation, when the majority of Jews don't have the same fervor and the same love for the land of Israel then we as a nation are collectively deficient. So it is not enough for a small group to love the Land and be protected by G-d. The entire Nation must love the Land as much as they do and also earn the merits for doing so. And if collectively we don't all share that yearning and that desire, then we as one body suffer the consequences because we have not collectively merited the blessings. There is an issue of really trying to be Mezakeh ( causing a merit) for our fellow Jew. So we can not yell at our brother and say it's all your fault. I did the right thing and you didn't, so you are going to get your punishment and we won't. Because we are deserving and you are not. Oh no it doesn't work that way says Hashem. You guys are all in it together. There is something called Areivus, collective responsibility and Outreach, called "Love your neighbor". You guys in the settlements had somehow better give over the love of Eretz Yisroel and the Commandments to your fellow Jew whether he/she is a Chareidi or a secularist. You can not give up on them because they are a part of you. And if they falter then we as a Nation falters. If they must fall off the cliff because they are not deserving then they bring us all along. Yet if we collectively manage to gain the upper hand then we are all saved.
Oh yes, I have one more group to blame. And that is the Jewish Media that refuses to print that the Rabbinic and Spiritual Leaders have been criticized for their Silence. The mainstream Jewish media is afraid that we are Rabbi Bashing. Perhaps the mainstream Jewish media, radio and newspapers and magazines, also don't like to print anything contrary to American Foreign policy following the lead of the major Jewish organizations. So when we send in comments or articles putting a Rav or an organization or American foreign policy in a less then favorable light our words are heavily censored. Hashem Hikdim Refuah Lemaka, G-d prepared the cure before the sickness and Thank G-d for the Internet and Blogs!
So if we must play the blame game we can each point a finger at ourselves and resolve that since we are all human, we are all to blame. Kulo CHayav. We are all guilty. It says somewhere that Moshiach will come when either we are all Zakai, innocent or we are all Chayav, guilty. But we must be united. So let us admit to Hashem that we are all Chayav, guilty and start anew.
Forwarded Message:
Dear Rabbi Weinreb,
I CAN NOT UNDERSTAND HOW YOU AS A RABBI CAN REMAIN SILENT AND BY DOING SO KEEP SO MANY OTHERS IN THE DARK AS KASSAM
ROCKETS HIT , HURT, MAME AND KILL OUR JEWISH PEOPLE IN ISRAEL. AS THE SO CALLED LEADERS IN THE ISRAELI GOV'T FAIL TO PROTECT AND SECURE THE JEWISH CITIZENS OF ISRAEL, AS THE PRESSURES FROM PRES. BUSH AND RICE CONTINUE ON ISRAEL TO GIVE LAND TO TERRORISTS , ENEMIES OF BOTH ISRAEL AND AMERICA, YOU, RABBI WEINREB, AND THOSE WHO SIT WITH YOU,
DO NOT PUBLICLY CONDEMM ANY ACTIONS OF THE ENEMIES THAT WORK HARD TO DESTROY THE JEWISH IDENTITY , AND JEWISH MORALE IN ERETZ YISRAEL. HOW CAN THOSE ,WHO HASHEM PLACES
IN HIGH POWERFUL POSITIONS ACT IN SUCH WEAKNESS???
YOU WITH THE REST OF THE OU EXECUTIVES WERE VERY QUICK TO CONDEM RABBI WOLPE FOR WORDS THAT WERE TWISTED . WHERE
IS YOUR PUBLIC ACTIVISM ON BEHALF OF YOUR JEWISH BRETHREN
THAT ARE HURT AND TRAUMATIZED???
YOU ARE A HISTORIAN AND UNDERSTAND THAT HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF IF WE FAIL TO LEARN LESSONS FROM THE PAST!
THE SILENCE MUST BREAK! I URGE YOU TO DO RIGHT BY OUR JEWISH PEOPLE!! THE TIME HAS COME FOR ALL OF US WHO BELIEVE
THAT THE JEWISH LAND OF ISRAEL BELONGS TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE TO UNITE IN ACHDUT ALL OVER THE WORLD AND FIGHT THE BATTLE TOGETHER IN ACHDUT AND IN STRENGTH!!
THERE IS MUCH TO DO AND THE SILENCE MUST BREAK!
WE MUST MOBILIZE OUR PEOPLE IN THE SHULS AND YESHIVAS AND INFORM THE KLAL OF THE DANGERS THAT WE ARE ALL IN.
HOW IS IT POSSIBLE FOR ANY JEW TO SIT BACK AND SMILE AND GO ON WITH LIFE AS USUAL WHILE IN ERETZ YISRAEL OUR JEWISH BRETHREN ARE ATTACKED, WITH INNOCENT CHILDREN LOSING
LEGS , ARMS, LIFE?????????? CHILDREN ARE BECOMING ORPHANS
AS KASSAMS CONTINUE TO RAIN IN HUNDREDS OF THEM DAILY???
WE MUST ACT IN WAYS THAT HASHEM EXPECTS HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE TO ACT. WE ARE OUR BROTHERS' KEEPER. WE MUST NOT BE SILENT!! PURIM IS COMING AND SO WE MUST BE MOBILIZED THROUGH OUR RABBIS, ORGANIZATIONS, YESHIVOT
IN MASSIVE TEFILA GATHERINGS AND ACTIVISM ON BEHALF OF OUR JEWISH BRETHREN!! WE SHOULD BE OUTRAGED AND EXPRESS
OUR OUTRAGE . WE MUST HAVE A STRONG UNITED MEDIA CAMPAIGN TO EXPRESS TO THE WORLD THAT ERETZ YISRAEL INCLUDING YEHUDA AND SHOMRON BELONG TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE AND THAT APPEASMENT TO TE ARABS WILL ONLY ENCOURAGE MORE EXTREMIST
TERRORISM AGAINST THE WEST AS WELL B/C THAT IS WHAT JIHAD
IS ALL ABOUT.
THE OU HAS A CHOICE EITHER YOU ARE WITH US IN THE FIGHT FOR
THE JEWISH LAND OF ISRAEL , OR YOU CONTINUE TO BE SILENT AND CHOOSE WEAKNESS OVER STRENGTH AND PEOPLE WILL NOT FORGET!!
LET US ALL UNITE IN ACHDUT AND STRENGTH !! Rabbi Weinreb,
please take the lead to BREAK THE SILENCE !! TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!!
Odeleya Jacobs
WORLD COMMITTEE FOR THE LAND OF ISRAEL
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RABBI WEINREB, MR SAVITSKY,
THOSE OF YOU WHO PUT POLITICS OVER JUDIASM ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRAGIC MURDERS OF 8 INNOCENT YESHIVA STUDENTS! YOUR SILENCE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRAGIC MURDERS OF OUR PEOPLE! YOUR SILENCE AND THOSE WHO SIT WITH YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRAUMATIC SITUATION IN SDEROT ! YOUR SILENCE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GUSH KATIF
EXPULSION AND WHAT HAD TRANSPIRED AFTER TO THE 10,000
OF OUR FINEST PEOPLE IN ERETZ YISRAEL. HASHEM HAD PLACED
YOU IN HIGH POSITIONS TO WORK ON BEHALF OF HIS JEWISH PEOPLE, INSTEAD,YOU WORKED WITH WEAKNESS AND FAILED HASHEMS JEWISH PEOPLE. THE POLITICAL GAMES YOU PLAY ARE PLACING AM YISRAEL IN GREAT DANGER ALL OVER THE WORLD!!!
WE CAN NOT AND MUST NOT BE SILENT WHEN OUR JEWISH BRETHREN ARE IN TSARA!! WE WILL NOT TALK OF PEACE AND A "Palestenian State " WHEN WE KNOW THAT THE ARAB PALESTENIAN DOES NOT EXIST! IT WAS YOUR JOB TO MOBILIZE OUR JEWISH PEOPLE IN THE US AND CREATE AN ACHDUT OF OUR JEWISH PEOPLE! IT WAS YOUR JOB TO INFORM AND LEAD THE JEWISH MASSES
TO ACT ON BEHALF OF OUR JEWISH BRETHREN IN ERETZ YISRAEL THAT ARE IN SAKANA!!
IT WAS YOUR JOB TO USE YOUR G-D GIVEN POWERS TO ACT IN STRENGTH AND HI ESTEEM FOR YOU REPRESENT HASHEMS AM HANIVCHAR!!
INSTEAD OF MOBILIZING ALL OF US JEWS IN THE USA IN TEFILA AND ACTIVISM YOU CHOSE TO
REMAIN SILENT!! YOU CHOSE TO KEEP COMPANY WITH LEFTIST THAT WISH TO DESTROY THE JEWISH IDENTITY OF ERETZ YISRAEL!! YOU CONTINUED TO REMAIN SILENT WHILE KASSAMS ,HUNDREDS OF THEM ,WERE RAINING OVER THE PEOPLE OF SDEROT!! AN 8 YEAR OLD BOY HAD HIS
LEGS AMPUTATED DUE TO KASSAM SHRAPNEL, A LITTLE BOY HAD HIS ARM DISLOCATED DUE TO SHRAPNEL , 4 CHILDREN BECAME ORPHANS DUE TO A KASSAM KILLING THEIR FATHER, YET YOU
HI POWERED EXECUTIVES AT THE OU CONTINUED TO REMAIN SILENT!!
IT IS YOU WHO WILL HAVE TO JUSTIFY YOUR ACTIONS TO HASHEM ! YOU CAN NOT CONTINUE TO PLAY POLITICAL GAMES AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR JEWISH PEOPLE!!THESE MURDERS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED!!!
KEEPING SILENT IS CRIMINAL AND UNJUSTIFIABLE!!
MAY HASHEM AVENGE THEIR DEATHS AND GET US OUT OF DANGEROUS TSAROT!!
BREAK THE SILENCE!!
Odeleya Jacobs
