bs"d
Lichvod HaRabbanim shlita
What drives me to write these words comes from having lived in Kiryat Arba, Hebron, being so connected with our Forefathers, our Avos and Imahos Avrohom, Yitzchak and Yaakov Avinu, Sarah, Rivkah, Leah Imeinu buried in Maarat HaMachpela, and from the cries of Rachel Imeinu buried on the way crying for her children who refuses to be consoled...Rachel Imeinu cries for the children of her son Yosef, who was thrown into the pit by his righteous brothers. She cries for her precious son Efraim whose inheritance is near Kever Yosef near Shchem, the same hilltops of these hilltop youth. She cries for her children who are lost...
I am disappointed that as far as I know, Rabbanim, have not tried to influence and protest the Government of Israel's (GOI) decision to extend Meir Ettingers Administration Detention sentence.
Yesterday the following email was posted to plead with those who love the Torah to please write a letter to the Prime Minister.
Monday, February 22, 2016 re: Tizku LeMitzvoth! Either have Open Fair Trial or Free Meir Ettinger Letter Writing Campaign to PM: http://shemittahrediscovered.blogspot.com/2016/02/re-tizku-lemitzvoth-either-have-open.html
Bs”d
End the Sinas Chinam Against the Hilltop Youth
By Robin Ticker
Letter
Writing Campaign to PM:
As of Feb. 23, 2016 Meir Ettinger the grandson of Rabbi Meir
Kahane ob”m hy”d had his administrative detention orders extended for another 4
months following 6 months of isolation.
According to Wikipedia, Administrative detention is arrest
and detention of individuals by the state without trial, usually for security
reasons. The reasoning behind administrative detention often is based upon
contentions that the suspect is likely to pose a threat in the future. It is
meant to be preventive in nature rather than punitive e.g. in order to remove
the threat of dangerous terrorists. Administrative
detention was first introduced by the British and French colonial authorities
prior to and during World War II created as a mechanism to control political
dissent. Opponents maintain that in
essence, administrative detention is a form of collective punishment and a
violation of human rights.
For those of you unfamiliar with the case, Administrative
Detention for Meir Ettinger is a politically correct, legal way to lock him up
in one of the highest security cells surrounded by dangerous Arabs and subject
him to mental and physical anguish.
There have been no specific charges or accusations filed against Meir
Ettinger nor others who are being held under administrative detention.
We can merit so many Mitzvoth by writing one simple letter
to Prime Minister Netanyahu in protest of Meir Ettingers incarceration as well
as in protest of the immoral and unjust administrative detention imposed on
many hilltop youth, violating their
basic human rights. Please send your
email to mankals@pmo.gov.il. Please cc: me at faigerayzel@gmail.com.
Pikuach Nefesh (Savings one’s life)
Meir Ettinger's life is endangered, isolated in a cell that is surrounded by
Arab terrorists. He conducted a hunger strike in protest which thank G-d he ended
but the factors that lead to his hunger strike still exist! We can therefore still assume that his life,
physical and emotional is in a precarious state...)
Pidyon Shvuyim -- Pidyon Shvuyim
(Hebrew: פִּדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים, literally:
Redemption of Captives) is a religious duty in Judaism to bring about the
release of a fellow Jew imprisoned unjustly by the authorities. The release of
the prisoner is typically secured by a ransom paid by the Jewish
community. We are not asking for money
but simply for letters.
Shmos Perek 23 Parshat Mishpatim Pesukim 1-8
1 You shall not accept a false
report; do not place your hand with a wicked person to be a false witness.
א לֹא תִשָּׂא שֵׁמַע שָׁוְא
אַל תָּשֶׁת יָדְךָ עִם רָשָׁע לִהְיֹת עֵד חָמָס We have good reason to believe that the Israel
Security Agency (also known as ISA or
Shin Bet) has provided false reports about the hilltop youth among them forced
confessions. Unfortunately, many
influential leaders, Rabbanim across the board, political figures and
journalists have accepted these false reports as truth and the slander has been
spread throughout the secular and Jewish media.
2 You shall not follow the majority
for evil, and you shall not respond concerning a lawsuit to follow many to pervert
[justice].
"לֹא-תִהְיֶה אַחֲרֵי-רַבִּים לְרָעֹת וְלֹא-תַעֲנֶה עַל-רִב לִנְטֹת אַחֲרֵי רַבִּים לְהַטֹּת ב
Just because the majority of the
media and political figures and even Rabbanim have condemned hilltop youth for
Price Tag vandalism, arson and the murder of innocent Arabs we may not pervert
justice and must conduct a fair investigation as to precisely what exactly
happened and not rely on forced confessions..
3 Neither shall you glorify a poor
man in his lawsuit.
ג וְדָל לֹא תֶהְדַּר בְּרִיבוֹ: It must be a fair
investigation
(As does the Torah, I am now
embedding in our discussion about pursuing justice the Pesukim regarding helping
with your enemy's donkey. There is much we can learn from this juxtaposition.
Many Rabbanim hold that Meir Ettinger and the Hilltop youth reject and threaten
Rabbinic authority when they promote going up to Har HaBayit etc. and in this
respect consider them their enemy. Yet the Torah says that when our enemy is
down we come to his aid. What a
tremendous Kiddush Hashem it would be if Moetzet Gedolei Hatorah and the Aguda
would demand a fair and open investigation of the hilltop youth! We pray for
Shalom and Unity in Am Yisroel)
4 If you come upon your enemy's
bull or his stray donkey, you shall surely return it to him.
ד כִּי תִפְגַּע שׁוֹר אֹיִבְךָ אוֹ חֲמֹרוֹ תֹּעֶה הָשֵׁב תְּשִׁיבֶנּוּ
לוֹ: Please restore the good
name of these boys who have been
slandered as Jewish Terrorists in a blood libel against them.
5 If you see your enemy's donkey
lying under its burden would you refrain from helping him? You shall surely
help along with him.
ה כִּי תִרְאֶה חֲמוֹר שׂנַאֲךָ רֹבֵץ תַּחַת מַשָּׂאוֹ וְחָדַלְתָּ
מֵעֲזֹב לוֹ עָזֹב תַּעֲזֹב עִמּוֹ
Please write a letter!
6 You shall not pervert the
judgment of your poor man in his lawsuit.
ו לֹא תַטֶּה מִשְׁפַּט אֶבְיֹנְךָ בְּרִיב (These kids are
vulnerable. They have been outcasts either by choice or by force, many of them
never recovered from the severe trauma and betrayal they experienced from the
expulsion from Gush Katif and Amona or of a similar nature. The Jewish people
owe them an apology rather than to compound to the trauma)
7 Distance yourself from a false
matter; and do not kill a truly innocent person or one who has been declared
innocent, for I will not vindicate a guilty person.
ז מִדְּבַר שֶׁקֶר תִּרְחָק וְנָקִי וְצַדִּיק אַל תַּהֲרֹג כִּי לֹא אַצְדִּיק
רָשָׁע:
The hilltop youth claim that the allegations against them are
false and fabricated and they deny the allegations… that is until they were
tortured. One just turned 17, Jewish boy, a Duma suspect, who happens to be an
American citizen, showed the scars of an attempted suicide following being
tortured..
8 You shall not accept a bribe, for
a bribe will blind the clear sighted and corrupt words that are right. ח וְשֹׁחַד לֹא תִקָּח כִּי הַשֹּׁחַד יְעַוֵּר פִּקְחִים וִיסַלֵּף דִּבְרֵי צַדִּיקִים: Does government funding for Political
entities and Yeshivoth come into the picture that distorts clarity of what
really happened in Duma and their quick condemnations of hilltop youth?
Vayikra Perek 19 Pesukim 15-18
15 You shall commit no injustice in
judgment; you shall not favor a poor person or respect a great man; you shall
judge your fellow with righteousness.
טו לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ עָוֶל בַּמִּשְׁפָּט
לֹא תִשָּׂא פְנֵי דָל וְלֹא תֶהְדַּר פְּנֵי גָדוֹל בְּצֶדֶק תִּשְׁפֹּט עֲמִיתֶךָ:
The truth must be investigated and the words of influential politicians
or even influential Rabbinic or governmental leaders should not be taken more
seriously than the words of the poor and vulnerable.
16 You shall not go around as a
gossipmonger amidst your people. You shall not stand by [the shedding of] your
fellow's blood. I am the Lord.
טז לֹא תֵלֵךְ רָכִיל בְּעַמֶּיךָ
לֹא תַעֲמֹד עַל דַּם רֵעֶךָ אֲנִי יְהוָֹה:
The slander regarding the Duma case clearly reminds us of this Pasuk
where almost everyone was quick to condemn them thereby engaging in character
assassination and a blood libel..
17 You shall not hate your brother
in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your fellow, but you shall not bear a
sin on his account.
יז לֹא תִשְׂנָא אֶת
אָחִיךָ בִּלְבָבֶךָ הוֹכֵחַ תּוֹכִיחַ אֶת עֲמִיתֶךָ וְלֹא תִשָּׂא עָלָיו חֵטְא:
Silence of evil is evil, to quote Glenn
Beck. How can we be silent at this
travesty of justice? Not coming to their defense points to Sinat Chinam against
the hilltop youth in our hearts and fueling Sinat Chinam between Chareidim and
Dati Leumi communities. Will we allow them to be locked up to satisfy our own
agenda?
18 You shall neither take revenge
from nor bear a grudge against the members of your people; you shall love your
neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
יח לֹא תִקֹּם וְלֹא תִטֹּר אֶת בְּנֵי עַמֶּךָ וְאָהַבְתָּ
לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ אֲנִי יְהוָֹה:
Amein! Ken Yehi Ratzon!
There have been no specific charges or accusations filed against Meir Ettinger nor others who are being held under administrative detention, other than of a broad category called "Nationalist Crimes". There is no way of defending oneself of any charges. There is no trial and no conviction.)
We are One People. We should be feeling the deep pain of Meir Ettinger and all those kids who have been placed under Administrative Detention. For some incarcerated it meant physical and mental torture. Pshuto KMashmaoh! Literally in order to obtain forced confessions of violent criminal acts that they never committed. For others, administrative detention means staying locked in ones home, not being able to be free to go as they please, slandered and isolated as lepers in Israeli society,branded in the media, for crimes that they did not commit.
Going on Youtube to watch these kids give their side of the story is surely using the internet in a Kosher way to do a Mitzvah! The excuse not to go on the internet is no excuse for someone who needs the information and is required to get the evidence. Would we refrain from putting out pieces of bread for bedikas chometz out of fear we might forget one piece? We just try to be careful...Shouldn't we also be careful not to add to the Torah?...
Actually it is us, Am Yisroel that must bang Al Chait. We owe many of these hilltop youth an apology for the crimes for which they were the victims... like the expulsion at a young impressionable age by the IDF from Gush Katif, Amona, etc.... Do we really want to compound their trauma????
Moetzet Gedolei Hatorah have much more Achrayus as they are the leaders and they will be held accountable in a Heavenly Court! No one wants to take their job from them chas veShalom to take away their leadership role. But all agree that we want Rabbinic Leadership al Pi Hatorah as it says in the Torah and then we must not deviate right or left from what they say. If their Leadership is not coming from a Torah source but rather from a non Torah source, for instance if blinded etc, they would be misleading the entire congregation.
We wouldn't want what happened to the Miraglim to happen to our Spiritual Leaders. Why was Am Yisroel also punished because of the Chait HaMiraglim. Because they should have protested. They too were at Sinai...
In the sin of the Chait HaEgel, the people collectively were accountable for the sin of the minority few the Eirev Rav. They were punished for silent acquiescence. If the hilltop youth are being held unjustly, tortured for their Torah beliefs, by the government of Israel, we as a nation are obligated to protest!
My connection is to Hebron. I am an outsider so my vision is not clouded. I personally cannot relate to this tremendous Nisayon of our generation by our leaders since I am a Pashute Jewess and I too have my limitations. It's a blessing not to be in a leadership role not to be tested...
But I am worried that we will collectively be Chayav Bidei Shamayim...
I do not doubt that there are considerations, that are not trivial, by speaking up and writing a letter on Meir Ettinger's behalf. However these considerations are trivial, as I see it, to what Am Yisroel will lose by not protesting. I remember Gush Katif...WWII, There are many possible scenarios that are too scary to write about. We surely need unity and Zechusim at this time.
We understand that by questioning the Silence of the Gedoilim in this matter of the hilltop youth, we are bringing up matters which might lower the esteem and respect of Rabbinic Leadership by the Hamonei Am. Perhaps, for this reason, our Emunas Chachamim is questioned and we have been perceived as an enemy who are on the warpath to discredit Torah Shebaal Peh, Halacha Moshe MiSinai.
Please believe us that this is not the case. In fact it is only because of our faith in our Gedoilim BaTorah that we feel comfortable to challenge the silence, and what we interpret to be misplaced humility to not take more of a Leadership Torah Stand in this matter.
But precisely because of this perception , it would be that much more powerful if Rabbonim would, in spite of their hesitation to support the hilltop youth, davka because they object to the message of the Hilltop Youth, write a letter asking Netanyahu to abolish the Administrative Detention Law. This law violates basic human rights, with no habeas corpus to protect them. What a message of unity that in spite of their differences they demand that the Israeli gov't not to consider nor treat these Yiddishe Neshomas as Jewish Terrorists.
This Diba Tova on behalf of these youth, to call for a fair and open trial whether or not they agree with them would be an amazing Tikkun on many different levels and would bring a much needed zechus to Am Yisroel and Eretz Yisroel. Israel today is defamed and slandered internationally. Is it perhaps Middah Keneged Middah, what the State of Israel deserves for defaming and slandering and torturing innocent Hilltop youth and the people of Israel deserve for being complicit with not protesting.
The Holocaust did not come in a vacuum. We need unity.
If Meir Ettinger was being held hostage by Hamas wouldn't Gedoilim BaTorah rule that everything must be done to free him from captivity?
If Shabak is fabricating false evidence shouldn't it be exposed and if Meir is indeed guilty, of inciting the hilltop youth to conduct acts of random violence against innocent Arabs, shouldn't they bring the charges in an open hearing allowing him to defend himself? Isn't this Torah?
If one is obligated to help his enemy with his load that is weighing him down surely we are commanded to help Meir Ettinger ease his burden of being in prison for no defined reason. Maybe if Rabbanim would Insist that he be formerly charged with documented evidence as is normal procedure in any respected Jewish and non Jewish court of law and allow him to defend himself from these charges, the government would pay attention. In a heavenly court, surely it would be duly noted...we will all be subjected to give a Din VeCheshbon...
We believe that the Rabbanim can help overturn draconian laws of Administrative Detention destructive to the very fiber of Am Yisroel, destroying young peoples lives, with their involvement and protest. Their daily Tefillot can be actualized of Hoshiva Shofteinu KeVarishona, bringing unity between Dati Leumi and Chareidi, actualizing Shma Yisroel, unity within our Nation and with our Creator. Surely this will bring tremendous Nachas to HKBH to rip up any evil decree against His people.
On the other hand, how will they, the MGH justify in Beit Din shel Maala that they did not even try....
With love of Am Yisroel, the Torah and Eretz Yisroel and may be Zocheh with no Jew left behind to bring Moshiach and bring the Geula Bimheira Beyameinu Amein! Ken Yehi Ratzon!
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