We are at war with every single arab

There are a lot of people with very harsh words to say about the Jews who allegedly killed the arab boy recently. Some of them are prominent Torah authorities, while others are just talk backers who are enjoying shooting their mouths off.

I'm trying my best not to get into this one as I'm sure there are loads of misinformation being put out there on it, and additionally in my heart of hearts my mind is already made up as to how I feel. If Rov haPoskim come out and say a certain act is assur, then we have to follow the halacha "even if they say left is right and right is left," right? However if that ends up being the case it would be easier to move a mountain then change the way I feel. No matter how many declarations are made and condemnations spread, I just can't bring myself to remove pity from these poor boys whose futures will be tarnished for the rest of their lives and instead place that pity on some arab who probably hated us anyway and for all we know would have grown up to do such things to Jews himself G-d forbid.

Let me just pose things like this: Is what these boys allegedly did any worse than what the Hamasnikim did to our 3 young kodshim? Yet the police found the time and ability to nab the Jewish perps while the arab murderers are still at large, and if they indeed ever are found they will most likely be let out in another cockamamie prisoner release far sooner that these boys will set free.

I don't know how many remember this off the top of their heads, but I thought I would bring up this little blast from the past. Shortly after the massacre at Merkaz Harav several years ago, Rav Kanievsky came out saying that it was assur to hire arab employees as, "After all we are at war with them."

See here:
Top Hareidi Rabbi Bans Arab Labor Following Merkaz HaRav Attack

and here:
Prominent rabbi to yeshiva heads: Don't hire Arabs

In light of this from Rav Kanievsky we need to remember that we are in a constant state of war and that as a nation the arabs are all our enemies. I won't go so far as to extrapolate that the Rav meant it extends to being allowed to kill any random arab you wish, however there is an inyan that each and every one has a status of potential enemy combatant. No matter what the final psak din is with the current parsha we're going through, I think we need to keep this in mind when trying to frame things in the appropriate context.

And no matter who is halachikly eligible for a target of Jewish blood and Hashem's name being avenged, may He sanctify His name by doing it for us Himself in an open way which is undeniable to all the world so that justice may be wrought uncontested.

Rav Ovadia's Passing - What is a Tzaddik?

Baruch Dayan Ha-emet.

I was zoche to be part of the Rav's levaya last night, even to touch the van for a minute or so, and it was truly amazing to see Yerushalayim in such a state. Walking from Ramot, I saw the Golda Meir turned into a virtual 2-3 lane parking lot as the masses (of up to one million according to several reports) made their way to say good bye to Maran. Tzomet Bar Illan was a complete ocean of kippot and hats. Looking back on it I think of big funerals for state leaders with all their pomp. There were no fancy vehicles here, no soldiers in full regalia and a ceremonial firing of their rifles. The pomp was simply the throngs of people who loved the Rav... from talmidei chachamim on down to every day shop keepers pushing in for their chance to accompany him one last time.

Many thanks to my wife for giving me a heads up to this link from the Daily Mail with some very beautiful pictures from the levaya and around Yerushalayim (be careful viewing as several of the rotating links at the bottom of the page have some fairly untznius pictures). Yet as beautiful as some of the images captured are, the talkbacks are just powerfully ugly. The more benign amongst them responded to the grieving quotes of, "Who will lead us now?" with comments such as, "Why don't you think for yourselves?" The more blunt ones personally attached the Rav with names such as "bigot" "medieval extremist" and numerous others I'm too sickened to even post here.

My wife and I were discussing the incredible difference between Am Yisrael and these talkbackers. They honest to goodness have no inkling whatsoever of the concept of a tzaddik. Beyond the esoteric connotations the Torah ascribes to the term tzaddik, they simply put can not understand the concept of a holy person. They laud being an individual and thinking for one's self, assuming such ideals preclude acknowledging the superior knowledge of one more learned and experienced. When most people are G-d forbid ill, they have no problem seeking the advice of top medical professionals. And nobody has a problem getting on a metal tube with wings and being shot through the air like a rocket thousands of miles simply because the airplane pilot or some engineer at Boeing assured them that according to physics it was perfectly safe and reliable. And there is nothing wrong with these things - because lacking the ability be become an expert in all walks of life, it is only common sense that for most things a person will trust acknowledged experts in a given field. So if it's common sense for all other areas of life, why wouldn't it be common sense for the realm of religion as well? If one seeks advice and guidance for the passing issues of this physical world, shouldn't it be all the more important to seek it for spiritual matters of the eternal world? Perhaps one could counter that it's not possible to differentiate between those who really posses the truth and mere charlatans. However the Jewish people proved themselves quite able distinguish one of those types pretty well about 2,000 years ago - a fact several of the talkbackers explicitly still harbor sore feelings over.

As far as those who outright insulted and attacked Rav Ovadia as well as the hundreds of thousands who saw fit to honor him, it seems their problem isn't with him as much as with G-d Himself. In this very week's parsha, when Lot separates from Avram Rashi comments that he said to himself, "I don't want anything to do with either Avram OR his G-d!" One might have thought they simply had a difference of opinion/lifestyle, yet it was specifically G-d and Avram's association with Him that drove Lot away. Lot made the same mistake that is all too prevalent in this day and age of divorcing morality from G-d. He admittedly wasn't interested in being religious, but he reasoned that his own intellect and desire to be a good person would prevent him from leading an evil lifestyle. Though his shepherds committed outright theft by letting the flocks graze on private fields they reasoned that he was one day destined to have possession of those fields anyway so what does it matter in the grand scheme of things of they just use them now? Though he chose to live with the wicked residents of Sodom, he thought nothing of it as by comparison to actual evil people he "wasn't that bad." Indeed, compared to his neighbors who went around committing homosexual gang rape he was such a good guy that they appointed him chief justice of the city. Yet just as his intellectual based system of morality (instead of a G-d based one) allowed him to rationalize away theft, it eventually progressed until he reached the depths of filth. As Rashi elucidates, upon waking up from a drunken stupor and realizing he had slept with his own daughter the night before, he allowed himself to get just as drunk the following night and sleep with his other daughter. Of course anyone with a shred of decency would be disgusted by the thought of sleeping with their own child and certainly Lot was no exception. Yet if he were to make himself drunk to a point of being beyond full control of his mental faculties, he would be able to allow himself the perverted pleasure without the accompanying guilt trip. I'm sure he told himself that, after all, he was too drunk to know the difference so who could blame him? Yet he knew very well what he was doing an purposefully allowed himself to get that intoxicated solely so he wouldn't have to feel as bad about it after the deed.

Without fail rationalizations will be abound with somebody who feels they can achieve morality without G-d. Any wrongdoing is simply brushed aside with answers such as, "that's not really a big deal - don't be so extreme!" "times have changed" or, "I'm only human what can you expect?" However without a higher power holding one accountable to an objective standard, a person's own subjective morality will allow room to rationalize away the most despicable acts as soon as their base desires get the best of them. The bottom line is that some folks just don't want to do what G-d asks of them in life, so they convince themselves that He is either, G-d forbid, not there or is but decided to create this whole awesome universe with all it's wonders and then suddenly lost interest and could no longer care less what happens to its inhabitants. Yet while they may desire to conveniently paint G-d out of the picture something throws a monkey wrench into their operation. That is the tzaddikim - who make it their sole purpose in life to attach themselves to G-d and bring awareness of Him and adherence to His will about in this world. The true reason that people hate the tzaddikim is that they remind them of a G-d they wish wasn't there and force them to acknowledge a Creator they wish they could forget.

I've seen the effects of the ravages brought upon a wholesome and unassuming Sefardi population when they were brought into the welcoming arms of a deceitful Eastern European socialist utopia hell-bent on ripping away every shred of their Torah and their heritage. To those unfamiliar with this part of history which still has reaching effects in Israeli society today, it's hard to appreciate what a revolution Rav Ovadia brought about in this country. One of my gemara rebbe's who, while Ashkenazi, was an ardent admirer of the Rav put it quite simply - "He made it chashuv to be Sefardi." Besides the obvious levels of greatness in Torah which he achieved - levels which practically nobody left in this generation can match and which basically nobody could hope to replace, he also achieved greatness in his love of his brothers. Like we await Mashiach to do to the entire Jewish nation, he took a downtrodden and shamed people and spent his life helping restore in them a reason for pride and self worth. Those who would choose to ridicule such a man wouldn't recognize a holy person if he spit in their face. Nay, they themselves are truly spitting in the face of G-d who sent us such a special individual.

"Those Jews" and "It's just their problem"

First they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out -
Because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the socialists, and I didn't speak out -
Because I wasn't a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out -
Because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak out -
Because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak out -
Because I wasn't a Catholic.

Then they came for me -
And there was no one left to speak for me.

Martin Niemöller




First they kicked everyone out of Gush Katif, and I did not speak out -
Because I was not a "Tzioyni"

Then they kicked the Charedim out of the yeshivas, and I did not speak out -
Because I was not a "Parasite"

Then they came to kick everyone out of Israel, and I did not speak out -
Because I was not "Israeli"

Then they came for me - and there was no one left to speak for me...

... nor a land to embrace me.

Shachar Mosby

Just Spit it Out Already!

Above is a recent episode of Al Jazeera's "Head to Head" featuring Dani Dayan as the guest. While he does make several good points, I found the majority of his statements to be twisted logic that leaves one scratching their head, dodging questions, and trying to change the subject. Even if your rooting for him it's a little difficult to wave the pom-poms on this one. Indeed even Sam Westrop, the guy whom they have apparently brought in to support him only seems to dispute the claims of those arguing against Dani, but he doesn't go so far as to say that Dani himself is right (his repeated argument seems to be your previous point X is wrong because of fact Y, therefore let's just let the diplomats at negotiating table decide who is right).

Though I know from a factual, moral, and certainly Torah point of view Dr. Karmi is not correct. However if I had happened to be an outside observer with no background in the matter I would probably believe her just by virtue of how confident she is in her position. She makes her accusations with full certainty and no shame while Mr. Dayan barely even calls her out on her fallacies instead opting to re-frame the argument in terms of terrorism and security (when he can catch a breath in between hemming and hawing).

Though I didn't thoroughly follow the past American elections, and basically paid no attention to the Republican primaries, I recently found this clip from the Republican debates which underscores the problem:

While Newt definitely is more correct from a historical and factual point of view (and I personally think he wiped the floor with Romney), Romney hits the nail on the head as to the unfortunate reality of why simple truth doesn't prevail at about the 3:36 minute marker when he states that if Bibi really thinks this is our land, let him say it himself. Newt Gingrich, and those like him, can make all the eloquent and factually accurate statements in the world as to the land of Israel belonging exclusively to the people of Israel but if we (and especially our so called "leadership") don't do it ourselves then why should the world even pay attention to their great points?

Recently Arab MK's were suggesting to change the hatikva anthem citing it is Jewish bias and lack of Arab references. Rav Meir Kahane הי״ד often spoke of the absurdity of expecting an Arab citizen of Israel to loyally and dutifully sing a national anthem that speaks of a Jewish soul and a Jewish home while at the same time celebrating the defeat of his own people. When I was in university, my campus Hillel had an off the derech leftist serving as a shaliach from Israel. During one of the many debates I had with her she asked me how I thought it felt for an Arab to have to sing a national anthem with the above mentioned problems. To her wide eyed shock I told her that the Rav (whom she completely reviled) almost precisely word for word posed the same exact question she just had. I said his solution was to conclude that the land of Israel belongs exclusively to the Jewish people and therefore our first and foremost concern should be with actualizing that reality instead of worrying about how Arab feelings might be hurt by it. I then asked her what her conclusion was. It was something that we should instead look into writing a new anthem.

And unfortunately we are doomed to keep going around and around on this merry-go-round of ridiculousness and violence until we finally grow the fortitude to say it like it is. This land is our land... period. Why? Because regardless of what the United Nations, US State Department, Arab world, or whoever else says, G-d said otherwise. And there is nothing to be ashamed of in that. By claiming this land we are simply fulfilling a mission bestowed upon us by the Creator of the universe. Is it offensive that we believe our religion grants us the right (and even obligation) to a national destiny on a specific plot of real estate at the expense of other people from different religions? Yes... quite so in fact. But what are we to do? If G-d says to do it we must follow through no matter how offensive it might be. One need not dig deep to find a myriad of items in any religion that would offend those of other faiths. That's the way it goes. But as the famous Bill Cosby quote goes, "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone." Bill need only reverse that mantra to find the key to success... instead of trying to please everyone, try to please "The One." Or as, l'havdil, Chazal tell us, "Make His will your will so that your will will be His will."

It is most definitely His will that this land be ours. Can't somebody PLEASE stop the shenanigans and just call it like it is already?