Although we have been pressured into accepting a cease-fire, which will only give our enemies an opportunity to rebuild their war machine meant to destroy the Jewish people, this war has not come to an end. As the previous wars we had to fight, beginning with the war of liberation in 1948, we are continuously forced to fight for the very existence of our people and the independence of the Jewish homeland.
Unfortunately, our leaders are still immersed in the twisted ideology of Oslo, which created an illusion of achieving "peace" by fleeing from our enemies and abandoning parts of our homeland. This policy of "disengagement" has injected a cancer into our national bloodstream, which is destroying the natural instincts of national pride. It has also weakened our determination to decisively finish this war by mobilizing all of our forces, to assure the destruction of our enemies.
We must open our eyes to the dual powers that have been revealed in this last month of fighting. It has been proven again that the Land of Israel is one. The Land has one soul, which cannot be torn apart and separated in order to be parceled out to our enemies. The evil notion expressed by our leaders - "Who needs Gaza? What are we doing in Gaza? If we amputate this superfluous limb, the rest of the body will be strong and healthy." - has been proven self-deceptive, in line with the distorted mentality of "disengagement".
Not only did the surrender of Gaza to the PLO result in strengthening our enemies, but this "amputated limb" was turned into a force of destruction against our towns and cities in the south. Our enemies in the north took this policy a further step forward, with their designated intention to destroy the existence of Jewish independence in Israel. Why not apply this policy of amputation by firing destructive rockets upon towns and cities in the Galilee, Haifa and Nahariya, and force a million Jews to be uprooted from their homes? Our enemies learn quickly. If Jewish leaders succeeded in uprooting thousands of Jews and destroying their homes, then Nasrallah and his gangs can uproot a million Jews and destroy their homes.
What a horrendous lesson to be learned by such a painful comparison. There is only one clear conclusion any responsible leader must arrive at: the Land of Israel has one soul, which projects its powers of life throughout the entire bloodstream, reaching every corner of the Land, encompassing all of its territory.
Let us again make it clear. Only Jews can bring life and creativity to the Land; whereas, others can only bring destruction. "And I will make the Land desolate, and your enemies will be desolate upon the Land." (Leviticus 26:32) Our sages explain that this curse is really a blessing. Just as the Jewish people in exile will remain loyal to the Land, so too will the Land of Israel remain loyal to the Jewish people. The Land will not bear its fruit and powers of life for anyone else. Only the Jewish people can bring life, both physical and spiritual, to the Land. Others can only bring terror and destruction.
The second powerful phenomenon revealed again in this war is the fact that the people of Israel is one. The Jewish Nation was granted a Divine soul, with great powers of unity - unity of devotion and unity of purpose. The distorted "peace" strategy of fleeing from our enemies was rationalized by our leaders by the false claim, "Our people are tired; they don't want to fight any more." This rationalization, begun at Oslo, was continued by Mr. Ariel Sharon as an excuse for "disengagement". This maligning of the people of Israel was further exacerbated by Mr. Ehud Olmert in a speech in New York just about a year ago. Mr. Olmert said, "We are tired of fighting; we are tired of being courageous; we are tired of winning wars; we are tired of vanquishing our enemies."
The truth is that these leaders have become tired; and, not having the courage to admit their incompetency and relinquish their positions, they project this lethargy upon the people. This weakness has brought them to a policy of compromising, yielding and fleeing from our enemies. The disintegration of responsibility and national pride stems from a complete disengagement from Zionist faith and Jewish values, not to mention the most basic survival instinct. This war has proven again that the secret power of Jewish existence is the unity of the Jewish soul. The people of Israel are not tired.
Courage and willingness to sacrifice were demonstrated by the emergency mobilization of our army units. People came from all walks of life. Even those who were not called volunteered and demanded the right to participate in this act of devotion. There were battles in which officers threw themselves upon live grenades in order to save the lives of their soldiers. Wounded soldiers in their hospital beds expressed their desire to be released in order to return to the battlefront with their comrades. On shiv'a visits, we heard bereaved parents saying that they were proud of their sons who gave their lives for the country and the people. This is the Divine power inherent in the Jewish soul.
We are proud and thankful to the G-d of Israel that we belong to this one nation and one Land. We need a leadership that has complete faith and confidence in this Divine Zionist process of redemption, a leadership that is putting all of its efforts into the re-engagement of the Jewish people with its G-d, and its Land; a leadership that arouses the innermost powers of the Jewish soul by calling to the people, "Follow me," as is fitting for a genuine Jewish leader.
The great efforts and sacrifice revealed by Jewish soldiers against the evil of those bent on our destruction is a true expression of Kiddush HaShem, the sanctification of G-d's Name by His people. Compromise and surrender by Jews to the powers of evil is a chilul HaShem, a desecration of G-d's Name. We, therefore, pray to our G-d that He grant us a leadership worthy of leading our people to their Divine destiny in our land.
"You are one and your Name is one, and who is like your Jewish People, one Nation in the Land."
This article appeared originally in the Jewish Press.
Unfortunately, our leaders are still immersed in the twisted ideology of Oslo, which created an illusion of achieving "peace" by fleeing from our enemies and abandoning parts of our homeland. This policy of "disengagement" has injected a cancer into our national bloodstream, which is destroying the natural instincts of national pride. It has also weakened our determination to decisively finish this war by mobilizing all of our forces, to assure the destruction of our enemies.
We must open our eyes to the dual powers that have been revealed in this last month of fighting. It has been proven again that the Land of Israel is one. The Land has one soul, which cannot be torn apart and separated in order to be parceled out to our enemies. The evil notion expressed by our leaders - "Who needs Gaza? What are we doing in Gaza? If we amputate this superfluous limb, the rest of the body will be strong and healthy." - has been proven self-deceptive, in line with the distorted mentality of "disengagement".
Not only did the surrender of Gaza to the PLO result in strengthening our enemies, but this "amputated limb" was turned into a force of destruction against our towns and cities in the south. Our enemies in the north took this policy a further step forward, with their designated intention to destroy the existence of Jewish independence in Israel. Why not apply this policy of amputation by firing destructive rockets upon towns and cities in the Galilee, Haifa and Nahariya, and force a million Jews to be uprooted from their homes? Our enemies learn quickly. If Jewish leaders succeeded in uprooting thousands of Jews and destroying their homes, then Nasrallah and his gangs can uproot a million Jews and destroy their homes.
What a horrendous lesson to be learned by such a painful comparison. There is only one clear conclusion any responsible leader must arrive at: the Land of Israel has one soul, which projects its powers of life throughout the entire bloodstream, reaching every corner of the Land, encompassing all of its territory.
Let us again make it clear. Only Jews can bring life and creativity to the Land; whereas, others can only bring destruction. "And I will make the Land desolate, and your enemies will be desolate upon the Land." (Leviticus 26:32) Our sages explain that this curse is really a blessing. Just as the Jewish people in exile will remain loyal to the Land, so too will the Land of Israel remain loyal to the Jewish people. The Land will not bear its fruit and powers of life for anyone else. Only the Jewish people can bring life, both physical and spiritual, to the Land. Others can only bring terror and destruction.
The second powerful phenomenon revealed again in this war is the fact that the people of Israel is one. The Jewish Nation was granted a Divine soul, with great powers of unity - unity of devotion and unity of purpose. The distorted "peace" strategy of fleeing from our enemies was rationalized by our leaders by the false claim, "Our people are tired; they don't want to fight any more." This rationalization, begun at Oslo, was continued by Mr. Ariel Sharon as an excuse for "disengagement". This maligning of the people of Israel was further exacerbated by Mr. Ehud Olmert in a speech in New York just about a year ago. Mr. Olmert said, "We are tired of fighting; we are tired of being courageous; we are tired of winning wars; we are tired of vanquishing our enemies."
The truth is that these leaders have become tired; and, not having the courage to admit their incompetency and relinquish their positions, they project this lethargy upon the people. This weakness has brought them to a policy of compromising, yielding and fleeing from our enemies. The disintegration of responsibility and national pride stems from a complete disengagement from Zionist faith and Jewish values, not to mention the most basic survival instinct. This war has proven again that the secret power of Jewish existence is the unity of the Jewish soul. The people of Israel are not tired.
Courage and willingness to sacrifice were demonstrated by the emergency mobilization of our army units. People came from all walks of life. Even those who were not called volunteered and demanded the right to participate in this act of devotion. There were battles in which officers threw themselves upon live grenades in order to save the lives of their soldiers. Wounded soldiers in their hospital beds expressed their desire to be released in order to return to the battlefront with their comrades. On shiv'a visits, we heard bereaved parents saying that they were proud of their sons who gave their lives for the country and the people. This is the Divine power inherent in the Jewish soul.
We are proud and thankful to the G-d of Israel that we belong to this one nation and one Land. We need a leadership that has complete faith and confidence in this Divine Zionist process of redemption, a leadership that is putting all of its efforts into the re-engagement of the Jewish people with its G-d, and its Land; a leadership that arouses the innermost powers of the Jewish soul by calling to the people, "Follow me," as is fitting for a genuine Jewish leader.
The great efforts and sacrifice revealed by Jewish soldiers against the evil of those bent on our destruction is a true expression of Kiddush HaShem, the sanctification of G-d's Name by His people. Compromise and surrender by Jews to the powers of evil is a chilul HaShem, a desecration of G-d's Name. We, therefore, pray to our G-d that He grant us a leadership worthy of leading our people to their Divine destiny in our land.
"You are one and your Name is one, and who is like your Jewish People, one Nation in the Land."
This article appeared originally in the Jewish Press.