"I wish to bring before you King David's response to the Security Council's recent resolution regarding Judea and Samaria." So said Rabbi Zalman Melamed on Monday, speaking before hundreds of students and guests at a Hanukkah candle-lighting in the presence of Israel's President Reuven Rubi Rivlin.
With a hint of a smile betraying his delight at the eternal inter-generational connections, Rabbi Melamed said:
"King David spoke, in his prophetic spirit, about future events. He wrote about Israel sitting by the rivers of Babylon, and about b'shuv Hashem et shivat Tzion, how G-d would return us back to the Holy Land, and more… And he also foresaw the current situation in which the United Nations discusses and votes on issues relating to the Land of Israel, and seeks to steal from us parts of our homeland. Let us read from Psalm 2:
"Why have nations gathered, with the kingdoms planning in vain? Why do kings of the land stand, and nobles take counsel together against G-d and against His anointed? This anointed one is Israel – what could be more fitting to our situation today than these verses?
"… He Who dwells in Heaven laughs; the Lord mocks them. For we know that G-d is He Who rules over the world."
Rabbi Melamed then turned to Chapter 83:
"Your enemies stir, and those who hate You raise their heads. We know that G-d's enemies are Israel's enemies.
"Against Your people they cunningly plot, taking counsel against Your protected ones.They said, 'Come, let us destroy them, and the name of Israel will no longer be remembered.' Does this not refer to Iran, Syria and others around us who declare this openly?
"For they have taken counsel with one accord - All the nations in the Security Council joined together. Against You they form a pact. And then King David lists all the nations: The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites.G'val, Ammon, Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre.Assyria, too, joined up with them…
"King David then continues: Do to them as to Midian, as to Sisera, and as to Yavin in the Kishon brook. And in fact, with G-d's help, our enemies of today, as well, will end up being defeated, with G-d's help."