Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu
Rabbi Shmuel EliyahuFlash 90

Judge Maya Heller and her colleagues, observing the chaos they have wrought in the IDF, are probably consoling themselves by saying that they at least acted according to their consciences and the dictates of morality.

Well, you should know that their verdict is, first and foremost, immoral, even if the presiding judge read it out loud for two and a half hours.

There is no morality in having mercy on enemies who come to kill our soldiers. There is no morality in breaking the spirits of the soldiers who risk their lives to protect us. How is it moral to give strength to a cruel and merciless enemy when there is nothing between us and ISIS except the strength of the IDF alone?

The Sages of Israel, who were a 'little bit' wiser than the judges, has someting to say about uber-morality and the excesses of self-righteousness: "The uber-humility of Rabbi Zecharia ben Avkules destroyed our home, burned our Temple, and exiled us from our land." The exaggerated humility which a rabbi took upon himself in the middle of a struggle against a foreign enemy caused the destruction of the nation and an exile which lasted thousands of years, the crucifixion of hundreds of thousands of Jews by Rome and the rape of hundreds of thousands of women. The Jews became prey for other peoples, were killed and robbed for generations. Our Sages were wise men and all raised their objections to Rabbi Zecharia ben Avkules, asking him to see the big picture as one might expect from a man of his status. (Rabbi Zecharia ben Avkules insisted on not allowing a heifer sent by the Romans to be used as a Temple offering because he saw it had a blemish. The Romans had done it purposely to test whether the Jews were rebelling against them or not, having been told by a traitor that they were planning to do so. The Sages understood this and wished to bring the heifer as a Temple offering to preserve the peace, but the Rabbi stuck to the letter of the law, too 'humble' to move one iota from it. He refused to allow them to offer it, bringing on the Roman onslaught, ed.)

On this matter is is possible to say to Judge Maya Heller that her morality has broken the spirit of the soldiers. The heads of our attackers have been raised and the spirit of our enemies has been strengthened. There is no morality in a judgment which gives impetus to those who send boys and girls with scissors and knives. There is no morality in strengthening the killers and terrorists. There is no morality in self-righteousness which rests on the backs of the soldiers. There is no morality in trying to beautify hate. In the eyes of Ra'ed Saleh and his followers we all bake matzot with the blood of Palestinian Arab children. All of us. Even you, Judge Heller.

What could console Mrs. Heller and her colleagues is the knowledge that in three to five years she will be appointed to serve as a Supreme Court Justice. Her friends on the left will take care to promote her to assume a position of great influence quietly and out of the spotlight, unless Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked remains vigilant and puts a stop to the promotion process which apparently began when the Chief of Staff knew the "judgement" ahead of time in front of everybody. He decided to promote Judge Heller in order to achieve this verdict. (should that be called bribery?)

Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu is the Chief Rabbi of Tzfat and a member of the Chief Rabbinate Council.