"The right hand of the Almighty doeth valiantly." (Psalms 118:16)
Last week, when the portion of the week in all Jewish synagogues was Mishpatim (Judgments), elections were held in Israel, and the Jews delivered their judgment determining the leadership and direction of the Jewish state.
For the last few decades, there has been a political balance between the right and left factions in the country, resulting in shaky coalitions and unstable governments. But now, for the first time since the early government led by David Ben Gurion, the people have made a clear and unmistakable decision. The Jewish masses awarded a landslide victory to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the Likud Party and the religious right. This impressive triumph of the Israeli right establishes the direction that the leadership of the State of Israel must now focus on.
The key word that expressed the policy of the Israeli left was ?concession?. They have constantly compromised our unique Jewish identity, vehemently abandoned our heritage, fervently yielded on issues of Jewish tradition, denied our mission as the Divine Chosen People, relented on our historical rights to Eretz Yisrael, and thereby degraded our national pride. This concession found its most dangerous and tragic expression in the Oslo Accords, which awarded our enemies the very weapons they would use to destroy us.
Last week, the Jewish public reacted with anger by striking a resounding blow to the left's irresponsible behavior and to all the concessions that have brought us close to national suicide. The Jewish electorate rejected empty slogans like "New Middle East" and "partners for peace" who are really terrorist gangsters. These democratic elections transmitted a basic and unambiguous message to the Israeli left wing, whose revolting yearning to be a nation like all other nations has had devastating effects on the State of Israel.
The left's policies represented a shirking of responsibility by the Jewish People, a rejection of Zionist ideals and goals, and an abandonment of the Zionist dream. They completely failed to understand the unique historical significance of this crucial period of Jewish history, when we are standing on the threshold of Redemption. This phenomenon of Jewish Redemption is the essence of the divine Zionist process of ingathering of the exiles, arousing the pioneering spirit of building and defending our land, and Jewish independence in Eretz Yisrael. The Zionist awakening propelled the Jewish people into taking on the momentous duty of returning to the center stage of world leadership. By adhering to the left's constant abandonment and concessions, we could never fulfill the Zionist dream.
Achieving complete Redemption is a gradual process, to be determined by the spiritual and moral elevation of the Jewish nation, which is not a simple matter. Nevertheless, at this crucial time, an enlightened leadership must heed the call of the moment and ignite the sparks of faith and devotion in the soul of our nation. Faith and devotion create the stamina to confront and overcome both the enemy from without and the weaknesses from within. Let us state clearly, we have returned to Eretz Yisrael in order to fulfill the promise of our prophets and make this barren land flourish again. "I will settle the cities and the ruins will be rebuilt." (Yechezkel, 36:33)
This renewal of Jewish life in Eretz Yisrael strengthens our commitment to eradicate the evil surrounding us, and moral desolation from the world. Only by fulfilling this task will we be able to bring a message of hope and true peace to the entire world and of course, bring about the completion of the process of Redemption.
The judgment of the right, delivered by the great majority of the Jewish people in Israel, was an outcry denouncing the weakness of concessions. In the Rosh Chodesh prayer of Hallel, recited at the start of the week, we cite the passage from Psalms, ?Yemin Hashem romayma, yemin Hashem ?oseh hayil.? (?the right hand of the Almighty is exalted, the right hand of the Almighty doeth valiantly.?)
In these elections we were guided by the right hand of the Almighty, inspiring us to deliver a judgment of Jewish pride and Zionist responsibility, which will hopefully formulate a leadership that will bring us to our destiny.
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Rabbi Waldman is the Dean of the Kiryat Arba Yeshiva.
Last week, when the portion of the week in all Jewish synagogues was Mishpatim (Judgments), elections were held in Israel, and the Jews delivered their judgment determining the leadership and direction of the Jewish state.
For the last few decades, there has been a political balance between the right and left factions in the country, resulting in shaky coalitions and unstable governments. But now, for the first time since the early government led by David Ben Gurion, the people have made a clear and unmistakable decision. The Jewish masses awarded a landslide victory to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the Likud Party and the religious right. This impressive triumph of the Israeli right establishes the direction that the leadership of the State of Israel must now focus on.
The key word that expressed the policy of the Israeli left was ?concession?. They have constantly compromised our unique Jewish identity, vehemently abandoned our heritage, fervently yielded on issues of Jewish tradition, denied our mission as the Divine Chosen People, relented on our historical rights to Eretz Yisrael, and thereby degraded our national pride. This concession found its most dangerous and tragic expression in the Oslo Accords, which awarded our enemies the very weapons they would use to destroy us.
Last week, the Jewish public reacted with anger by striking a resounding blow to the left's irresponsible behavior and to all the concessions that have brought us close to national suicide. The Jewish electorate rejected empty slogans like "New Middle East" and "partners for peace" who are really terrorist gangsters. These democratic elections transmitted a basic and unambiguous message to the Israeli left wing, whose revolting yearning to be a nation like all other nations has had devastating effects on the State of Israel.
The left's policies represented a shirking of responsibility by the Jewish People, a rejection of Zionist ideals and goals, and an abandonment of the Zionist dream. They completely failed to understand the unique historical significance of this crucial period of Jewish history, when we are standing on the threshold of Redemption. This phenomenon of Jewish Redemption is the essence of the divine Zionist process of ingathering of the exiles, arousing the pioneering spirit of building and defending our land, and Jewish independence in Eretz Yisrael. The Zionist awakening propelled the Jewish people into taking on the momentous duty of returning to the center stage of world leadership. By adhering to the left's constant abandonment and concessions, we could never fulfill the Zionist dream.
Achieving complete Redemption is a gradual process, to be determined by the spiritual and moral elevation of the Jewish nation, which is not a simple matter. Nevertheless, at this crucial time, an enlightened leadership must heed the call of the moment and ignite the sparks of faith and devotion in the soul of our nation. Faith and devotion create the stamina to confront and overcome both the enemy from without and the weaknesses from within. Let us state clearly, we have returned to Eretz Yisrael in order to fulfill the promise of our prophets and make this barren land flourish again. "I will settle the cities and the ruins will be rebuilt." (Yechezkel, 36:33)
This renewal of Jewish life in Eretz Yisrael strengthens our commitment to eradicate the evil surrounding us, and moral desolation from the world. Only by fulfilling this task will we be able to bring a message of hope and true peace to the entire world and of course, bring about the completion of the process of Redemption.
The judgment of the right, delivered by the great majority of the Jewish people in Israel, was an outcry denouncing the weakness of concessions. In the Rosh Chodesh prayer of Hallel, recited at the start of the week, we cite the passage from Psalms, ?Yemin Hashem romayma, yemin Hashem ?oseh hayil.? (?the right hand of the Almighty is exalted, the right hand of the Almighty doeth valiantly.?)
In these elections we were guided by the right hand of the Almighty, inspiring us to deliver a judgment of Jewish pride and Zionist responsibility, which will hopefully formulate a leadership that will bring us to our destiny.
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Rabbi Waldman is the Dean of the Kiryat Arba Yeshiva.