[The anniversary of the passing of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, known as the Lubavitcher Rebbe, is this Tuesday, 3 Tammuz 5764 (June 22, 2004). - ed. note]
It was only weeks ago that tens of thousands of Jews from all over the holy land converged on Gaza to demonstrate their support for their fellow citizens to live with peace and security in Gush Katif and the West Bank. It was a source of tremendous Kiddush Hashem, literally, a sanctification of the G-d of Israel.
The recent Likud referendum, which overwhelmingly opposed the unilateral abandonment of Gaza as proposed by Ariel Sharon, and the subsequent outpouring of support for those living in Judea and Samaria, was described by a well-informed Rosh Yeshiva from the upper West Side of New York, as being Klal Yisrael's Tikkun for the Chet HaMeraglim - the Jewish People's correction and expiation for the transgression of the Sin of the Spies!
It was due to lack of faith in G-d and in his trusted servant Moses that the messengers who had spent forty days spying out the land of Canaan returned with an evil report, which caused the Jewish people to remain in the desert an additional forty years. Only two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, were not drawn into the web of intrigue to frustrate the conquest of Canaan; and now history seems to be repeating itself even as I write this.
Knesset Members Avigdor Lieberman and Benny Elon have been forced to relinquish their seats in the Israeli cabinet, because of their protests against Ariel Sharon's obsession with going through with a unilateral abandonment of both Gaza and parts of the West Bank. Like Caleb and Joshua, they refuse to be swayed into the vortex of insanity displayed by the Israeli cabinet and Knesset.
Divine Intervention
Indeed, one has to be obtuse and distracted not to see the Heavenly Providence in the events of the last few weeks. US President Bush announced on June 4th that the focus of the world leaders gathered at Sea Island, Georgia for the economic summit would be concentrating on change in the Middle East (a code word for Israel giving up land with nothing in return). The Group of Eight summit leaders were intending to make an unprecedented push to move the situation in the Middle East "forward". They were also preparing to announce a "Forum for the Future" in the Middle East, nuanced to promote democracy there.
At this critical moment for the Jewish people, President Ronald Reagan passed away, on the very Shabbos of the summit's opening. As the Sea Island Summit got under way, the world's attention was focused on remembrances of President Reagan. In fact, what was emphasized clearly for the world was that Reagan was a good friend of Israel and understood what Israel was facing with its implacable foes.
The adulation for Reagan increased to the point that the entire G8 Summit never attained the traction needed to focus its pressure upon Israel to accede to their demands for change in the Middle East as envisioned by the governments of Germany, France, England, Russia etc.
Even the New York Times reported on the dismal attention given to the conference as gauged by the lack of protestors. The Times wrote, "It is not just that the protesters are outnumbered by reporters and police officers. They are even outnumbered by the world leaders and aides who are taking part in the Group of Eight summit meeting that began Tuesday."
The Words of the Tzaddik are Everlasting
It is clear as the day that the holy and saintly Lubavitcher Rebbe was prescient and gave Klal Yisrael the right advice and direction concerning the laws of pikuach nefesh, saving life, and the current situation in Israel.
Indeed, as the Jewish people worldwide mark the tenth yahrzeit of the Moshe of our generation - a tzaddik and manhig Yisrael of unparalleled accomplishment in Torah scholarship and moral leadership - we need to heed the Rebbe's calls now more than ever. Namely, that the definition of "Who is a Jew" is one that is defined exclusively by Torah law, and that the wholeness and completeness of Eretz Yisrael is intrinsically connected to pikuach nefesh, the saving of live.
It is, therefore, the opinion of the Rabbinical Alliance of America that no individual or political entity in the world has the right to endanger lives even for political considerations.
We who believe that the Torah is called Torat Chaim, a Torah of Life, call upon every person to whom Torah and the Jewish people are precious to raise their voice to protest abandoning parts of Israel to the enemy. We must proclaim our support for the rights of the Jewish people to live in all of Eretz Yisrael. We must also let our elected officials in America hear our stand on this issue.
The price for peace that the United Nations is demanding of the Jewish people is prohibited by Torah law primarily because it presents a clear and present danger according to the concept of pikuach nefesh. (See Code of Jewish Law, Orech Chaim, 329)
Seen in this light, the Gaza conundrum is answered. What is required of us today is adherence to Torah law, to have faith in G-d and in his servant Moses. May we merit the true redemption of Moshiach now.
It was only weeks ago that tens of thousands of Jews from all over the holy land converged on Gaza to demonstrate their support for their fellow citizens to live with peace and security in Gush Katif and the West Bank. It was a source of tremendous Kiddush Hashem, literally, a sanctification of the G-d of Israel.
The recent Likud referendum, which overwhelmingly opposed the unilateral abandonment of Gaza as proposed by Ariel Sharon, and the subsequent outpouring of support for those living in Judea and Samaria, was described by a well-informed Rosh Yeshiva from the upper West Side of New York, as being Klal Yisrael's Tikkun for the Chet HaMeraglim - the Jewish People's correction and expiation for the transgression of the Sin of the Spies!
It was due to lack of faith in G-d and in his trusted servant Moses that the messengers who had spent forty days spying out the land of Canaan returned with an evil report, which caused the Jewish people to remain in the desert an additional forty years. Only two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, were not drawn into the web of intrigue to frustrate the conquest of Canaan; and now history seems to be repeating itself even as I write this.
Knesset Members Avigdor Lieberman and Benny Elon have been forced to relinquish their seats in the Israeli cabinet, because of their protests against Ariel Sharon's obsession with going through with a unilateral abandonment of both Gaza and parts of the West Bank. Like Caleb and Joshua, they refuse to be swayed into the vortex of insanity displayed by the Israeli cabinet and Knesset.
Divine Intervention
Indeed, one has to be obtuse and distracted not to see the Heavenly Providence in the events of the last few weeks. US President Bush announced on June 4th that the focus of the world leaders gathered at Sea Island, Georgia for the economic summit would be concentrating on change in the Middle East (a code word for Israel giving up land with nothing in return). The Group of Eight summit leaders were intending to make an unprecedented push to move the situation in the Middle East "forward". They were also preparing to announce a "Forum for the Future" in the Middle East, nuanced to promote democracy there.
At this critical moment for the Jewish people, President Ronald Reagan passed away, on the very Shabbos of the summit's opening. As the Sea Island Summit got under way, the world's attention was focused on remembrances of President Reagan. In fact, what was emphasized clearly for the world was that Reagan was a good friend of Israel and understood what Israel was facing with its implacable foes.
The adulation for Reagan increased to the point that the entire G8 Summit never attained the traction needed to focus its pressure upon Israel to accede to their demands for change in the Middle East as envisioned by the governments of Germany, France, England, Russia etc.
Even the New York Times reported on the dismal attention given to the conference as gauged by the lack of protestors. The Times wrote, "It is not just that the protesters are outnumbered by reporters and police officers. They are even outnumbered by the world leaders and aides who are taking part in the Group of Eight summit meeting that began Tuesday."
The Words of the Tzaddik are Everlasting
It is clear as the day that the holy and saintly Lubavitcher Rebbe was prescient and gave Klal Yisrael the right advice and direction concerning the laws of pikuach nefesh, saving life, and the current situation in Israel.
Indeed, as the Jewish people worldwide mark the tenth yahrzeit of the Moshe of our generation - a tzaddik and manhig Yisrael of unparalleled accomplishment in Torah scholarship and moral leadership - we need to heed the Rebbe's calls now more than ever. Namely, that the definition of "Who is a Jew" is one that is defined exclusively by Torah law, and that the wholeness and completeness of Eretz Yisrael is intrinsically connected to pikuach nefesh, the saving of live.
It is, therefore, the opinion of the Rabbinical Alliance of America that no individual or political entity in the world has the right to endanger lives even for political considerations.
We who believe that the Torah is called Torat Chaim, a Torah of Life, call upon every person to whom Torah and the Jewish people are precious to raise their voice to protest abandoning parts of Israel to the enemy. We must proclaim our support for the rights of the Jewish people to live in all of Eretz Yisrael. We must also let our elected officials in America hear our stand on this issue.
The price for peace that the United Nations is demanding of the Jewish people is prohibited by Torah law primarily because it presents a clear and present danger according to the concept of pikuach nefesh. (See Code of Jewish Law, Orech Chaim, 329)
Seen in this light, the Gaza conundrum is answered. What is required of us today is adherence to Torah law, to have faith in G-d and in his servant Moses. May we merit the true redemption of Moshiach now.