The purpose of both the "Disengagement Plan" and the "Roadmap" is the establishment of an Arab state in the very heart of the land of our life's blood. Regarding such a state, I habitually write, "It will never be."
In response, one of the readers, a Jew named Avraham H. from Haifa, wrote, "Although you write that the Disengagement and an Arab state will never happen, I still have my fears that they will indeed happen. From where can we draw strength and encouragement? Can we stop the evil decree? What can we do? How should we react?"
Out of a sense that the writer is expressing the feelings of many, I am responding with an open letter.
Dear Avraham,
I believe with full faith that it will never be possible to disengage the People of Israel from the Land of Israel. It will never happen. As Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook wrote, "The Land of Israel is an independent entity tied by a living bond to the nation." (Orot 9) Just as Israel are the people of eternity, so is its bond with the Land of Israel eternal.
We thus have G-d's promise to Abraham, "On that day, the L-rd made a covenant with Abram saying, 'To your descendants I have given this land.'" (Genesis 15:18) Rashi explains that G-d's word is as good as done. The verb "to give" is therefore in the past tense. It is as though G-d had already given Abraham's seed the Land, despite the fact that on that day, G-d's promise about Abraham having children and receiving the Land had not yet been fulfilled.
As far as an Arab state in Eretz Yisrael, that directly contradicts G-d's oath to Abraham at the Binding of Isaac: "Your offspring shall inherit their enemies' gate." (Genesis 22:17) It most certainly will never come to pass.
Now, someone might argue: G-d's oath and covenant belong to the distant past and they are irrelevant now. Surely, we see with our own eyes how the American president, George Bush, in cooperation with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, is weaving together a plan to establish an Arab state in the very heart of Eretz Yisrael. Who is capable of standing up to these two powerful men, and just how would they do it?
Yet, this argument reminds us of the spies' claim in the desert: "We cannot go forward against those people! They are too strong for us [Heb. mimenu]." (Numbers 13:31) Rashi, noting that "mimenu" can mean "us" or "him", says, "So to speak, they were claiming that the Canaanites were stronger even than 'Him'; i.e., G-d." The spies furthered slandered the Land by saying, "The land that we crossed to explore is a land that consumes its inhabitants.... We felt like tiny grasshoppers. That's all that we were in their eyes." (13:32-33)
It is almost like what we are hearing during these times from ignorant people whose faith and spirit have been weakened. Those people are looking for an outlet for their weakness by means of disengaging themselves from Eretz Yisrael and establishing an Arab state - it will never be! Quite the contrary, we need to draw strength and spirit from Calev ben Yefuneh and Yehoshua bin Nun, the great believers. True, they constituted a minority of two against ten, two against that whole generation, yet they declared with faith and fortitude: "We must go forth and occupy the Land. We can do it." (32:30) Ultimately, they were right. We conquered the Land of Canaan, while the spies and the Generation of the Desert were not privileged to go into the Land. Rather, they died in the desert as punishment.
Today, Avraham H. of Haifa and many others are suffering, full of worry and doubt. They ask, "What will be? What can we do? From where shall we draw the strength and encouragement at this moment?"
We draw strength from faith, as Scripture teaches, "The righteous man shall live by his faith." (Chavakuk 2:4) We possess absolute, certain faith in the oath and covenant that G-d forged with Abraham and with us and with all generations. In that covenant, He swore that Eretz Yisrael belongs exclusively to the Jewish People. Only that faith endures forever, and may it soon achieve magnificent fulfillment, speedily in our day.
By contrast, all the previous plans, and all the plans being cooked up now, are like a passing shadow, a drifting cloud, for "there are many thoughts in a man's heart, but it is G-d's counsel that shall endure." (Proverbs 19:21) As far as all of the statesmen in Israel and in the world who are busy with plans, accords and signings, their signatures are worth less than a garlic peel, for they contradict a divine covenant and oath.
No Arab state will come into being. Such a state would be a seat of pandemonium, darkness, violence, hatred, wickedness, evil, terror and suffering, for the Arabs themselves and for all of mankind. This is clear for all to see. Such a state will never rise up in the Land of Israel, the Holy Land, whose purpose and essence is to bring goodness and light to the world, to make the world upright, to unite the world and to make peace in the world, in accordance with the vision of all the prophets of Israel.
You Jews faithful to Eretz Yisrael are beloved in Heaven and on earth, and you in turn love your people and your land. Regarding all of you, especially the settlers of Judea, Samaria and Gush Katif, who risk their lives for the nation and for the land, and who increase G-d's glory on earth, Scripture states, "These are destined for everlasting life.... the ones who bring merit to the masses, like the stars that give light forever and ever." (Daniel 12:2-3) And may through us be fulfilled Psalm 94:14: "The L-rd will not cast off His people; neither will he forsake His inheritance."
In response, one of the readers, a Jew named Avraham H. from Haifa, wrote, "Although you write that the Disengagement and an Arab state will never happen, I still have my fears that they will indeed happen. From where can we draw strength and encouragement? Can we stop the evil decree? What can we do? How should we react?"
Out of a sense that the writer is expressing the feelings of many, I am responding with an open letter.
Dear Avraham,
I believe with full faith that it will never be possible to disengage the People of Israel from the Land of Israel. It will never happen. As Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook wrote, "The Land of Israel is an independent entity tied by a living bond to the nation." (Orot 9) Just as Israel are the people of eternity, so is its bond with the Land of Israel eternal.
We thus have G-d's promise to Abraham, "On that day, the L-rd made a covenant with Abram saying, 'To your descendants I have given this land.'" (Genesis 15:18) Rashi explains that G-d's word is as good as done. The verb "to give" is therefore in the past tense. It is as though G-d had already given Abraham's seed the Land, despite the fact that on that day, G-d's promise about Abraham having children and receiving the Land had not yet been fulfilled.
As far as an Arab state in Eretz Yisrael, that directly contradicts G-d's oath to Abraham at the Binding of Isaac: "Your offspring shall inherit their enemies' gate." (Genesis 22:17) It most certainly will never come to pass.
Now, someone might argue: G-d's oath and covenant belong to the distant past and they are irrelevant now. Surely, we see with our own eyes how the American president, George Bush, in cooperation with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, is weaving together a plan to establish an Arab state in the very heart of Eretz Yisrael. Who is capable of standing up to these two powerful men, and just how would they do it?
Yet, this argument reminds us of the spies' claim in the desert: "We cannot go forward against those people! They are too strong for us [Heb. mimenu]." (Numbers 13:31) Rashi, noting that "mimenu" can mean "us" or "him", says, "So to speak, they were claiming that the Canaanites were stronger even than 'Him'; i.e., G-d." The spies furthered slandered the Land by saying, "The land that we crossed to explore is a land that consumes its inhabitants.... We felt like tiny grasshoppers. That's all that we were in their eyes." (13:32-33)
It is almost like what we are hearing during these times from ignorant people whose faith and spirit have been weakened. Those people are looking for an outlet for their weakness by means of disengaging themselves from Eretz Yisrael and establishing an Arab state - it will never be! Quite the contrary, we need to draw strength and spirit from Calev ben Yefuneh and Yehoshua bin Nun, the great believers. True, they constituted a minority of two against ten, two against that whole generation, yet they declared with faith and fortitude: "We must go forth and occupy the Land. We can do it." (32:30) Ultimately, they were right. We conquered the Land of Canaan, while the spies and the Generation of the Desert were not privileged to go into the Land. Rather, they died in the desert as punishment.
Today, Avraham H. of Haifa and many others are suffering, full of worry and doubt. They ask, "What will be? What can we do? From where shall we draw the strength and encouragement at this moment?"
We draw strength from faith, as Scripture teaches, "The righteous man shall live by his faith." (Chavakuk 2:4) We possess absolute, certain faith in the oath and covenant that G-d forged with Abraham and with us and with all generations. In that covenant, He swore that Eretz Yisrael belongs exclusively to the Jewish People. Only that faith endures forever, and may it soon achieve magnificent fulfillment, speedily in our day.
By contrast, all the previous plans, and all the plans being cooked up now, are like a passing shadow, a drifting cloud, for "there are many thoughts in a man's heart, but it is G-d's counsel that shall endure." (Proverbs 19:21) As far as all of the statesmen in Israel and in the world who are busy with plans, accords and signings, their signatures are worth less than a garlic peel, for they contradict a divine covenant and oath.
No Arab state will come into being. Such a state would be a seat of pandemonium, darkness, violence, hatred, wickedness, evil, terror and suffering, for the Arabs themselves and for all of mankind. This is clear for all to see. Such a state will never rise up in the Land of Israel, the Holy Land, whose purpose and essence is to bring goodness and light to the world, to make the world upright, to unite the world and to make peace in the world, in accordance with the vision of all the prophets of Israel.
You Jews faithful to Eretz Yisrael are beloved in Heaven and on earth, and you in turn love your people and your land. Regarding all of you, especially the settlers of Judea, Samaria and Gush Katif, who risk their lives for the nation and for the land, and who increase G-d's glory on earth, Scripture states, "These are destined for everlasting life.... the ones who bring merit to the masses, like the stars that give light forever and ever." (Daniel 12:2-3) And may through us be fulfilled Psalm 94:14: "The L-rd will not cast off His people; neither will he forsake His inheritance."