History Repeated

At this writing the trouble in Lebanon seems to be winding down, with the prospects of an end to the shooting almost visible. We pray that this does not turn out to be a false alarm and peace may return, or maybe come for the first time, to that troubled area.

It has been a traumatic period for Jews the world over. We know that the Israeli army sacrificed any number of its young men by ordering them to practice unprecedented restraints in confronting a possibly armed enemy. For example, in entering a house during battle they are to shoot only when shot at, rather than throwing hand grenades into the room first. This has cost many soldiers' lives. We know about the constant shelling of the northern Jewish settlements by the PLO and the absolute necessity of eliminating the PLO there. We know that Israel and Jews the world over may be proud of the moral standards of Israel's army, certainly in comparison with any army, in the world, today, or in the past.

But then those television shows at night with all the gory details of fighting and shelling a city with civilians, yet inhabited by a fighting enemy. Women and children were held as hostages and shields by the PLO who could be dislodged only by attacking their strongholds. The tragedy was that their strongholds were in residential neighborhoods, in schools and hospitals and mosques. But all the TV showed was the blood and gore and the screams of wounded people. This was a terrible strain on the faith of the American Jew.

That the television people kept showing these scenes, that I can understand. After all, their mission is to achieve the highest Nielson rating possible. The more spectacular and gory, the more people will listen and presumably the higher rates can be charged for commercials. When the noble ideal is coupled with what I am afraid is some latent anti-Israel and anti-Jewish sentiment, the results are inevitable.

When other media that have long been hostile to Israel and to Jews can pounce on the bombing of Beirut and use that as a club over Israel, that I can understand. It is nothing new in Jewish history and nothing to surprise or dismay us.

I grieve over the explicit Jewish reaction though. When Jews take out ads in the major newspapers to declare their disassociation from Israel in this matter, denying that Begin is their leader (who ever thought Begin was the leader of American Jews? He is the democratically elected leader of Israel's people), when our own people wrapped themselves in a mantle of superior morality and denounced what Israel had done -- this troubles me.

Israel does not need preachings. The United Nations do that to us all the time. England and France and other magnificently civilized and peaceful countries do that all the time. Israel's outspoken enemies in front of or behind Iron Curtains do that all the time. The agonized Jewish criticisms add nothing to the demands of "morality" that everyone cries for.

Over a year ago a young man attempted to assassinate a President and grievously wounded a number of others as well. Whatever we may think of his parents and the way they brought up their son, at least that was one quality that they did have. They put everything they had, wealth and reputation, on the line to defend their son. One thing that young Hinckley knew was that his parents were with him in a time of peril, though there was no question that he had committed a horrendous act.

Whether Israel should not have attacked Beirut is one question. Whether American Jews should withdraw from Israel when the entire world is attacking Israel is a completely different question. Shall the Jewish people be less devoted than the Hinckley family? Can the American Jews, especially the critics, honestly say in the future that 'we are one'?

To be sure that no one misunderstands my own attitude, I feel that Israel was absolutely justified in attacking Lebanon and Beirut. Whatever blame and shame there is to be borne by the PLO for seeking refuge and hijacking a city and by supporters of the PLO who created a monster they would not permit in their own borders and who will fail to try to get them out of that stricken city. Israel has won a number of military wars and has lost an equal number of political wars. I hope that this time those who truly seek an enduring peace will not hand the PLO a totally undeserved political victory.

Copmments from Rabbi Lazer Brody

http://lazerbrody.typepad.com/lazer_beams/emuna_news/index.html

Thursday, 17 August 2006

Emuna News Analysis: No one else to turn to

I lot of hate letters accuse me of aiding and abetting the enemy. How dare I talk about the sacred cows of the Prime Minister, the Commander in Chief, and the Minister of Defense. Cows yes, sacred no. The corruption of secular Israel stinks. The Government of Israel and the military leaders have become more and more a factory for the mass production of heresy and immorality. I debated with myself for a full 24 hours before writing this post, but there's no choice. Someone must speak up. Rather than turning to Hashem, Israelis have put their trust in military might and politicians; if they'd take a good hard look, neither has solved a thing in the last three and a half decades.

When the Labor government ran the country into the ground, then the people voted Likud. Natanyahu had his chance, and trying to be a poor man's Bill Clinton, he performed lousy in office. Sharon set new standards for corruption, and preferred to placate the leftist Israeli court system that would have nailed him by selling out Gush Katif. Disappointed in the right and left, rather than returning to Hashem, the Israeli public invented a center, "Kadima". Mr. Olmert of Kadima has nearly lost our entire country with his arrogance and lack of emuna. Now that the center stinks, isn't it time that the Israeli public turn to Hashem?

No, they turn to the next sacred cow - the Army. General Halutz has shown just how sacred he is by giving his investments priority over adbucted soldiers and a border on fire. Halutz is so insensitive to Jewish ethics and Torah values that he really thinks he's OK. Compared to others, maybe he is - after all, he hasn't been accused of sexual harassment or stealing.

Here are the "achievements" of Israel's lawmakers in recent months:

The Prime Minister probed because of questionable sale of real estate.

Kadima MK Omri Sharon (Arik's son) sentenced to 9 months in prison on corruption charges.

Israeli police proved that Sharon got $3 million in bribes, but the case was buried.

Former Kadima MK and Justice Minister Hanegbi indicted for corruption.

Current Kadima Justice Minister Ramon under investigation for sexual harrassment.

The President of Israel under investigation for sexual harrassment.

The list goes on and on, with wall-to-wall corruption from right to left. I have no stomach to continue writing about this, for I haven't even scratched the surface.

Such a morally decadent leadership cannot lead our country to any victory, only to oblivion.

Israel did not defeat the Hizbolla. Indeed, a sharp sword of stern judgment hangs over the jugular of the secular heretical government. I said all along that only Tshuva will overcome our enemies, because our problem is spiritual, not military. We need to reach a peace agreement with Hashem, not with Fuad Siniora.

The Hizbolla are evil forces that were created by our nation's evil deeds. If we don't make tshuva fast, the next round of hostilities - soon on the way - will be a lot worse.

The closer we get to the Geula, the more we'll all pay for the cheap thrills that violate the Torah.

I wish I didn't have to write all of this, but nobody else is. The government rabbis don't dare criticize the machine that pads their easy chairs. The Haredi rabbis are worrying about their own. The National Zionist rabbis still believe in political parties, activism, and military might. That leaves us - a handful of BT rabbis; nobody can lay the copout on us that we didn't serve in the IDF and don't have the right to speak.

Man, I feel really alone. I wish I had 10 hours a day for hisbodedus (personal prayer), for there's nobody to turn to but You, Hashem. Please open our hearts to make genuine tshuva, and give us the courage to stand up for truth and justice. Let us realize that nothing on earth can help us but You. Purify our Holy Land and let us rejoice in the revelation of Your mighty and compassionate kingdom on earth, amen.

Thursday, 17 August 2006 at 12:46 AM in Emuna News

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.