(Bereshit
Rabbah, 53:11): “At the moment that Isaac was born, all were happy.
Ishmael said to them: 'Fools! I am the firstborn and I take a double
portion.' From Sarah's response to Abraham, 'The son of this slave woman will not share the inheritance with my son', we derive [Ishmael's attitude].”
Clearly, Sarah demanded Ishmael's ouster for the two reasons noted above: first,
so that Isaac would not learn from his ways, and second, because it
would be impossible for Ishmael not to be filled with jealousy over the
land, which he saw as also belonging to him, and he would surely fight Isaac to take it away from him. [The
matter greatly distressed Abraham regarding his son. So G-d said to
Abraham, “Let it not be grievous in your sight because of the lad or
your slave woman: Whatever Sarah tells you, heed her voice, since
through Isaac will offspring be considered yours.” (Gen. 21:11-12)]. Tanchuma concludes, “from here we learn that Abraham was inferior to Sarah in prophetic powers.”
Likewise, foolish, groundless love spoils the normal order of things.
As Bereshit Rabbah teaches regarding Abraham's not wishing to send
Ishmael away, “This belongs to 'shutting one's eyes to evil'(Isaiah 33:15)”.
That is, Abraham, due to his inappropriate love, turned a blind eye to
Ishmael's evil, and only Sarah saw it through her prophecy. Sarah was
right in not taking the path of groundless love, and Abraham ultimately
banished both Ishmael and the other concubines' sons. “Abraham
gave all that he owned to Isaac. To the concubines' sons... he gave
gifts. Then, while he was yet alive, he sent them to the country of the
East, away from Isaac” (Gen. 25:5-6). Tanchuma stresses, “He removed them far from Isaac.”
Thus, there are two reasons for Abraham's banishing Ishmael and the other sons of the concubines: first, lest
Isaac's sons should learn from their evil deeds; second, that these
other sons who were born in the Land would forever think the Land was
theirs and hate Isaac and his son Israel for taking it all for
themselves. Sarah understood both reasons, hence she added, “The son of this slave will not share the inheritance” of the Land with Isaac, and since
he would not inherit it, he would always hate Isaac and try to kill
him. She, therefore, demanded that he be banished from the Land.
Ishmael's hatred for Israel is from ancient times and stems from Israel being Abraham's seed. Ishmael is jealous of Isaac's seed, who were chosen to be G-d's people, while he, Ishmael, was invalidated. Tanchuma
(Vayelech, 2) teaches: “My beloved had a vineyard in a very fruitful
hill, [and he dug it and cleared away his stones]” (Isaiah 5:1-2). The
“vineyard” refers to Israel. “He dug it” refers to Abraham, for G-d got
rid of his refuse, such as Ishmael. “He cleared away its stones” refers
to Isaac, from whom emerged Esau.
And the Mishna teaches (Nedarim
31a), “If someone vows not to derive any benefit from 'the offspring of
Abraham,' he is forbidden to derive benefit from any Jew, but permitted
to derive benefit from a non-Jew.” The Talmud then comments: What about Ishmael? It says, “It is through Isaac that you will be credited with offspring” (Gen. 21:12). And what about Esau? It says, “through Isaac” - but not all of Isaac.
Thus, Ishmael was removed from the category of Abraham's offspring, and he has no portion in Abraham, his offspring or his land. This they will never forget, and they have harbored this resentment all along. Already in the days of Alexander of Macadon, there was an incident described in Sanhedrin
91a: “...Another time, the descendants of Ishmael and Ketura came with
Israel for litigation before Alexander of Macedonia. They said to
Israel, Eretz Israel is yours and ours, as it says, 'these are the
chronicles of Ishmael, son of Abraham' (Gen. 25:12), and, 'these are the
chronicles of Isaac, son of Abraham' (Ibid., v. 19). ...Gevia ben
Pesisa asked them, 'from whence are you bringing proof?' They responded,
'from the Torah'. He then said, 'I, too, will bring proof only from the
Torah, for it says, 'Abraham gave all that he owned to Isaac. To the
concubines' sons...he gave gifts, [and he sent them off]'(Gen. 25:5-6).
If a father gives his sons an inheritance during his lifetime, and he
sends them away from one another, can any of them have claims against
any other?”
Here we see that over a thousand years after Ishmael's death the Ishmaelites were still claiming the land. They ignore all the arguments we put forth, just as they ignore what the Talmud states (Sanhedrin 59b) regarding circumcision: “It
is Abraham whom the Torah originally admonishes 'You must keep My
covenant – you and your offspring throughout their generations' (Gen.
17:9)... What about obligating the Ishmaelites [in circumcision, since
they are Abraham's seed]? It says, 'it is through Isaac that you will
gain posterity' (Gen. 21:12).
Thus, the Torah states explicitly that only Isaac, and not Ishmael, will be called Abraham's seed. Yet, what do the Ishmaelites or any other nation with a claim to the Land care what we say? Since
they are our blood enemies and will never accept the authority of
Israel and G-d, they have no place in the Land... Besides all this, we
know that in the footsteps of the Messianic era, Ishmael will rise up
against Israel and try to annihilate them.
R.
Yitzchak said: The Torah need only have begun from Ex. 12:2, “This month
shall be unto you the first of the months,” [introducing the first
commandment given to Israel]. Why then did it start with the Genesis
narrative?... It was so that if the nations of the world ever say to
Israel, “You are thieves,” they will respond [that “the entire world is
G-d's property. He created it and gave it to whoever is fitting in His
eyes (Jer. 27:5); according to His will He gave it to them and according
to His will he took it from them and gave it to us”] (Rashi Gen. 1:1).
Likewise, the Midrash says (Bereshit Rabbah, 1:2), “It was so that the nations would not castigate Israel and call them “a nation of plunderers”. R.
Yitzchak did not say there, “because of the seven nations” but rather,
“the nations of the world”, to inform us that all of the nations will
join those nations who once inhabited the Land, be they the seven
nations or Ishmaelites, with the claim that Israel are thieves and
plunderers, and on that day, Israel shall stand alone.
It
follows that those same laws that applied to the seven nations [that is,
to remove them from the Land] apply to all the nations that live in
Eretz Yisrael in every age.
This includes those of our
age, who view Eretz Yisrael as their own land and soil, and who view the
Jewish People as a nation of conquerers, robbers and thieves.
After all, what difference is there as far as G-d's warning that “those who remain shall be barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, causing you troubles in the land” (Num. 33:55), between
the seven nations and between any nations that dwells in the Land,
views it as its own, and then Israel come and conquer it from them?
Surely it will feel that same hatred and that same fierce will for
revenge as did the seven nations.
This logic appears already in Or HaChaim (Num. 33:52): “You must drive out”: Although the verse said of the seven nations, “You shall not allow any people to remain alive” (Deut. 20:16), here,
the Torah is talking about other nations found there besides the seven.
It therefore was careful to say, “all the Land's inhabitants”, meaning,
even those not of the seven.
They, too, will always
harbor resentment against Israel and will never resign themselves to us,
but will await the “right” moment to rebel. As for their ostensibly
having submitted nowadays, that is only out of fear and the inability
to claim victory for the time being.
Abraham, out of his mercy and kindness, did not wish to see the evil done by Ishmael, especially with him being his son. G-d therefore had to command him, “Let it not be grievous in your sight because of the lad” (Gen. 21:12).
Mercy
towards the cruel is not a good trait. Quite the opposite, one is
duty-bound to separate oneself from the evildoer even if this is a
difficult step, and even if it appears cruel. There can be no
coexistence between evil and upright people – only separation.
[Likewise,] the death of the wicked is infinitely preferable to the
death of the righteous, and eradicating evil is infinitely superior to
eradicating good.
Compiled by Tzipora Liron-Pinner from "The Jewish Idea" of Rav Meir Kahane, HY"D
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Parashat Lech Lecha - Abraham and Jewish greatness - Rav Meir Kahane
Hashem said to Abram, “Go for yourself from your land,
from your relatives, and from your father's house to the land that I
will show you. And I will make of you a great nation; I will bless you,
and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. I will bless
those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse; and all the
families of the earth shall bless themselves by you.” (Gen. 12:1-3)
After Adam sinned and G-d saw that it was impossible to achieve by natural processes a state in which all of mankind would be good, He decided to create a single emissary, one nation which would be anointed as G-d's Messiah on earth, a light unto the nations to teach them G-d's ways. This Messiah, this chosen people, was Israel. Israel were called “Adam” because it was they who were to continue the mission of Adam, who was created for this purpose yet failed. For two thousand years, G-d searched for the man who would undertake Adam's mission but execute it differently, who would fashion a nation – from his seed – which would be G-d's elect, a holy nation that would sanctify itself and thereby influence the world to accept the yoke of Heaven.
G-d waited two thousand years, searching the world over to find one person who would be worthy to have this nation emerge from him. Yet, He did not find him until he enhanced the intellect and understanding of our forefather Abraham, making him ready for this mission if he would only use that understanding for self-sacrifice. This is the intent of Bereshit Rabbah 30:8, which stated that Abraham “was ready to direct the whole world in repentance.” Clearly, greatness cannot emerge from lowliness, and G-d perfects the spirits of certain beings for greatness. Yet, if they do not use this Divine gift, it goes to waste. As our sages said (Esther Rabbah, 6:3), “Noach was ready to recognize his Maker”, yet he did not sacrifice himself for this. Abraham's intellectual improvement came about through his being from a family that was close to the monarchy and to priests of idolatry. It is obvious that this was so, for they certainly would not have allowed just anyone to fashion and sell idols as they did with Terach [his father]. Since Abraham was in this position, he had the opportunity to learn and ponder. The same goes for Moses. G-d arranged for Moses to grow up with Pharaoh so that he would be surrounded by royalty and greatness. All the same, whoever is unready for self-sacrifice forfeits G-d's improvement.
Nedarim 32a teaches, “When Abraham was three, he recognized his Creator, as it says, “It is because [“ekev” in Hebrew] Abraham obeyed My voice [and kept My charge, My commandments, My decrees and My laws]” (Gen. 26:5). Abraham lived 175 years, and “ekev” has the numerical value of 172. It is thus interpreted that out of his 175 years, he kept G-d's charge for 172 - “ekev” - years, i.e. all but the first three. Rambam explains (Hilchot Avodah Zarah 1:3): Weaned, but still a toddler, Abraham's thoughts began to soar. Day and night this great spirit would ask himself how our world could function without a master. He wondered who was directing it, for it could not possibly direct itself. No one had taught him or informed him of anything. He was immersed in Ur Kasdim among foolish idolaters, his father and mother and his whole nation, and he worshipped with them. Gradually his understanding grew until he grasped the truth through apt perceptions. He knew that there was just one G-d and that He conducts the world and created everything, and that in all the universe there is no G-d but Him. He knew that the whole world had erred, and that their error was due to their having worshipped the stars and images until they lost the truth.
Abraham's knowing his Maker began with his understanding as a small boy that idols are meaningless. Terach made and sold them, and the boy certainly saw how they were made and understood that something man made cannot cannot possibly be man's master. Our sages said (Bereshit Rabbah, 38:13). “R. Chiya, grandson of R. Ada of Jaffa, said: Terach was an idol worshiper. One time he went out and left Abraham to sell idols for him. When a customer came in to make a purchase, Abraham would ask how old he was, and he would reply that he was fifty or sixty. Abraham would then say, woe to the sixty-year old who wishes to worship something one day old. The customer would be embarrassed and leave. One time a woman came, carrying a plate of fine flour, and said, take this and place it before the idols. Abraham took a staff and broke all the idols, placing the staff in the hands of the largest idol. When his father returned, he asked Abraham who had done this, and Abraham responded: I cannot lie to you. A woman came with a plate of fine flour and told me to place it before the idols. I did so and they all began arguing over which one would eat first. Then that large one took the staff and smashed the others. Terach then said: Why are you mocking me? Do they have minds? Abraham responded, can your ears not hear what your mouth is saying? Terach took him and handed him over to Nimrod. Nimrod said to him, let us worship fire, and Abraham replied , let us worship water which douses fire. Nimrod said, then let us worship water, and Abraham replied, if so , then let us worship the clouds which hold the water. Nimrod said, let us worship the clouds. Abraham replied, let us worship the wind which disperses the clouds. Nimrod said, let us worship the wind. Abraham replied, let us worship man, who is not moved by the wind. Nimrod said, this is all just talk. I only bow down to fire. Now I shall throw you into it, and let the G-d that you bow down to come and save you.”
Thus, once Abraham's belief was complete, he proceeded to risk his life for the Oneness of G-d, treating idolatry with contempt. First, he did so with his father's idols, and then he went out and chastised the public. Abraham completed his spiritual development by not retreating or denying his faith, instead sanctifying the name Heaven (see Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, Ch. 26, where it says that before he was thrown into the fiery furnace,he also sat in prison: “His second trial was his being imprisoned for ten years, three in Cutha and seven in Kardu.”) This is how Abraham grew to greatness. G-d searched for someone fit to inaugurate the era of Torah, someone from whom the Chosen People could emerge and become G-d's anointed emissary to disseminate the true Jewish idea throughout the world. Such a person had to be unique, someone who would find the truth himself and be ready to risk his life for it without and prophecy or revelation by G-d until after he had passed his test. The true believer is known solely for his complete bitachon, his readiness to sacrifice his life for Kiddush Hashem. Our sages said (Shir HaShirim Rabbah, 1:13): “My beloved is to me a bundle of myrrh” (Song of Songs 1:13): R. Azariah, in the name of R. Yehudah, interpreted this verse as dealing with Abraham: Just as his myrrh heads the list of spices [Ex. 30:23, for the sacred anointment], so is Abraham at the head of all saints. Just as this myrrh gives off no scent without fire, so were Abraham's deeds unknown until he was thrown into a fiery furnace.
In other words, there was no proof of the genuineness of Abraham's faith until he was ready to sacrifice himself for Kiddush Hashem, trusting not that he would be saved, but in the truth of G-d's existence and in His ultimate victory. Having bitachon does not mean trusting that if one does a specific act he will be saved or that G-d will give him what he wants. When Abraham was ready to fall into a fiery furnace, he was not certain he would be saved, yet he was still ready to do it for the sake of Kiddush Hashem. He was certain of G-d's existence. Precisely his brother, Haran, who linked his trust in G-d to that G-d would perform a miracle for him, was killed. As our sages say (Bereshit Rabbah, 38:13): Haran was there, and he had conflicting thoughts. He said, “Either way! If Abraham wins, I will say that I am with Abraham, and if Nimrod wins, I will say that I am with Nimrod.” When Abraham entered the fiery furnace and was saved, they asked Haran, “Whose side are you on?” and he answered that he was with Abraham. They took him and threw him into the fire, and his innards burned up... He died in sight of Terach his father.
We see that G-d does not perform miracles for those who rely on them. That is not bitachon at all but knowledge that one will be saved. Bitachon comes into play precisely where there is danger, when a person does not know whether he will be saved, yet trusts in G-d anyway, championing Divine truth destined to win out. This self-sacrifice is the pinnacle of bitachon, as stated, and from it stems Kiddush Hashem. Kiddush Hashem is a trait that nothing else transcends; and because Abraham was ready to sanctify G-d's name even at the cost of his life, he merited to be chosen as G-d's select son, from whom would emerge lofty, holy seed.
The Jewish people were conceived through the self-sacrifice of their founder, our forefather Abraham, and only through such self-sacrifice, the climax of accepting the yoke of Heaven, was it possible to anoint the messenger nation of G-d. The Jews are unique because they possess the truth and are, moreover, obligated to preserve in their self-sacrifice on its behalf, even if standing alone like Abraham, the first Jew.
Compiled by Tzipora Liron-Pinner from "The Jewish Idea" of Rav Meir Kahane, HY"D
After Adam sinned and G-d saw that it was impossible to achieve by natural processes a state in which all of mankind would be good, He decided to create a single emissary, one nation which would be anointed as G-d's Messiah on earth, a light unto the nations to teach them G-d's ways. This Messiah, this chosen people, was Israel. Israel were called “Adam” because it was they who were to continue the mission of Adam, who was created for this purpose yet failed. For two thousand years, G-d searched for the man who would undertake Adam's mission but execute it differently, who would fashion a nation – from his seed – which would be G-d's elect, a holy nation that would sanctify itself and thereby influence the world to accept the yoke of Heaven.
G-d waited two thousand years, searching the world over to find one person who would be worthy to have this nation emerge from him. Yet, He did not find him until he enhanced the intellect and understanding of our forefather Abraham, making him ready for this mission if he would only use that understanding for self-sacrifice. This is the intent of Bereshit Rabbah 30:8, which stated that Abraham “was ready to direct the whole world in repentance.” Clearly, greatness cannot emerge from lowliness, and G-d perfects the spirits of certain beings for greatness. Yet, if they do not use this Divine gift, it goes to waste. As our sages said (Esther Rabbah, 6:3), “Noach was ready to recognize his Maker”, yet he did not sacrifice himself for this. Abraham's intellectual improvement came about through his being from a family that was close to the monarchy and to priests of idolatry. It is obvious that this was so, for they certainly would not have allowed just anyone to fashion and sell idols as they did with Terach [his father]. Since Abraham was in this position, he had the opportunity to learn and ponder. The same goes for Moses. G-d arranged for Moses to grow up with Pharaoh so that he would be surrounded by royalty and greatness. All the same, whoever is unready for self-sacrifice forfeits G-d's improvement.
Nedarim 32a teaches, “When Abraham was three, he recognized his Creator, as it says, “It is because [“ekev” in Hebrew] Abraham obeyed My voice [and kept My charge, My commandments, My decrees and My laws]” (Gen. 26:5). Abraham lived 175 years, and “ekev” has the numerical value of 172. It is thus interpreted that out of his 175 years, he kept G-d's charge for 172 - “ekev” - years, i.e. all but the first three. Rambam explains (Hilchot Avodah Zarah 1:3): Weaned, but still a toddler, Abraham's thoughts began to soar. Day and night this great spirit would ask himself how our world could function without a master. He wondered who was directing it, for it could not possibly direct itself. No one had taught him or informed him of anything. He was immersed in Ur Kasdim among foolish idolaters, his father and mother and his whole nation, and he worshipped with them. Gradually his understanding grew until he grasped the truth through apt perceptions. He knew that there was just one G-d and that He conducts the world and created everything, and that in all the universe there is no G-d but Him. He knew that the whole world had erred, and that their error was due to their having worshipped the stars and images until they lost the truth.
Abraham's knowing his Maker began with his understanding as a small boy that idols are meaningless. Terach made and sold them, and the boy certainly saw how they were made and understood that something man made cannot cannot possibly be man's master. Our sages said (Bereshit Rabbah, 38:13). “R. Chiya, grandson of R. Ada of Jaffa, said: Terach was an idol worshiper. One time he went out and left Abraham to sell idols for him. When a customer came in to make a purchase, Abraham would ask how old he was, and he would reply that he was fifty or sixty. Abraham would then say, woe to the sixty-year old who wishes to worship something one day old. The customer would be embarrassed and leave. One time a woman came, carrying a plate of fine flour, and said, take this and place it before the idols. Abraham took a staff and broke all the idols, placing the staff in the hands of the largest idol. When his father returned, he asked Abraham who had done this, and Abraham responded: I cannot lie to you. A woman came with a plate of fine flour and told me to place it before the idols. I did so and they all began arguing over which one would eat first. Then that large one took the staff and smashed the others. Terach then said: Why are you mocking me? Do they have minds? Abraham responded, can your ears not hear what your mouth is saying? Terach took him and handed him over to Nimrod. Nimrod said to him, let us worship fire, and Abraham replied , let us worship water which douses fire. Nimrod said, then let us worship water, and Abraham replied, if so , then let us worship the clouds which hold the water. Nimrod said, let us worship the clouds. Abraham replied, let us worship the wind which disperses the clouds. Nimrod said, let us worship the wind. Abraham replied, let us worship man, who is not moved by the wind. Nimrod said, this is all just talk. I only bow down to fire. Now I shall throw you into it, and let the G-d that you bow down to come and save you.”
Thus, once Abraham's belief was complete, he proceeded to risk his life for the Oneness of G-d, treating idolatry with contempt. First, he did so with his father's idols, and then he went out and chastised the public. Abraham completed his spiritual development by not retreating or denying his faith, instead sanctifying the name Heaven (see Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, Ch. 26, where it says that before he was thrown into the fiery furnace,he also sat in prison: “His second trial was his being imprisoned for ten years, three in Cutha and seven in Kardu.”) This is how Abraham grew to greatness. G-d searched for someone fit to inaugurate the era of Torah, someone from whom the Chosen People could emerge and become G-d's anointed emissary to disseminate the true Jewish idea throughout the world. Such a person had to be unique, someone who would find the truth himself and be ready to risk his life for it without and prophecy or revelation by G-d until after he had passed his test. The true believer is known solely for his complete bitachon, his readiness to sacrifice his life for Kiddush Hashem. Our sages said (Shir HaShirim Rabbah, 1:13): “My beloved is to me a bundle of myrrh” (Song of Songs 1:13): R. Azariah, in the name of R. Yehudah, interpreted this verse as dealing with Abraham: Just as his myrrh heads the list of spices [Ex. 30:23, for the sacred anointment], so is Abraham at the head of all saints. Just as this myrrh gives off no scent without fire, so were Abraham's deeds unknown until he was thrown into a fiery furnace.
In other words, there was no proof of the genuineness of Abraham's faith until he was ready to sacrifice himself for Kiddush Hashem, trusting not that he would be saved, but in the truth of G-d's existence and in His ultimate victory. Having bitachon does not mean trusting that if one does a specific act he will be saved or that G-d will give him what he wants. When Abraham was ready to fall into a fiery furnace, he was not certain he would be saved, yet he was still ready to do it for the sake of Kiddush Hashem. He was certain of G-d's existence. Precisely his brother, Haran, who linked his trust in G-d to that G-d would perform a miracle for him, was killed. As our sages say (Bereshit Rabbah, 38:13): Haran was there, and he had conflicting thoughts. He said, “Either way! If Abraham wins, I will say that I am with Abraham, and if Nimrod wins, I will say that I am with Nimrod.” When Abraham entered the fiery furnace and was saved, they asked Haran, “Whose side are you on?” and he answered that he was with Abraham. They took him and threw him into the fire, and his innards burned up... He died in sight of Terach his father.
We see that G-d does not perform miracles for those who rely on them. That is not bitachon at all but knowledge that one will be saved. Bitachon comes into play precisely where there is danger, when a person does not know whether he will be saved, yet trusts in G-d anyway, championing Divine truth destined to win out. This self-sacrifice is the pinnacle of bitachon, as stated, and from it stems Kiddush Hashem. Kiddush Hashem is a trait that nothing else transcends; and because Abraham was ready to sanctify G-d's name even at the cost of his life, he merited to be chosen as G-d's select son, from whom would emerge lofty, holy seed.
The Jewish people were conceived through the self-sacrifice of their founder, our forefather Abraham, and only through such self-sacrifice, the climax of accepting the yoke of Heaven, was it possible to anoint the messenger nation of G-d. The Jews are unique because they possess the truth and are, moreover, obligated to preserve in their self-sacrifice on its behalf, even if standing alone like Abraham, the first Jew.
Compiled by Tzipora Liron-Pinner from "The Jewish Idea" of Rav Meir Kahane, HY"D
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Parashat Noach - Creation annihilated? - Rav Binyamin Ze'ev Kahane
And He blotted out all existence that was
on the face of the ground - from man to animals to creeping things and
to the bird of the sky; and they were blotted out from the earth. Only
Noach survived and those with him in the Ark. (Gen. 7:23)
Parashat Noach raises the following question: Why did G-d wipe out all of the beasts, birds, and crawling things in the flood? If man sinned, why should the animals suffer? Rashi explains:”The entire creation is for man, and when man is wiped out, who needs all these?” That is, the purpose of the creation is not simply to exist, but rather to actualize the destiny of the Creation. The moment there is no purpose (which is the case after G-d wiped out man, for whom the world was created), then the animals must perish since there is no longer a reason for their existence. Here, too, the moment the deeds of man prove that there is no longer a possibility for him to fulfill his destiny, his existence is no longer necessary, and he perishes. But we are still left wondering: All that creation, just for annihilation? All those generations before the flood (a span of 1654 years) were for nothing?
The answer is no. Harsh though this verses may be, a verse appears at the very end of Bereshit which turns everything around: “But Noach found grace in the eyes of G-d”. And while this lonely verse may appear to be only a small comfort to a world gone astray, the truth is that this one verse is everything. Even if we are speaking about one individual – he is the one who counts. Noach is the justification for the world's continued existence.
G-d created the world for the sake of those who will eventually fulfill the world's destiny, and He is not deterred by the possibility that there may be just a very few out there who may be willing. What really counts is that small ray of light that sometimes is not paid much attention to, but illuminates the world with the light of the world's true destiny.
But...
For 120 years, Noah fulfilled G-d's commandment and built the ark, all the while warning the people in his generation about the impending flood. When the people would pass by his house and ask what he was doing, he would reply, ”The Almighty said that He is bringing a flood upon the world”. The people reacted with vicious mockery. (Bereishit Raba 30:7)
The question that can be asked is the following: For 120 years Noach warned of the flood. And what came out of it? At first glance absolutely nothing!
In the end, the flood wiped out the entire world, except for whom? Except for Noach and his family. Not even one person was convinced to do “teshuva”. Not even one! Noach's “life endeavor” of 120 years was a waste of time. Or was it?
The story of Noach provides us with a concrete illustration as to what the true role of the chastising prophet is. Certainly the major goal of the warnings and admonishment are to direct the people onto the proper path, in the hope that they will do “teshuva” immediately. But in contrast as to what one might think, if the prophet does not succeed in bringing the people to “:teshuva”, this does not necessarily mean that he failed! A deeper look will reveal that the rebuke in itself has value. If we look at the prophets of Israel, we will notice an amazing fact: Generally speaking, they were a dismal failure. It seemed as if they influenced no one. The people were not interested in hearing them, and did not change their evil ways. Does this mean that there was no value in the warnings of the prophets? Of course not. After all, the words of the prophets are inscribed forever in our holy Tanach.
The answer to this question van be found in G-d's answer to Ezekiel when He appoints him as a prophet (chapter 2) “ And He said to me, Son of man, I sent thee to the children of Israel...that have rebelled against me...and you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord G-d. And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will refuse to hear, (for they are a rebellious house), so that they shall know that there has been a prophet amongst them ”. And afterwards (3:7): ”But the house of Israel will not hearken to you...” Can this be? If G-d knows that they will not listen, why send Ezekiel out and put him through such humiliation and abuse? And so a new concept is learned here. The saying of truth has value, even if it has no apparent influence at that particular moment. What is the value? “So that they shall know that there has been a prophet amongst them”. Even if immediate results are not seen, the value of the warnings are that they manifest the bringing in of G-d's word into the world. The prophet who expresses G-d's truth in giving expression to G-d's actual presence in this world. It is showing us that the world is not “hefker” (chaos). There is justice in the world. By so doing, the prophet in essence sanctifies G-d's name.
(Compiled by Tzipora Liron-Pinner from “The writings of Rav Binyamin Ze'ev Kahane“ HY"D - end of commentary on Parashat Bereshit and commentary on Parashat Noach)
Parashat Noach raises the following question: Why did G-d wipe out all of the beasts, birds, and crawling things in the flood? If man sinned, why should the animals suffer? Rashi explains:”The entire creation is for man, and when man is wiped out, who needs all these?” That is, the purpose of the creation is not simply to exist, but rather to actualize the destiny of the Creation. The moment there is no purpose (which is the case after G-d wiped out man, for whom the world was created), then the animals must perish since there is no longer a reason for their existence. Here, too, the moment the deeds of man prove that there is no longer a possibility for him to fulfill his destiny, his existence is no longer necessary, and he perishes. But we are still left wondering: All that creation, just for annihilation? All those generations before the flood (a span of 1654 years) were for nothing?
The answer is no. Harsh though this verses may be, a verse appears at the very end of Bereshit which turns everything around: “But Noach found grace in the eyes of G-d”. And while this lonely verse may appear to be only a small comfort to a world gone astray, the truth is that this one verse is everything. Even if we are speaking about one individual – he is the one who counts. Noach is the justification for the world's continued existence.
G-d created the world for the sake of those who will eventually fulfill the world's destiny, and He is not deterred by the possibility that there may be just a very few out there who may be willing. What really counts is that small ray of light that sometimes is not paid much attention to, but illuminates the world with the light of the world's true destiny.
But...
For 120 years, Noah fulfilled G-d's commandment and built the ark, all the while warning the people in his generation about the impending flood. When the people would pass by his house and ask what he was doing, he would reply, ”The Almighty said that He is bringing a flood upon the world”. The people reacted with vicious mockery. (Bereishit Raba 30:7)
The question that can be asked is the following: For 120 years Noach warned of the flood. And what came out of it? At first glance absolutely nothing!
In the end, the flood wiped out the entire world, except for whom? Except for Noach and his family. Not even one person was convinced to do “teshuva”. Not even one! Noach's “life endeavor” of 120 years was a waste of time. Or was it?
The story of Noach provides us with a concrete illustration as to what the true role of the chastising prophet is. Certainly the major goal of the warnings and admonishment are to direct the people onto the proper path, in the hope that they will do “teshuva” immediately. But in contrast as to what one might think, if the prophet does not succeed in bringing the people to “:teshuva”, this does not necessarily mean that he failed! A deeper look will reveal that the rebuke in itself has value. If we look at the prophets of Israel, we will notice an amazing fact: Generally speaking, they were a dismal failure. It seemed as if they influenced no one. The people were not interested in hearing them, and did not change their evil ways. Does this mean that there was no value in the warnings of the prophets? Of course not. After all, the words of the prophets are inscribed forever in our holy Tanach.
The answer to this question van be found in G-d's answer to Ezekiel when He appoints him as a prophet (chapter 2) “ And He said to me, Son of man, I sent thee to the children of Israel...that have rebelled against me...and you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord G-d. And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will refuse to hear, (for they are a rebellious house), so that they shall know that there has been a prophet amongst them ”. And afterwards (3:7): ”But the house of Israel will not hearken to you...” Can this be? If G-d knows that they will not listen, why send Ezekiel out and put him through such humiliation and abuse? And so a new concept is learned here. The saying of truth has value, even if it has no apparent influence at that particular moment. What is the value? “So that they shall know that there has been a prophet amongst them”. Even if immediate results are not seen, the value of the warnings are that they manifest the bringing in of G-d's word into the world. The prophet who expresses G-d's truth in giving expression to G-d's actual presence in this world. It is showing us that the world is not “hefker” (chaos). There is justice in the world. By so doing, the prophet in essence sanctifies G-d's name.
(Compiled by Tzipora Liron-Pinner from “The writings of Rav Binyamin Ze'ev Kahane“ HY"D - end of commentary on Parashat Bereshit and commentary on Parashat Noach)
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Parashat Vezot HaBrachah - Judaism: Religion or Nation? - Rav Meir Kahane
... from His right hand He presented the fire of “dat” to them.
Indeed, You loved the tribes greatly, all its holy ones were in Your hands; for they planted themselves at Your feet, bearing [the yoke of] Your utterances. (Deut. 33:2-3)
...He became King over Jeshurun when the numbers of the nation gathered – the tribes of Israel in unity. (Deut. 33:5)
At Sinai, the first thing G-d commanded Moses to tell Israel was that they are a “holy nation”. Not a religion, and certainly not just a people or nationality, but a great joining of both: a nation, a people - but holy. As our sages said (Mechilta, Yitro, BaChodesh 2)
He called them a “nation”, as it says (I Chron. 17:21), “And who is like your people Israel, one nation in the Land?” and He called them “holy”, utterly sanctified, separate from the nations of the world and from their abominations.
Israel are a holy nation, separate from all others. G-d commanded Moses to say this immediately before the Giving of the Torah, for it is the basis of the whole Torah, the definition of Israel.
Israel are not a religion, as so many of our fellow Jews unfortunately believe due to the exile. However much we examine the Torah, we do not find the word “dat” [religion], except for one time: - “...the fire of “dat” to them” (Deut. 33:2, see above), and there the connotation is clear: the law of the King, not just some worship cut off from the concept of nationhood. Neither in the rest of Scripture do we find this word, except in the book of Ruth, where “dat” clearly refers to a royal command. It most certainly does not refer to mere worship or faith such as that connoted by the word “religion”. “Religion” means one faith subscribed to by people of different nations, the only connection between them being that faith, while they are tied by nationality to other people in their land who subscribe to other faiths. Israel most certainly reject that conception and view it as an abomination. G-d labeled Israel a “people” and “nation” to emphasize that no Jew has any tie to state, nationality or society linking him to any non-Jew. All of Israel constitute a single unit, a nation set apart.
We are not a religion or a kehilah kedoshah, a “holy congregation,” but a holy, chosen nation, tied to a holy and special land by a duty to return to it and settle it.
The curse of the exile which befell us almost two thousand years ago distorted the very definition of a Jew. The Jew sank in the morass of forgetfulness of the main concept of G-d's Torah – the definition and identity of the Jewish People, the centrality within Torah of nationhood and a land.
The very fact of a prolonged, ongoing exile accustomed the Jew to live without a land, to live not as a nation but as a religion. In this way, the Jewish People, holy and chosen and separate, tied by their umbilical cord to the Land of Israel, were transformed into a religion and form of worship without any close, vital connection to a land exclusively theirs.
Without a country and a government, it is only natural that all the laws of government and statehood, and inseparable and central part of G-d's Torah were set aside like irrelevant laws, a sort of Shulchan Aruch for the future, and in effect forgotten entirely with the “religion” awaiting the Messiah's advent.
All the concepts of people and nationhood, of normal, natural life, of leaders and wars, were filed away and ultimately denied. The emphasis came to be on the limited laws of the individual. A point was reached at which the very concepts of a state, a nation, and army, natural life in the Land of Israel were considered hostile, “irreligious' concepts – Heaven help us!
Scripture describes Israel as a “goy”, a nation, and as “kadosh”, holy. By being both, Israel merit victory over their enemies and life on their land, as it says “[You must thus make the choice] to love the L-rd your G-d, to obey Him, and to attach yourself to Him. This is your sole means of survival and long live when you dwell in the land that the L-rd swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, [promising] that He would give it to them” (Deut. 30:20).
The Jewish People are not a nation like all others, but a holy nation which accepts upon itself the yoke of Heaven, holy character traits and G-d's mitzvot. This contradicts the approach of those who have cast off their yoke and thought to make us a nation like all others, neither holy nor apart.
[As Rav Kahane explains in “Peirush HaMaccabee” on Shemot, Ch. 1:]
G-d chose Abraham because of his behavior and his merits; He rejected his son Ishmael and chose Isaac, too, because of his merits; again, He rejected Esau and chose Jacob due to his behavior. So after three successive generations of tzaddikim, all the subsequent offspring of the Patriarchs could be considered spiritually fit. G-d could forge them all into a chosen, treasured, and exalted nation, who would be His emissary to the human race and a light unto all the nations, to teach them the correct ways which they should follow. As King David said: He forged [His covenant] with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac, and established it as a statute for Jacob, as an eternal covenant with Israel (Psalms 105:9-10). They could fulfill this task only in their own Land, in which they would establish an exalted State, an exalted society, separated from the other nations’ foreign culture.
However, before Jacob’s children could fulfill this role, they had to evolve from a collection of families and tribes to a single, unified nation, heading for its ultimate destiny in unity. Similarly, this nation itself had to believe with perfect emunah that Hashem is the true G-d, that He is omnipotent, that He is truly the Creator. Therefore, the nation had to undergo a period of suffering and servitude and tribulations, to the extent that they would despair of ever being redeemed, since it would be inconceivable to them that anyone would ever be able to defeat the mighty kingdom of Pharaoh, the “great crocodile”. And so, only after this nadir of subjugation and despair, G-d humbled the haughty and exalted the humble, destroying those Egyptians who did not know Hashem. His miracles in Egypt and at the Red Sea, and the climax of knowledge of Hashem and sanctification of His Name at Mount Sinai, exalted and sanctified Him in the eyes of the world in general and Israel in particular. He appeared unto the entire Nation without exception, and forged them into a united Nation – His chosen and exalted Nation. This gave them their emunah in G-d and His greatness.
The Jewish People were conceived at the redemption from Egypt where they began to become a nation; born at Mount Sinai where they became a holy nation; and they achieved perfection when they entered Eretz Yisrael and at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal stood for the blessings and the curses.
We must never forget this great Torah principle: Perfection for Israel requires four elements: nationhood, the Torah, the Land and the language. It is a source of endless trouble that we have forgotten this and have, thereby, strayed from the path set for us by G-d.
[See the] great allusion made by our sages when they established this foundation in the Grace After Meals. Berachot 48b teaches:
R. Eliezer says, “Whoever does not mention the 'lovely and spacious land' in the second blessing of the Grace, or the 'royal house of David' in the third, has not met his obligation.” Nachum HaZaken says: “He must mention the covenant.” R. Yossi says, “He must mention Torah.”
R. Yosef Karo subsequently ruled:
If he does not mention both covenant and Torah in the blessing on the Land, even if he omits only one of them, we make him go back... If he does not mention the royal house of David in the third blessing, we make him go back. (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, 187:3-4)
Here in their greatness, the sages of Israel established and defined precisely who and what Israel are: a monarchic nation, sanctified via covenant and Torah, living in their own land.
The different elements are interdependent. The Jewish People's link to a state is tied to the holiness of the covenant and the Torah, and vice versa. The history of the Jewish People and their fate and future – whether for good or for evil, G-d forbid – depend on Israel's being a holy nation that clings to holiness and purity and to the yoke of Heaven.
It is thus, clear that G-d not only gave the Jewish People a special land, but also decreed that they must live in it. Living in the Land is not merely a right, but a duty that cannot be forgone. It is a mitzvah, a Divine decree, that we must live in Eretz Yisrael under G-d's domination, sanctifying His name, in order to create a holy state and society which clings to mitzvot completely and properly, uninfluenced by the alien, false culture of the nations.
Fortunate are you, O Israel: Who is like you! O people delivered by Hashem, the Shield of your help, Who is the Sword of your grandeur; your foes will try to deceive you, but you will trample their haughty ones. (Deut. 33:29)
Compiled by Tzipora Liron-Pinner from 'The Jewish Idea' and 'Peirush HaMaccabee (Shemot)' of Rav Meir Kahane, HY"D
Indeed, You loved the tribes greatly, all its holy ones were in Your hands; for they planted themselves at Your feet, bearing [the yoke of] Your utterances. (Deut. 33:2-3)
...He became King over Jeshurun when the numbers of the nation gathered – the tribes of Israel in unity. (Deut. 33:5)
At Sinai, the first thing G-d commanded Moses to tell Israel was that they are a “holy nation”. Not a religion, and certainly not just a people or nationality, but a great joining of both: a nation, a people - but holy. As our sages said (Mechilta, Yitro, BaChodesh 2)
He called them a “nation”, as it says (I Chron. 17:21), “And who is like your people Israel, one nation in the Land?” and He called them “holy”, utterly sanctified, separate from the nations of the world and from their abominations.
Israel are a holy nation, separate from all others. G-d commanded Moses to say this immediately before the Giving of the Torah, for it is the basis of the whole Torah, the definition of Israel.
Israel are not a religion, as so many of our fellow Jews unfortunately believe due to the exile. However much we examine the Torah, we do not find the word “dat” [religion], except for one time: - “...the fire of “dat” to them” (Deut. 33:2, see above), and there the connotation is clear: the law of the King, not just some worship cut off from the concept of nationhood. Neither in the rest of Scripture do we find this word, except in the book of Ruth, where “dat” clearly refers to a royal command. It most certainly does not refer to mere worship or faith such as that connoted by the word “religion”. “Religion” means one faith subscribed to by people of different nations, the only connection between them being that faith, while they are tied by nationality to other people in their land who subscribe to other faiths. Israel most certainly reject that conception and view it as an abomination. G-d labeled Israel a “people” and “nation” to emphasize that no Jew has any tie to state, nationality or society linking him to any non-Jew. All of Israel constitute a single unit, a nation set apart.
We are not a religion or a kehilah kedoshah, a “holy congregation,” but a holy, chosen nation, tied to a holy and special land by a duty to return to it and settle it.
The curse of the exile which befell us almost two thousand years ago distorted the very definition of a Jew. The Jew sank in the morass of forgetfulness of the main concept of G-d's Torah – the definition and identity of the Jewish People, the centrality within Torah of nationhood and a land.
The very fact of a prolonged, ongoing exile accustomed the Jew to live without a land, to live not as a nation but as a religion. In this way, the Jewish People, holy and chosen and separate, tied by their umbilical cord to the Land of Israel, were transformed into a religion and form of worship without any close, vital connection to a land exclusively theirs.
Without a country and a government, it is only natural that all the laws of government and statehood, and inseparable and central part of G-d's Torah were set aside like irrelevant laws, a sort of Shulchan Aruch for the future, and in effect forgotten entirely with the “religion” awaiting the Messiah's advent.
All the concepts of people and nationhood, of normal, natural life, of leaders and wars, were filed away and ultimately denied. The emphasis came to be on the limited laws of the individual. A point was reached at which the very concepts of a state, a nation, and army, natural life in the Land of Israel were considered hostile, “irreligious' concepts – Heaven help us!
Scripture describes Israel as a “goy”, a nation, and as “kadosh”, holy. By being both, Israel merit victory over their enemies and life on their land, as it says “[You must thus make the choice] to love the L-rd your G-d, to obey Him, and to attach yourself to Him. This is your sole means of survival and long live when you dwell in the land that the L-rd swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, [promising] that He would give it to them” (Deut. 30:20).
The Jewish People are not a nation like all others, but a holy nation which accepts upon itself the yoke of Heaven, holy character traits and G-d's mitzvot. This contradicts the approach of those who have cast off their yoke and thought to make us a nation like all others, neither holy nor apart.
[As Rav Kahane explains in “Peirush HaMaccabee” on Shemot, Ch. 1:]
G-d chose Abraham because of his behavior and his merits; He rejected his son Ishmael and chose Isaac, too, because of his merits; again, He rejected Esau and chose Jacob due to his behavior. So after three successive generations of tzaddikim, all the subsequent offspring of the Patriarchs could be considered spiritually fit. G-d could forge them all into a chosen, treasured, and exalted nation, who would be His emissary to the human race and a light unto all the nations, to teach them the correct ways which they should follow. As King David said: He forged [His covenant] with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac, and established it as a statute for Jacob, as an eternal covenant with Israel (Psalms 105:9-10). They could fulfill this task only in their own Land, in which they would establish an exalted State, an exalted society, separated from the other nations’ foreign culture.
However, before Jacob’s children could fulfill this role, they had to evolve from a collection of families and tribes to a single, unified nation, heading for its ultimate destiny in unity. Similarly, this nation itself had to believe with perfect emunah that Hashem is the true G-d, that He is omnipotent, that He is truly the Creator. Therefore, the nation had to undergo a period of suffering and servitude and tribulations, to the extent that they would despair of ever being redeemed, since it would be inconceivable to them that anyone would ever be able to defeat the mighty kingdom of Pharaoh, the “great crocodile”. And so, only after this nadir of subjugation and despair, G-d humbled the haughty and exalted the humble, destroying those Egyptians who did not know Hashem. His miracles in Egypt and at the Red Sea, and the climax of knowledge of Hashem and sanctification of His Name at Mount Sinai, exalted and sanctified Him in the eyes of the world in general and Israel in particular. He appeared unto the entire Nation without exception, and forged them into a united Nation – His chosen and exalted Nation. This gave them their emunah in G-d and His greatness.
The Jewish People were conceived at the redemption from Egypt where they began to become a nation; born at Mount Sinai where they became a holy nation; and they achieved perfection when they entered Eretz Yisrael and at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal stood for the blessings and the curses.
We must never forget this great Torah principle: Perfection for Israel requires four elements: nationhood, the Torah, the Land and the language. It is a source of endless trouble that we have forgotten this and have, thereby, strayed from the path set for us by G-d.
[See the] great allusion made by our sages when they established this foundation in the Grace After Meals. Berachot 48b teaches:
R. Eliezer says, “Whoever does not mention the 'lovely and spacious land' in the second blessing of the Grace, or the 'royal house of David' in the third, has not met his obligation.” Nachum HaZaken says: “He must mention the covenant.” R. Yossi says, “He must mention Torah.”
R. Yosef Karo subsequently ruled:
If he does not mention both covenant and Torah in the blessing on the Land, even if he omits only one of them, we make him go back... If he does not mention the royal house of David in the third blessing, we make him go back. (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, 187:3-4)
Here in their greatness, the sages of Israel established and defined precisely who and what Israel are: a monarchic nation, sanctified via covenant and Torah, living in their own land.
The different elements are interdependent. The Jewish People's link to a state is tied to the holiness of the covenant and the Torah, and vice versa. The history of the Jewish People and their fate and future – whether for good or for evil, G-d forbid – depend on Israel's being a holy nation that clings to holiness and purity and to the yoke of Heaven.
It is thus, clear that G-d not only gave the Jewish People a special land, but also decreed that they must live in it. Living in the Land is not merely a right, but a duty that cannot be forgone. It is a mitzvah, a Divine decree, that we must live in Eretz Yisrael under G-d's domination, sanctifying His name, in order to create a holy state and society which clings to mitzvot completely and properly, uninfluenced by the alien, false culture of the nations.
Fortunate are you, O Israel: Who is like you! O people delivered by Hashem, the Shield of your help, Who is the Sword of your grandeur; your foes will try to deceive you, but you will trample their haughty ones. (Deut. 33:29)
Compiled by Tzipora Liron-Pinner from 'The Jewish Idea' and 'Peirush HaMaccabee (Shemot)' of Rav Meir Kahane, HY"D
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