A lesson in values and strategy for the Israeli Government

  You need to take a stand with all the military power G-d has granted you. When ‘we will stand by the banner of our G-d’, and ‘we will invoke the name of our G-d’ [Psalms 20.6 and 8], then the enemy [‘the hands of Esau’] will become null and void.

The Tavor

Hand in hand with reliance on G-d, weaponry is vital [Code of Jewish Law: Go out to attack fully armed!] as we find that this was the stance taken by our Patriarch Yaakov. When he was about to meet with Esau he prepared with prayer, gifts and for war. Initially with prayer, then with gifts and then, if necessary, for war. We must learn from our ancestors, from Yaakov, that together with prayer, the enemy must know that we are prepared to go out to war. When we are prepared, and equipped for war, there will be no war! Exactly as we saw what took place with Yaakov, that Esau never went to war against him when they met, but instead, kissed him, and then he went on his way, and Yaakov and his entourage went to live in the Holy Land.

We see what is going on in the Holy Land of late. The moment they submit to pressure – it is an invitation to further pressure, to killings of many Jewish souls, as took place in the Yom Kippur War. We must not rely on miracles as in the past, when Jews wanted to cede parts of Israel and G-d acted miraculously in that the Arabs did not accept the offer [because they wanted everything!]. Never should we be prepared to relinquish land within the borders of Israel.  

Specifically with this method – not by submitting to pressure which will only result in human sacrifices and to further exertion of pressure, but rather with a powerful stand not to forsake one inch of the Holy land. Only in this way will wars be averted and ‘no man will go missing’, not even one [each one being an entire world]. Not only does a strong stand prevent wars, but in addition nullifies all pressure to such an extent that those who previously initiated the pressure will ultimately offer assistance, as we have seen on so many previous occasions. ‘All the nations of the world will see the Name of G-d upon you and will fear you’.

When the nations will see Jewish People pre-occupied with Torah and declare openly allegiance to G-d, calling to G-d, they will fear you. This is the only way to bring true peace at the end of these days of the exile when there will be the fulfillment of the Divine Promise: ‘In the end Israel will repent at the end of the exile with the true and full redemption through our righteous Moshiach.  

Public Talk 10th Tevet 1978

Jews argue: “We are thieves. We stole their Land!”

  At the beginning of his commentary on the Torah, Rashi opens with the words: ‘Rabbi Yitzchak says the Torah need not have begun in this way... why then does the Torah begin with the account of creation?’ The response is in a verse of Psalms (111.6) ‘He makes known to His People the might of His hand in giving to them the inheritance of Nations (the Land of Israel)’. 

The entire world belongs to G-d. It was He who created it and gave it to whom He saw fit

When the Nations of the world will say to Israel: “You are thieves.... You conquered the Lands of the Seven (Canaanite) Nations”, they (the Jewish people) should respond: “The entire world belongs to G-d. It was He who created it and gave it to whom He saw fit. According to His will did He give it to them, and according to His Will did He take it from them and give it to us”. Rashi quotes “He makes known to His People the might of His hand in giving them the inheritance of Nations” (a message to His People). 

 At this point we are not yet speaking of any contention by Gentiles. But rather to a situation whereby there are Jewish people who will come and argue (even before the conquest of the Land of Israel), “how was it that G-d permitted that we conquer the land of Israel? They argue: the Land belongs to the Nations!” The response is: He shows the might of His creation to His people. The Land of Israel (and indeed the entire world) is an act of creation by G-d. He is Master over the Land of Israel given (at one point in time) as an inheritance to the nations. Therefore He is entitled to subsequently grant it to the Jewish People. 

Rashi continues his comment: “If the Nations will contend”. Here there arises a difficulty. We can readily understand that before the conquest of Eretz Israel there is a need to explain how could the conquest of the Land of Israel take place? It belonged to the Nations! But after the conquest – what need is there for this explanation? Rashi explains that it is quite conceivable that Gentiles will come with a claim against the Jewish Nation – you are thieves! How do you justify holding on to the Land of Israel? Therefore, in order to respond to the Gentile, the Torah opens with the account of Creation to tell him that it was G-d who created the Land and “by His will did He initially give it to the nations, and subsequently it was by His will that He took it from them and gave it to us.

There remains a question: How do we know that a Jew is obliged to respond to a Gentile to his accusation “you are thieves!” The answer lies in the name Rabbi Yitzchak. In tractate Brachos (7.2) Rabbi Yitzchak says that when things are going well for the gentile, it is forbidden to taunt or provoke him. One should take note of him and not be overwhelmed when he comes with a storm of contentions. When however the gentile accuses you – “you are thieves”, the very same Rabbi Yitzchak quoted by Rashi, states that the verse stipulates that you are obliged to respond to the gentile with the greatest force! Only then will all their claims become null and void. 

Public talk Shabbos Bereishis 1971

The Lubavitcher Rebbe analyzed the dangers with Ariel Sharon.

“The Rebbe always amazed me on subjects that I never anticipated would happen. For example with his descriptions of military defense: how to defend the Suez Canal and Sinai. At that time I was battling at the Bar-Lev line because I saw the danger of the coming days. 

In this framework of the battle I also publicized the letters which the Rebbe sent to me regarding the line. In these letters the Rebbe analyzed the dangers from a defense point of view of setting up such a line, and he anticipated the catastrophes which would befall us in its wake. It is to my pain that all the vision of which the Rebbe wrote there came true in the fullest sense! 

At a different meeting I spoke to the Rebbe regarding settling the Old City of Jerusalem and Hebron. The Rebbe said to me words that sounded at that time so far from reality. He said that very serious things would take place at these places in the future. He added that in his opinion, the day will come when the Government of Israel will oppose Jewish People settling there, and will stand on the right hand side of the Arabs in the strife between them and Jewish People.” 

This talk took place about twenty six years ago. The words of the Rebbe at that time were so absolutely unreasonable and outside the realm of reality. And yet, behold, we see what distant vision he had! We see what is taking place before our very eyes!”

Danger from Egypt! The Rebbe receives inside information

[We bring the following two excerpts of a talk spoken [Purim 1985] by the Lubavitcher Rebbe after the secret ‘London Agreement’ to hand over further territories to the enemy.]

The government of Israel is handing over to gentiles [Egypt] territories which belong to the Land of Israel, land which was given by G-d as an everlasting inheritance to the entire Jewish people from the generation who were present at the Revelation at Mount Sinai right up until the generation who will receive Moshiach. 

Such a transaction is very serious. More so: even according to the view of those who argue ‘we should be like all the nations’ [a nation defined by land-ownership], such a step creates a dire security risk for Israel and her inhabitants. Returning strategic territories to Egypt endangers the security of three million Jews [may they increase] dwelling in the Holy Land.  In addition to all of this, the Israeli government returned to Egypt all of the oil wells after great efforts were expended by Jewish people in opening the oil wells and huge financial investments made, including monies donated by Jewish people in the Kol Nidre Appeal [on Yom Kippur]. For this they sullied the relationship with one of the Jewish magnates who invested huge sums of money. 

Even today it is not known if they healed the relationship, given that oil is the most basic commodity for Israel’s existence, including the four Holy Cities of Jerusalem, Hebron, Tzfas and Tiberius and all other towns where Jewish people dwell. We are speaking now from a purely economic point of view of dependence on oil even in times of peace and certainly from a security point of view when the need arises to activate weapons! Even more severe, they gave instructions that the return of the territories and oil wells will be no more than a loan to be proclaimed at a joyous ceremony and gatherings of happiness. What did they receive in return for this? A signature on a peace contract with two signatures of each side and an intermediary. They knew very well how little faith could be put on this signature. Today we see the consequential results. 

At the very time that they were proceeding with signing this agreement, I received clear information of the proposed plan [not from those actually in the negotiations but from both Jews and non-Jews who have easy access in government circles in Washington, who did not hesitate to endanger their political positions by handing over to me this information]. I issued a most powerful protest against these proposed plans and explained my words in full, namely, that this proposition creates a serious threat to the security of the Jewish people in the townships of Israel. 

Essentially, there was nothing new here. Those who brought about the signing of the agreement knew very well the great security danger to the land of Israel tied up with returning the territories and the oil wells to Egypt. Yet, regardless, the representative of the Israeli government decided to endanger the security of Jews living in Israel putting their lives at risk, May G-d protect us, just in order to get a signature of a peace agreement. It is well known who lead these talks, those who decided to accept these agreements, and the reasons which motivated them to do this.

Rather than initiating a policy of uniting Samaria now that Jewish people have merited living in areas of Judea and Samaria and surrounding them with protective walls and authorizing many new cities in Israel to draw down blessing;instead the government is running after [not just gentiles], but murderers and terrorists, in order to find favor in their eyes they should just agree to take from us areas of land in Judea and Samaria! And that’s not all. They have no shame in doing this openly and in public! 

Such a downtrodden situation of bowing before a gentile in such a disgraceful fashion has never taken place even outside of Israel in the exile! And most shocking, they still argue that this is the beginning of the Redemption! They announce: Arise and join us, we are ready for anything: a joint government, we will train together, autonomy, the main point being that we should be able to sit together round a table with those murderers and terrorists! They themselves know that they are murderers and terrorists, that after they will promise and sign, they are not to be relied upon; that even after they will have the signed document in their hands, it will have no more value than a bit of paper!

This is analogous to a man sitting around a table with a murderer to come to an agreement, and at that very moment the murderer holds in his hand a dagger and stabs him! The staggering thing is that they will not learn from past mistakes. 

This is not the first time that they want to return territories in return for a peace agreement. There is a precedent with the signing the fateful Camp David contract [strangely the location is named after David, King of Israel!] where they returned to Egypt everything in return for a signature of peace. Today, everyone is in agreement what a terrible mistake that was. Yet, the government of Israel continues down the same path now in connection with Judea and Samaria. It is worthwhile that we make mention of some of the outcomes of that contract with Egypt in order to open their eyes. Jewish people who toiled, labored and sweated to build new towns in the Land of Israel were expelled from their homes and lands, men, women, and children! 

That is not all: the government forced soldiers who sacrifice their lives in order to protect the land of Israel and those who dwell there – to expel Jews from their homes in the land of Israel! Young soldiers who go with innocent and pure hearts to protect the land and those who dwell there, putting their lives at risk, are forced [using the fact that they are obliged to obey orders to men of flesh and blood] to do this! 

For what? To give these lands to gentiles, amongst them Egypt, the root of all Exiles. Every Exile which Jews have suffered, Babylon, Media, Greece, the West; the source of all of this tragic history was Egypt!

Millions of Jewish Lives are in Danger!

 “Someone wrote to me that there is now a new phrase in Eretz Israel – ‘be killed and don’t let go’. There is a Jewish Law: ‘be killed and don’t transgress [a Cardinal Sin] ’. I asked him: “What is the meaning of this?”

Arab Terrorist Car Rammings in Israel

“Why don’t you understand?” he replied, “let them be killed and don’t let go. They are prepared to do anything and everything, even to permit Jews to be killed. The main point is don’t let go of their Knesset Seats.” In order to hold on to their Knesset Seats they are prepared to endanger [two and a half] million[s of] Jewish lives. G-d Save us! May it never happen!”

Public address Shabbos Parshas Beha’alosech 1970

The Rebbe Demands: Protest! Resign!

 Many ask: What right do those who live in the United States have to state their opinion on matters pertaining to Eretz Israel. The Rebbe smiled, recognizing full well those who pose the question and object (to anyone offering a view), and fully acquainted with the newspaper articles written against the one who sits in Eastern Parkway (the Lubavitcher Rebbe), [accusing the Rebbe] of wanting to spread his net of control over Jerusalem. 

The Lubavitcher Rebbe's World Center -770 Eastern Parkway Bklyn NY

The Rebbe was not at all surprised at the question and replied calmly: “Every Jew regardless of where he lives, owns a minimum of one square cubit of the Land of Israel. Every issue finds expression in Halacha. There is a halachic document known as a “Pruzbul” (enabling a creditor to gain the return of his loan in spite of the Shmitta, Seventh year) which, in order to be effective, has a legal proviso of ownership of a piece of land. Every Jew does in fact hold ownership of some land in Eretz Israel. Consequently any matter whatsoever which takes place in Eretz Israel is a matter pertaining to the entire Jewish People. Furthermore, every Jew has the right and indeed the obligation to state his concern whether they (the Israeli Government) will or will not take any note”. After a moment’s thought, the Rebbe continued: “At first sight it would appear that a Jew has only the right to offer his opinion on his plot of ownership which is no more than the size of one square cubit. But this is not the case. Not only does he have the right to offer his opinion, but more so: By choosing to remain silent and not responding he thereby shoulders responsibility of everything he knows that takes place there.” 

“There is nothing to be ashamed of to resign from the Knesset. In order to prevent a Jew from being murdered it is worthwhile losing all public office. In the final analysis no man was born a government minister. There are only so many years that you have been voted in as minister; there is no shame in resigning. If he will not resign, this will be of no avail to him. Ultimately he will be thrown out from his ministerial post when it becomes clear that he is a man whose word cannot be relied upon. If he is capable of playing with the Shulchan Aruch, (if he is one who professes to believe and practice Torah and Mitzvos) he is capable of playing with other things (Jewish lives!).” 

Private interview with Mr. Moshe Ishon, 1970