Tuesday 2 February 2016

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