Wednesday 8 February 2017

See the Hand of G-D!

 The Tenach [Kings 1, 20.32] tells us of the Seven Day War which took place at the time of Ahab the king of Israel. Hadad King of Aram went out to war against Israel earning him a great defeat, leaving him thinking that never would he recover. Regardless, Ahab ran after him begging him to sign a peace treaty. The King of Aram's hate for Ahab was so deadly that could not understand how Ahab would wish to make peace with him. 

His advisers explained to him that the Jewish nation is a nation of pity and kindness; that should they be asking for peace, they will make peace with you. After much persuasion Hadad agreed and send his representatives to Ahab and together signed a peace treaty from which there were disastrous results as documented there at length. 

Two years ago there took place a similar re-occurrence at the time of the Six Day War. The IDF smote the Arabs a resounding defeat sending them fleeing in fear. Yet, regardless, Israel ran after the Arabs [via the USA] literally begging them: come, sit with us round the table, let's make peace. It is now two whole years that they are running after the Arabs begging them to agree to sit together to make peace! In return Israel is prepared and promises all the land they could possibly wish for. Yet, the Arabs are reluctant to meet with the Jews, arguing: we have enough problems of our own - not interested - not in your goodness nor in your evil, "neither your honey nor your sting" [Midrash Tanchuma].

In our time now there is an exact repetition of that which took place between the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Aram. 

There is taking place something wondrous with no natural explanation. In spite of the fact that it is now two consecutive years that Israel is begging the Arabs to sit down with them; the Arabs have nothing to lose but only to gain, regardless, they will not agree. They are prepared to forgo half of the country that Israel wishes to give away to them on a silver platter; but from their perspective, the main thing is not to sit down with a Jew! 

This strange situation has only one possible explanation: that which is taking place is a repeat - the hand of G-d as at the time of the Exodus of the Jewish People from Egypt when "G-d hardened the heart of Pharaoh" [Exodus 9. 12] [not to release the Jewish People from Egypt]. They have absolutely no reason for their reluctance to sit together with the Jews having nothing to lose. 

It is G-d alone Who is hardening their hearts.   


Israel's weakness is increasing terror attacks!

The weakness shown by Israel towards the Arabs after the wondrous victory of the Six Day War did not end with their call to sit down, talk peace and offer to give away half of the country. 

The rulers of Israel wish to divide up the Holy city of Jerusalem, that the city belong to the Muslims, Xtians, and [finally, as an afterthought] "also" to the Jews. It does not end there: they are actually encouraging Arabs to dwell in Jerusalem. This, despite the fact that Jerusalem has belonged exclusively to the Jewish People since ancient times. Already from the days of Shem the son of Noah [Noah who divided the earth among his three sons after the Great Flood], to Abraham our Patriarch [when G-d promised the Land to him and to his progeny], and finally the conquest of Jerusalem by King David.

Additionally, there is an explicit Jewish law which states that a gentile may not live in Jerusalem - that this will bring him no good. This law however can only be enforced when the hand of the Jewish People is empowered [Talmud Ketubos 26.2, Bava Kama 97.2], However, this does not mean that they need to encourage Arabs to remain living there, and certainly not to pursue them, begging them to remain there!

This weakness of falling before the Arabs is the cause, that if until now there was a situation of fear of the Jewish People, now, at this time, as a direct result of pursuing them, we have arrived at a situation that they raise their heads against Israel and are increasing [May G-d protect us] their terror attacks.


                                                                     Shabbos Parshat Matos-Masei 1969