The Lubavitcher Rebbe's talks to Israel and to the civilized world what action to take against today's terror threats.

Ongoing Terrorist threats against the Civilized World

Facing terror, instead of taking decisive action, Israel complains to the U.N.

When you are aware that someone is out to kill you, do not sit and wait for every other nation to agree and for the [119 representatives at the] U.N. to cast their votes to decide whether you have the right to retaliate against your attacker, and only thereafter you call a Cabinet meeting and see if they agree. This is not the way to deal with those who wish to kill you. 

The U.N. tells Jews to turn the other cheek.

You need only to be sure that he is out to kill you. How can you know this? This is similar to the ancient Egyptians, some were G-d fearing. Come Sunday, these U.N. delegates might very well go to pray, and then lecture us that they were taught that if someone slaps you on one cheek, “turn the other cheek.” But, they say, this applies only to Jews! They will do the opposite. But they expect Jews to turn the left cheek.

“Israel, you wish to retaliate? Where’s your sense of justice and morality?! 

How can you do such a thing? First bring the case before the U.N. There all the righteous members will gather after first having been to their places of worship where they prayed to the one who taught them “love your fellow as yourself” and to turn the other cheek.” Then they will decide what is the law regarding the one who shot to kill, and then you will have to follow their decision. 

The Torah teaches: “No! This is not the way not for Israel and not for the gentile world. Should terrorists be bent on murder - kill them first!” 

Not only is this the wrong approach for Jews [Israel], this bring harm to the gentiles! When a gentile knows that there is one who is coming to kill him, and you send in a written complaint: Excuse me Mr. Cossack [terrorist], since you want to kill Jews, be aware that this violates the U.N. Charter. First we must call a meeting and request permission [for you to take preemptive action]….yesterday you [the terrorist] attacked without permission, so now it is too late to rectify your attempted murder; but now change your ways [for the good]! Historically there was the instance that Pharaoh King of Egypt later became [the righteous] King of Nineveh, repented, and the decree against him was nullified. So, why is modern day Pharaoh worse than that Pharaoh? Especially since there is not one Pharaoh but there are 120 of them! [The same number as the men of the great [Jewish Assembly]. 

Endless delays by the U.N. on Israel’s complaints

Members of the U.N. state clearly that they will not reach a decision [whether or not Israel may take preemptive action to protect herself] in haste, G-d forbid. They will drag it out for months! One meeting, another meeting, and at that meeting they will conclude to have another meeting. Meanwhile the attacks and shootings [at Jewish People in Israel] continue! Fear not [says the U.N.] the time will come when they [the terrorists] will have to pay for their actions…How will they have to pay? The U.N. will send them a complaint: “Mr Cossack  [terrorist] - you have violated the Charter!” 

The results are inevitable: They won’t stop at [murdering] Jews. Once they are used to attacking Jews with permission, then they will begin toattack non-Jews as well! 

After giving hundreds of millions of dollars to terrorist organizations, terror will turn its face against the world.

Even when they receive a hundred million dollars in aid, two hundred million dollars, three hundred million dollars, they [the terrorists] will send in a document that the money is theirs to keep. How dare you tell us what to do?  You [gentiles] have a complaint? - take it to the U.N.! Don’t argue with us! You [the West] argue that we took from you five hundred million dollars? Perhaps [argue the Arab terrorists] we have a counter claim against you?! And who will decide? - There is the high court in the Hague, a court in New York…from time to time the add another non-Jewish judge, another, and another - there is justice in the world.”  And in the meantime I’ll continue taking your [aid] money, then your ships, your tanks; then if you have diplomats in our countries we will imprison them.” Should the world raise the alarm, we [terrorists] reply: “ why did you not protest when we were attacking the Jews? 

The Talmud’s resolution to terrorist threats against the civilized World: 

Be prepared to eliminate terror!

The Talmud is presenting a very rational idea not difficult to grasp, “Should someone comes to kill you - this is not the time for debates,  no time to enter into discussion [with murderers] - he must see that you are prepared to take preemptive action to kill him”.  The Talmud does not actually say “kill him”, but rather be prepared [for him to see] that you are ready to kill him. Should the terrorist see your preparedness to take such forceful action - it won’t even come to that. Take an early stand - stop lodging complaints, but rather, show that you are prepared to kill him first, then he will not come to kill you. 

Terrorist organizations will have no other resort but to complain to the U.N. - without results!

They will be the one to start sending in his complaints to the U.N. And then it will be you who will rest assured that this will drag on for twelve months, and another twelve months, and in the meantime there will be a change in leadership with new resolutions, and all this while “The Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps”. Then [G-d] will send [the enemies] new troubles and the old troubles [of the enemies against the West] will be forgotten.  

Israel still argues we must follow world opinion

However, when Jews argue - but now ‘We are scattered amongst the nations’;Torah’s instruction stand - one who comes to kill you - kill him first - is an instruction for all times.  But [Israel] argues - in times such as these we are obliged to follow world opinion. What is this? - There is one selected leader [in the U.N.] who presides over all other leaders, a representative over all other representatives who changes every month or so. He is the one who decides that until a resolution is passed through all of the current bureaucracies, nothing can be done. 

World governments give hundreds of millions to terror organizations that they reduce their murder tactics.

True there is someone out there intent to kill you, - but just because he is a thief [a murderer] you also want to be a thief [murderer]? He is a thief [murderer] so we will blacklist him but nevertheless we will give him a hundred million dollars to stop him from being a bigger thief [murderer]. 

Nations say: Israel should act morally and ethically - not protect Jewish lives.

But you [Jews] want also to play the same game and preempt to kill him - Jews are not allowed to do that!? You Jews have to act morally and ethically! 

Rabbi Shimon in the Talmud states: “What does the living Torah have to say about this? Preempt and be prepared to kill!” 

Be prepared; in the end you will not have to do so. If you truly seek his [the attempted terrorist’s] welfare to prevent war and even save his life, this is the only line of action he will reckon with. You can send them complaints, delegations, and talk endlessly…all of these methods have already been tried  and have cost so many lives. Not only did these not bring a resolution, but worsened the situation. The enemy sees that he can strike once, twice, three times, four times, five times with no effective response taken [by Israel]. Should you however be prepared and stand up early prepared to kill, you will succeed without even having to kill him, also benefiting the present day Egyptian.

                                                                              Public talk Purim 14th Adar 5729, March 04 1969. 

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

The Lubavitcher Rebbe: Since it was G-d Who brought the Land into our possession no Jew has the right to hand this over to gentiles! How is it that you want to give away a portion of the Land?! This is not your's to give! This was given to you by G-d!