This past Shabbat all across the Jewish world the yearly Sabbath Torah reading was begun anew with Bereshit the beginning of Genesis. With the recent reconciliation agreement signed between Hamas and Fatah looming in the background Trumps push to renew peace" negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians is seemingly on track again.
Traditionally every Jewish child who learned Torah was taught the text and the commentary of Rashi Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaki the famous 11th century French Biblical and Talmudic commentator. In the beginning literally of Genesis Rashi asks a question Why does the Torah start with the story of creation? Since the Torah is a book of laws for the Jewish People why doesnt it begin with the first law given by G-d to the Jews the law for establishing a calendar?" He answers that it starts with the creation narrative to establish that G-d is the Master of the Universe. Then Rashi says the most amazing thing that still resonates almost a thousand years later. Based on earlier sources and a thorough knowledge of the meaning of Judaism Rashi says So that if the nations come to Israel and say you are thieves in Hebrew she-kevash-tem you conquered and occupied the land from the nations living there you can tell them that all the universe is G-ds He created it and gave it to the nations and when He decided He took it from them and gave it to us."
Three things have become starkly clear.
First that Rashis explanation of the Torah has in fact come true. The nations today claim as Rashi explained they would that we stole the land from others namely the so-called Palestinians.
Second the Israeli Left has used for years the same Hebrew root/term kibush occupation as to denigrate the miraculous victory of the 1967 Six-Day War. It is the same term occupation" used by most of the world in their criticism of Israeli policies in the territories". Even Ariel Sharon used it at one point. It is the language of self-hating Jews those disconnected from Jewish history and tradition and the Judeo-paths among the nations. Occupation is when you steal someone elses land. The Jewish People liberated parts of their Promised Homeland in stages first in 1948 and then in 1967 with G-ds help. The Jewish People didnt steal" anything.
And finally that the only basis for the Jewish Peoples national life in their homeland is G-ds promise as set down in the Bible; not history not security but G-ds promise to their forefathers.
Rashi told the Jewish People to tell the world He took it from them and gave it to us."
A true Israeli leader needs to stand up not frightened of anyone or anything and declare The Master of the Universe took it from them and gave it to us." The Promised Land belongs to the Jews exclusively and not to any other nation.
Any Israeli prime minister who cant get on TV or go to the UN General Assembly or any other meeting with world leaders and say these words should either quit or commit suicide before rejecting the promises of G-d and participating in a process to help another group take over part of the Land of Israel. As King David said If I forget you Jerusalem" - a term for the entire Land of Israel - let my right hand wither" - rather than sign any false peace agreement - let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth...." (Psalms 137: 5-6) rather than agree to foreigners taking over part of the Jewish Peoples homeland.
If someone can blow themselves up to gain a state not their own if kamikaze pilots can kill themselves in war if soldiers can risk their lives in suicide missions then the Israeli prime minister can quit or step out" rather than lie to the world.
Netanyahu tell the world the truth He took it from them and gave it to us."
Every Jew in fact every Christian and Muslim knows that the Land of Israel was promised to the Children of Israel the Jewish People by G-d forever. The same G-d they claim to worship. The British pro-Zionists who worked to convince her majestys government to issue the Balfour Declaration in 1917 believed in the Divine Promise to the Jews. So why continue to perpetuate this lie called the Peace Process"? The Palestinians might gain some temporary control over the land like in Gaza for G-ds own reasons but in the end it will be taken from them anyway and returned to its rightful tenants the Jewish People I didnt say owners because G-d is the only true owner of everything.
It is true that a democratically elected government in Israel might choose for political expediency to transfer control over parts of the Jewish Peoples homeland to others like what happened in Gush Katif Jewish Gaza; and that in political terms it might be seen as legitimate; but in the Court of Final Justice above there never will be any Spiritual Legitimacy to the act. Anyone going against the will of G-d will ultimately have to account for their actions. Reward and punishment is a basic concept in Judaism Christianity and Islam. Heaven help those who try to take away the Divinely Promised Land from the Jewish People. Look what happened to Rabin Sharon Olmert and countless others involved in the Disengagement"...
Why lie to the Palestinians? Why make them believe they are right that Israel stole" their land? Why participate in a peace process? Why fool them into believing that Israel will give them land and a state?
Netanyahu tell the world the truth He took it from them and gave it to us."
Whats most important for Israeli leaders and the world to understand is that no matter what the Israeli government decides to do it has no Religious Legitimacy in Judaism. No Israeli leader or government has the moral historical or spiritual right to take away parts of the Promised Land from the Jewish People and give it to others. Its not theirs to do with as they please; the Land of Israel is an inheritance from G-d and it is not for one generation to decide what to do with it. It is also for all future generations of Jews. It will never be accepted by Jews steeped in their heritage and tradition or by G-d.
Ani Maamin..." I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Messiah and even if he takes a long time to come I believe every day hes coming! It is one of the thirteen principles of faith as codified by Maimonides. The Jews will get back their homeland; the Palestinians will not have a state. So why start now so close to his coming?
The Land of Israel was promised to Abraham Isaac and Jacob.
The Master of the Universe told them that even though their children will suffer terrible exiles an educational and cleansing process in the end He would bring them home. In the 1948 War of Independence G-d gave political sovereignty to the Jews for the first time in almost 2000 years. In the 1967 Six-Day War G-d returned the Holy City of Jerusalem in its entirety including eastern Jerusalem and the Temple Mount to the Jewish People. Hebron Judaisms second holiest city with the Cave of the Patriarchs the burial place of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and King Davids first capital city before Jerusalem was returned as well. Truthfully Judea and Samaria the so-called West Bank is drenched in Jewish history and Jewish holy sites. Thats why its commonly referred to as the Biblical Heartland".
The Jewish People have been brought home.
Those who have built their world-view on security needs and have claimed that we cannot allow a Palestinian state to come into existence because of that have missed the point. The Palestinians and the world are playing the Peace Card". Even if they promised up and down that there would be a thousand years of Peace" how can Israel spurn G-ds promise?
Once there was a nice family who lived in a rough neighborhood. They wanted to get along with their neighbors but the neighbors hated them and used to throw rocks and break their windows all the time. One day the leader and toughest of the neighbors came over and said this is my house and demanded it. The owner father of the nice family replied no its not its mine. The neighbor insisted. Not wanting any more trouble the owner invited him in to talk. The neighbor demanded the house and refused to leave; he threatened the owner. The owner decided to be nice and offered him a room to stay in.
Later the neighbor claimed that the owners wife was in fact his wife. He implied he would kill the owner. The owner of the house thought for a moment my wife my life and then decided to share his wife. Why cause problems he thought to himself. The neighbor emboldened with his successful intimidation next claimed the owners arm. Give me your arm or else he demanded. Well the owner had a tough time at first then he thought my arm or my life hmm a small price to pay and he meekly cut off his arm. Finally the neighbor demanded in the most insolent way imaginable give me your heart...
The Land of Israel is the Jewish Peoples heart.
Members of the ruling Likud Party and the National Camp have for years based their claim to the occupied territories" on historical claim and more importantly have said that for security reasons they couldnt give them away. The Israeli Left in contrast has argued for quite some time that control over Judea and Samaria is a security liability and not an asset. They have argued that the only true security is in Peace" with the Arabs and not the status quo. American presidents from Clinton to Obama have basically said the same thing. Trump seems to be following their examples.
And what about settlement leaders those so-called right-wing extremists" who spurn all talk of Peace"?
When the Israeli cabinet decided to accept the Roadmap" with objections in 2003 the spokesman for the Yesha Council of Jewish Settlements in Judea Samaria and Gaza Yehoshua Mor-Yosef said What is done is done. What we can do is try to amend the Roadmap and shift it to the right." Shift it to the right? It wasnt a matter of a little shift here and a little shift there. And this is a so-called leader of the Settlement Movement"! Their unsuccessful resistance to the expulsion of Jews from Jewish Gaza in 2005 confirmed the failure of their moderate" policies.
The Likud the National Camp and the Yesha Council at the time all missed the point. The Israeli Left never had it. To the world well what can we say? Except He took it from them and gave it to us." There is no spiritual legitimacy to retreat from the Land of Israel. There is no spiritual legitimacy in refusing to graciously receive G-ds Promised Land and fight for it. There is no spiritual legitimacy to any of these so-called Peace" agreements Oslo the Roadmap or any other future agreement.
Netanyahu tell the world the truth He took it from them and gave it to us!"
Ariel Natan Pasko an independent analyst and consultant has a Masters Degree specializing in International Relations Political Economy & Policy Analysis. His articles appear regularly on numerous news/views and think-tank websites and in newspapers. His latest articles can also be read on his archive: The Think Tank by Ariel Natan Pasko.
(c) 2017/5777 Pasko
This past Shabbat all across the Jewish world the yearly Sabbath Torah reading was begun anew with Bereshit the beginning of Genesis. With the recent reconciliation agreement signed between Hamas and Fatah looming in the background Trumps push to renew peace" negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians is seemingly on track again.
Traditionally every Jewish child who learned Torah was taught the text and the commentary of Rashi Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaki the famous 11th century French Biblical and Talmudic commentator. In the beginning literally of Genesis Rashi asks a question Why does the Torah start with the story of creation? Since the Torah is a book of laws for the Jewish People why doesnt it begin with the first law given by G-d to the Jews the law for establishing a calendar?" He answers that it starts with the creation narrative to establish that G-d is the Master of the Universe. Then Rashi says the most amazing thing that still resonates almost a thousand years later. Based on earlier sources and a thorough knowledge of the meaning of Judaism Rashi says So that if the nations come to Israel and say you are thieves in Hebrew she-kevash-tem you conquered and occupied the land from the nations living there you can tell them that all the universe is G-ds He created it and gave it to the nations and when He decided He took it from them and gave it to us."
Three things have become starkly clear.
First that Rashis explanation of the Torah has in fact come true. The nations today claim as Rashi explained they would that we stole the land from others namely the so-called Palestinians.
Second the Israeli Left has used for years the same Hebrew root/term kibush occupation as to denigrate the miraculous victory of the 1967 Six-Day War. It is the same term occupation" used by most of the world in their criticism of Israeli policies in the territories". Even Ariel Sharon used it at one point. It is the language of self-hating Jews those disconnected from Jewish history and tradition and the Judeo-paths among the nations. Occupation is when you steal someone elses land. The Jewish People liberated parts of their Promised Homeland in stages first in 1948 and then in 1967 with G-ds help. The Jewish People didnt steal" anything.
And finally that the only basis for the Jewish Peoples national life in their homeland is G-ds promise as set down in the Bible; not history not security but G-ds promise to their forefathers.
Rashi told the Jewish People to tell the world He took it from them and gave it to us."
A true Israeli leader needs to stand up not frightened of anyone or anything and declare The Master of the Universe took it from them and gave it to us." The Promised Land belongs to the Jews exclusively and not to any other nation.
Any Israeli prime minister who cant get on TV or go to the UN General Assembly or any other meeting with world leaders and say these words should either quit or commit suicide before rejecting the promises of G-d and participating in a process to help another group take over part of the Land of Israel. As King David said If I forget you Jerusalem" - a term for the entire Land of Israel - let my right hand wither" - rather than sign any false peace agreement - let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth...." (Psalms 137: 5-6) rather than agree to foreigners taking over part of the Jewish Peoples homeland.
If someone can blow themselves up to gain a state not their own if kamikaze pilots can kill themselves in war if soldiers can risk their lives in suicide missions then the Israeli prime minister can quit or step out" rather than lie to the world.
Netanyahu tell the world the truth He took it from them and gave it to us."
Every Jew in fact every Christian and Muslim knows that the Land of Israel was promised to the Children of Israel the Jewish People by G-d forever. The same G-d they claim to worship. The British pro-Zionists who worked to convince her majestys government to issue the Balfour Declaration in 1917 believed in the Divine Promise to the Jews. So why continue to perpetuate this lie called the Peace Process"? The Palestinians might gain some temporary control over the land like in Gaza for G-ds own reasons but in the end it will be taken from them anyway and returned to its rightful tenants the Jewish People I didnt say owners because G-d is the only true owner of everything.
It is true that a democratically elected government in Israel might choose for political expediency to transfer control over parts of the Jewish Peoples homeland to others like what happened in Gush Katif Jewish Gaza; and that in political terms it might be seen as legitimate; but in the Court of Final Justice above there never will be any Spiritual Legitimacy to the act. Anyone going against the will of G-d will ultimately have to account for their actions. Reward and punishment is a basic concept in Judaism Christianity and Islam. Heaven help those who try to take away the Divinely Promised Land from the Jewish People. Look what happened to Rabin Sharon Olmert and countless others involved in the Disengagement"...
Why lie to the Palestinians? Why make them believe they are right that Israel stole" their land? Why participate in a peace process? Why fool them into believing that Israel will give them land and a state?
Netanyahu tell the world the truth He took it from them and gave it to us."
Whats most important for Israeli leaders and the world to understand is that no matter what the Israeli government decides to do it has no Religious Legitimacy in Judaism. No Israeli leader or government has the moral historical or spiritual right to take away parts of the Promised Land from the Jewish People and give it to others. Its not theirs to do with as they please; the Land of Israel is an inheritance from G-d and it is not for one generation to decide what to do with it. It is also for all future generations of Jews. It will never be accepted by Jews steeped in their heritage and tradition or by G-d.
Ani Maamin..." I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Messiah and even if he takes a long time to come I believe every day hes coming! It is one of the thirteen principles of faith as codified by Maimonides. The Jews will get back their homeland; the Palestinians will not have a state. So why start now so close to his coming?
The Land of Israel was promised to Abraham Isaac and Jacob.
The Master of the Universe told them that even though their children will suffer terrible exiles an educational and cleansing process in the end He would bring them home. In the 1948 War of Independence G-d gave political sovereignty to the Jews for the first time in almost 2000 years. In the 1967 Six-Day War G-d returned the Holy City of Jerusalem in its entirety including eastern Jerusalem and the Temple Mount to the Jewish People. Hebron Judaisms second holiest city with the Cave of the Patriarchs the burial place of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and King Davids first capital city before Jerusalem was returned as well. Truthfully Judea and Samaria the so-called West Bank is drenched in Jewish history and Jewish holy sites. Thats why its commonly referred to as the Biblical Heartland".
The Jewish People have been brought home.
Those who have built their world-view on security needs and have claimed that we cannot allow a Palestinian state to come into existence because of that have missed the point. The Palestinians and the world are playing the Peace Card". Even if they promised up and down that there would be a thousand years of Peace" how can Israel spurn G-ds promise?
Once there was a nice family who lived in a rough neighborhood. They wanted to get along with their neighbors but the neighbors hated them and used to throw rocks and break their windows all the time. One day the leader and toughest of the neighbors came over and said this is my house and demanded it. The owner father of the nice family replied no its not its mine. The neighbor insisted. Not wanting any more trouble the owner invited him in to talk. The neighbor demanded the house and refused to leave; he threatened the owner. The owner decided to be nice and offered him a room to stay in.
Later the neighbor claimed that the owners wife was in fact his wife. He implied he would kill the owner. The owner of the house thought for a moment my wife my life and then decided to share his wife. Why cause problems he thought to himself. The neighbor emboldened with his successful intimidation next claimed the owners arm. Give me your arm or else he demanded. Well the owner had a tough time at first then he thought my arm or my life hmm a small price to pay and he meekly cut off his arm. Finally the neighbor demanded in the most insolent way imaginable give me your heart...
The Land of Israel is the Jewish Peoples heart.
Members of the ruling Likud Party and the National Camp have for years based their claim to the occupied territories" on historical claim and more importantly have said that for security reasons they couldnt give them away. The Israeli Left in contrast has argued for quite some time that control over Judea and Samaria is a security liability and not an asset. They have argued that the only true security is in Peace" with the Arabs and not the status quo. American presidents from Clinton to Obama have basically said the same thing. Trump seems to be following their examples.
And what about settlement leaders those so-called right-wing extremists" who spurn all talk of Peace"?
When the Israeli cabinet decided to accept the Roadmap" with objections in 2003 the spokesman for the Yesha Council of Jewish Settlements in Judea Samaria and Gaza Yehoshua Mor-Yosef said What is done is done. What we can do is try to amend the Roadmap and shift it to the right." Shift it to the right? It wasnt a matter of a little shift here and a little shift there. And this is a so-called leader of the Settlement Movement"! Their unsuccessful resistance to the expulsion of Jews from Jewish Gaza in 2005 confirmed the failure of their moderate" policies.
The Likud the National Camp and the Yesha Council at the time all missed the point. The Israeli Left never had it. To the world well what can we say? Except He took it from them and gave it to us." There is no spiritual legitimacy to retreat from the Land of Israel. There is no spiritual legitimacy in refusing to graciously receive G-ds Promised Land and fight for it. There is no spiritual legitimacy to any of these so-called Peace" agreements Oslo the Roadmap or any other future agreement.
Netanyahu tell the world the truth He took it from them and gave it to us!"
Ariel Natan Pasko an independent analyst and consultant has a Masters Degree specializing in International Relations Political Economy & Policy Analysis. His articles appear regularly on numerous news/views and think-tank websites and in newspapers. His latest articles can also be read on his archive: The Think Tank by Ariel Natan Pasko.
(c) 2017/5777 Pasko