This weeks Torah reading is Parshat Shoftim yet just a few weeks ago the Jewish people observed Tisha BAv mourning the destruction of the first and second temples. It seems God gave us some more time to learn all the laws of the Beit HaMikdash. Seventy years after Israeli political independence fifty years after liberating Jerusalem and the Temple Mount and the Third Temple still hasnt been built? Thats certainly something to mourn over. But is fasting and saying Kinot/dirges the only thing there is to do?
The Yalkut Shimoni a midrash on the Book of First Samuel (106) teaches us an awesome lesson about the Churban/destruction and exile by the Romans Rabbi Simeon Bar Menasya said Israel was only exiled after it rejected the following three things Malchut Shamayim/the Kingdom of Heaven Malchut Beit David/Kingship from the House of David and the Beit HaMikdash/the Holy Temple.
So we learn from this that the cause of the exile of the Jewish people was because we took too lightly Torah observance (Gods rule) we should have demanded a rightful Davidic descendant be appointed as king once the Maccabees drove out the Syrian Greeks and Jews didnt care enough about the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
A variant text in the Yalkut Shimoni explains from a different angle why the Roman exile would be so long as opposed to the limited seventy years of Babylonian exile after the destruction of the First Temple. Rabbi Simeon Bar Menasya predicted In the future the following three things will be despised by Israel the Kingdom of Heaven Davids kingdom the Messiah and the building of the Third Temple."
By the attitudes and behavior of most Jews today; the rampant secularization and assimilation; apathy about the Messianic concept and the Temple; Rabbi Simeons prediction seems to have come true.
But there is a third variant text that gives the solution how to end the exile. Rabbi Simeon Bar Menasya said Israel will not see a sign of the redemption until they repent and demand the following three things the Kingdom of Heaven Davids kingdom the Messiah and the building of the Third Temple."
To remedy the situation end exile and bring redemption Jews must be taught to understand the value of these three things then begin to demand them and work to achieve them.
What does all this have to do with Parshat Shoftim? Well actually quite a lot. This weeks reading maps out for us the ideal national structure the policies of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel that Jews should be striving for today: Malchut/Kingdom Sanhedrin/Torah Nevuah/Prophecy and Kehunah/Temple.
In the parsha we encounter the Mitzvot/commandments to establish a Torah-based Legal System (Deut. 16:18) and recognize G-ds prophets (Deut. 18:15) - the Kingdom of Heaven; to appoint a king and the laws of war (Deut. 17:14-20 20:1-20) Davids Kingdom; and issues dealing with the Priests and Levites (Deut. 18:1) the Temple.
So in fact Rabbi Simeon was telling the Jewish people to be redeemed we need to implement those Mitzvot/policies that will re-build the ideal national structure in the Land of Israel.
What might some of these policy goals be? They can be summarized as kingdom and war; law righteous justice prosperity; and spirituality. 1. Israel needs a strongly pro-Jewish government. Better yet how about exploring a kingdom? While waiting for the Son of David to arrive (and we should be petitioning Heaven constantly) the Torah empowers the Jewish people to establish a temporary government. The Maccabees had a kingdom. Monarchy provides a type of stability that democracy doesnt. With the rise of Islamo-fascism worldwide Al-Qaeda the Taliban and particularly Iran ISIS and Hamastan threatening parts of the Land of Israel a very strong hand must be used by Israel to defend its people and interests. Something that the current Israeli democracy seems to have trouble with. The conclusions of an earlier article of mine There is Only a Military Solution" ring truer today than ever. In war you fight to win. Its time to tell Jews the truth: the Arabs in Israel the so-called Palestinians" are Amalek trying to replace us in our homeland the Jewish Nation-State of Israel. This is total war a zero-sum game; there will be only one winner the Jewish people. 2. The legal system of Israel should be brought in line with the values of the Torah. Semicha/classical biblical ordination has been recently revived. Rabbi Moshe Halberstam a senior Rabbi on the Edah HaChareidit Rabbinical Court in Jerusalem was the first to receive Semicha. A nascent Sanhedrin a working Jewish Supreme Court according to Torah Law is beginning to come into existence through the efforts of many rabbis and lay leaders. Rabbi Adin Steinzaltz served as Nasi/President from 2004-2008. A society based on Torah Law will both free up the economy in key ways and establish healthy limits to economic activity stressing other values beyond consumer consumption and wealth accumulation. It will encourage chesed (acts of kindness) and tzedek (righteousness and justice) through the social sector building prosperity without hurting the poor and the weak. The final stage of ingathering the exiles will then be accomplished bringing historical justice to the Jewish people. A just prosperous God-Centered Society is the goal. Pursuing spirituality will take center-stage thus laying the foundation for the return of Prophecy and establishing Israel as a true Or LaGoyim/light unto the nations" as envisioned by the prophet Isaiah. 3. We need to clean those insults to our religion the so-called dome and mosque off the Temple Mount. Jewish spiritual rebirth demands complete control over our holiest places in the Land of Israel. Lets think really big. Its time to build the Third Temple on the Temple Mount. There are Torah sources allowing it to be done before the Messiah comes. Building Gods House would be the greatest Kiddush HaShem/Sanctification of His Name/expression of His Power & Rulership in this world imaginable.
Lets start before Rosh HaShanah the Jewish New Year and Coronation Day for the King of the Universe!
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.
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