Category: Politics

In Honor of the Memory of Rabbi Meir Kahane

18/11/2019

Sorry I'm late about this, but I didn't find out in time.

Rabbi Meir Kahane's yahrtzeit was 18 Cheshvan.

I can't remember when I first came across Rabbi Kahane's writings.

But years ago, I read 3 of his books and several essays.

His fiery love for all Jews invigorated me. His unique ability to shepherd the klal while honing in on the individual Jew both fascinated and inspired me.

His writing was sharp & passionate.

In particular, Rabbi Kahane managed to see & come to the assistance of Jews in pitiable circumstances who remained unseen & unheard.

He expressed sincerely righteous anger on behalf of impoverished lonely elderly Jews living in once-thriving Jewish neighborhoods that turned into crime-ridden danger zones – elderly Jews who needed to stock up on powdered milk and other non-perishable foods because it was too dangerous to make the trek to the grocery store more than every few months.

And he rescued them.

He found safer neighborhoods for them and arranged to pay for their rent.

Rebbetzin Heller told of a 13-year-old Jewish girl who could not manage a Jewish education because she was in a wheelchair and the religious girls school simply did not have the funds or ability to make the school wheelchair-accessible.

Rabbi Kahane made time to come to this girl's home & teach her privately on a regular basis.

(This was literally several decades go; nowadays, disabled students enjoy the same religious education as their able-bodied counterparts. In fact, here in Eretz Yisrael, I've seen girls in wheelchairs attending Beis Yaakov schools right along with their able-bodied classmates, not to mention all the special ed schools available.)

And I never did find the horrible racist attitudes he was supposed to have expressed, despite looking out for them as I read his material. I know that disappoints or befuddles some people, but that was my honest response. Too bad.

Every Jew was important to Rav Meir Kahane.

Torah was important to him.

Torah was so important to him that he stood up to the anti-Torah leaders and their minions fearlessly & forcefully.

They tried to humiliate and derail him on talkshows & in debates.

(In the 1985 debate between Rav Meir Kahane and Alan Dershowitz, Dershowitz made insinuations comparing Rav Kahane to truly evil menuvalim like Louis Farrakhan and Yassar Arafat.)

But Rav Kahane was unflappable and impossible to manipulate.

While I ended up leaving the Kahane path and joining the charedim instead, I never lost my admiration for his passionate & courageous ahavat Yisrael.

People usually give me funny looks when I mention his ahavat Yisrael.

That's not what he was known for, but if you actually read what he says, that was his driving force.

Interestingly, Toras Avigdor created a post in honor of Rav Kahana's yahrtzeit.

Rav Avigdor Miller sided with the majority of the charedi Gadolei Hador regarding the Shoah, which focused on the deeds & attitudes of Jews, rather than the establishment of a Jewish Homeland.

Rav Kahane focused on the State of Israel as a preventative to a future Shoah and strove to do everything he could to make the State a safe harbor for Jews.

(The above represents one of the major differences between the charedi & dati-leumi in hashkafah, which I'm not going to go into here.)

Rav Miller always held by the halacha that a Jew who is shomer Torah & mitzvot is your brother and you absolutely must love him.

So despite Rav Miller's sharp difference in hashkafah with Rav Kahane, Rav Miller still had strong praise for him – praise which Rav Miller did not hesitate or fear to say publicly.

You can read it in the link above. Or simply click here:
Rav Avigdor Miller on Rabbi Meir Kahane

Hashem yinkom damo.

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The Torah View of Our Planet Earth: Use It or Lose It

30/10/2019

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Along the lines of Using Torah to Think Outside the Box, the Kli Yakar on Parshat Beresheit offers an interesting insight on the planet's true feelings toward human beings.

In one of the Torah's most oft-quoted verses (Genesis 4:9), Kayin (Cain) tells Hashem (according to the Kli Yakar's interpretation): "I did not know I'm my brother's keeper."

Meaning, he did not realize that murder is wrong.

But the Kli Yakar counters with the argument of seichel – reason, common sense:

...and behold this is a mitzvah from the [easily] deduced [mitzvot]...that the seichel obligates you to fulfill this mitzvah even if you were not commanded because in negating it, a man swallows the life of his fellow.

"And the earth would bear desolation without any inhabitant" (Yeshaya 6:11 [includes Rashi]) and therefore, the earth petitions the offense of the murdered one because the existence of the earth depends on upon this [i.e., it depends on the existence of people].

If there would be a loosening of restraint for a man to kill his brother, then it would be impossible for the earth to exist because its existence would be nullified and it would become a dried-up ruin without any inhabitant...

In other words, the Earth itself wants people around. Contrary to the view of environmentalists and Gaia-devotees, the Earth itself does not view people as its enemy.

The Earth itself wants us to work it.

It's GOOD for the Earth.

That's the Torah view right there.

This is in direct contrast to what environmentalists and nature-zealots believe.

The Green movements harp on how we're damaging the planet.

And while that may be true to a certain degree in some situations, it's not innately true.

There is no such thing as the purity of nature.

Left to its own devices, nature would overrun & choke itself.

Yes, Judaism provides environmentally friendly halachot about bal tashchit (not wasting stuff), not uprooting fruit trees, Shemittah, and more, but well-tended land is good for the land itself.

For example, flower bushes and trees can wither for lack of pruning and weeding.

A GARDEN IN ERETZ YISRAEL (courtesy of coolspot77)

Forest fires (which indigenous people sometimes lit on purpose) turn dead trees & decaying vegetation to ashes, which then fertilize the soil.

Fire also clears dead underbrush from the forest, which allows sunlight to reach the forest floor, which facilitates the growth of vegetation waiting beneath the soil.

STYGGKÄRRET RESERVE IN SWEDEN BURNING MILDLY FOR CONSERVATION PURPOSES

In fact, in one 40-years-long experiment, a 23-acre patch of land was carefully protected from burning. This resulted in plant diversity falling by 90% and the 100% elimination of red-cockaded woodpeckers (source).

RED-COCKCADED WOODPECKER (photo courtesy of Patti Black)

Fires create new hollows for birds to nest & thrive.

No fires, no bird habitats.

So much for nature "preservation."

Interestingly, while "experts" haven't figured out how to "preserve" nature, the beneficial use of nature reaps rewards for all.

I believe this is because nature preservation for its own sake is basically "playing God," which can't work. However, using the natural resources Hashem gifted us is basically fulfilling His Will for both us and the Earth...so He helps us do just that.

Today, many researchers believe that cyclical controlled fires actually prevent the really destructive wildfires that rage out of control.

So human beings can literally fight fire with fire by using controlled fires to prevent out-of-control fires.

Again, controlled fires aren't for the sake of "nature preservation," but for people & property preservation.

Hashem gave us this plant to USE it.

This is correct & truly spiritual thinking.

OUR PLANET: USE IT OR LOSE IT (Photo courtesy of Marco Roosink)

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Voting on Election Day - What Do the Big Rabbis Say?

17/9/2019

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Like for a lot of Jews in Eretz Yisrael, the deplorable forced exile of the Jews from Gush Katif was a game-changer.

I became disillusioned by both charedi parties, yet the other religious parties didn't really do it for me either.

Eli Yishai's short-lived Yachad party (with the backing of Rav Mazuz) brought renewed hope...and renewed disappointment when it didn't cross the threshold (and seemed manipulated not to cross the threshold).

And the more I read about Eretz Yisrael's real behind-the-scenes modern history, the more I realize how important it is to listen to the real talmidei chachamim about voting and other issues.

Their vision is incredibly far-reaching, and history has shown that despite how things look at the present and despite problems within the frum community, the real talmidei chachamim truly are able to differentiate between the lesser of the two evils.

So as far as major rabbis go regarding today's Israeli elections, the breakdown is like this:

All Ashkenazi charedi rabbinical leaders have called to vote for Gimmel (Agudas Yisrael). (And maybe there are other Sephardi rabbanim who also vote Gimmel of whom I'm not aware.)

The vast majority of Sephardi charedi rabbinical leaders have called to vote for Shas.

Interestingly, Lubavitcher rabbinical leaders historically divide themselves between voting for Gimmel and voting for something like Otzma Yehudit — yet this election sees them taking a new and uncompromising stand:

"The stalemate between the Right bloc and the Left bloc and Lieberman does not allow anyone to take a gamble on the fate of Eretz Yisrael, Torat Yisrael, and Am Yisrael."

The Rabbinical Beis Din of Chabad proclaimed: "One should not vote for a candidate over which there is a doubt as to whether it will pass the threshold...Don't lose any vote, don't vote for Otzma Yehudit or Noam." (Noam suddenly dropped out anyway.)

Apparently, the late Lubavitcher Rebbe's concern was not to throw away votes by voting for chancy candidates and to vote for the most charedi party. (Source)

Then there is the Eideh Hacharedis which consists of talmidei chachamim calling on people NOT to vote at all, and not to participate in this anti-Torah government at all. (Source)

(This all shines light on the long-standing split among charedi groups, who agree that the government is corrupt, but then diverge on how to deal with it.)

So where does that leave me?

And the Winner is...

Based on my research (including, surprisingly enough, reading material by authors who certainly do NOT hold with the Eideh Hacharedis views), I'm most emotionally pulled toward NOT voting and NOT participating in this government.

That is my emotional response at this stage of my life.

However, we follow the mainstream charedi rabbis, especially the Sephardi ones (because my husband is wholly Sephardi).

So...

To make a good example to my children who attend Sephardi yeshivot and benefit from programs funded by Shas, I have reluctantly voted Shas.

But the big push by rabbis I respect for Gimmel has been niggling at me. Rabbis I really respect are pushing very hard for Gimmel.

Particularly the venerable Rav Kanievsky has come out with some very strong statements, such as telling people with voting rights who are planning to visit Eretz Yisrael anyway, and could come for either Sukkot or the elections...to come to vote in the elections.

People asked whether they should attend a brit milah first or vote first...and Rav Kanievsky said to vote first — as early as possible on election day.

Furthermore, Rav Kanievsky has made some very desirable and powerful promises of blessing for those who vote Gimmel today.

To be fair, Rav Abuchatzeirah also made some nice promises for sweetened din for those who vote Shas.

But so much of what I've been coming across really makes a big push for Gimmel — even though I DON'T put my faith in politicians.

Then last night, my husband was reading a charedi newspaper and came across Rav Kanievsky's promises of blessed middah k'neged middah (measure for measure) for whoever votes Gimmel.

"What do you say about voting Gimmel?" he asked me suddenly.

I turned to him and poured out my heart about that I really feel that daat Torah is overwhelmingly saying to vote Gimmel.

It's different this time around. There's a stronger push this year — and it's coming from the top rabbanim.

So based on Rav Kanievsky's promise of bracha, my husband decided we should vote Gimmel.

I was so relieved!

My husband and I have actually voted for different parties before, but in order to vote differently than the kids (who see not voting Shas as a lack of hakarat hatov and not listening to their Gadolei Hador), I needed my husband's support.

(My kids don't decide my life for me, but voting can also be an issue of chinuch and setting an example, which could be misinterpreted by them, depending.)

So we voted Gimmel this morning.

May we VERY SOON merit Mashiach as our leader — and may he come in a sweet way.

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What is the Only Way to Hold on Tight When the Rope Starts Shaking?

10/9/2019

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Looking at what's going on in the world, I find myself growing increasingly concerned for the future.

And I'm far from being the first to come to this conclusion.

Right now, I don't want to go into the nitty-gritty of what we're all seeing and what I think it portends, but I do want to talk about the best response.

And it's not about prepping or making aliyah (which most Jews either won't or can't do right now anyway — and who even says that the Erev Rav leaders would allow millions of Jews, especially if they're frum, to enter?) or writing letters to representatives or newspapers, or signing petitions, and so forth.

(Although if those things will help, then it's good to do them. But they shouldn't be your sole focus.)

There's a lot we can't control and I think this creeping inability to positively affect opinions & situations is only going to increase.

So it's time to re-focus on an age-old authentically Jewish response:

HANG ON TO YOUR EMUNA

Looking back at the classic parable by Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk (author of the classic Noam Elimelech):

He said that the End of Days will feel like a rope being jerked around.

Only the people who can hold on tight will make it.

This means that you already need to be holding on to the rope when it starts jerking & shaking.

Sure, if you're not already holding on, you can always make a lunge for the rope, hoping to grab onto it as it wildly whips around.

And maybe you'll find a place to grasp. Some people will, I'm sure.

But that's pretty risky.

Better to grab on to the rope NOW.

And to take the metaphor even further:

Who has a better chance of hanging on:

the person with only their index finger curled around the rope?

the person who has wrapped their arms and legs around the rope and clings to it for dear life?

Or even better:

the person who coiled that part of the rope around them, so even if their hands slip, they still can't fall off?

I don't know Hashem's Secrets & Cheshbonot, nor do I know the soul-tikkun of others, but it seems to me that part of the reason why so many people are having such a hard time, not just with obvious nisayonot, but with inner trials too.

Their moods, their perceptions, their feelings...

So many people struggle with depression, despair, disappointment, anger, lethargy, apathy, feelings of rejection, loneliness, and distance from Hashem, and so on.

But those of you who fight your way out of these pits (even when you fall in again for the umpteenth time) are actually forging your connection to Hashem.

In other words, you are securing your grip on the rope.

It may not feel like it, but you are.

And that's exactly what we all need to strengthen ourselves to continue doing.

I'm not trying to be the Voice of Doom.

But if Mashiach doesn't come already, I think things are going to get increasingly more bizarre & difficult in the not-so-distant future.

And I think that focusing on strengthening our relationship with Hashem is a positive way of facing that future.

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A Review of "Guardian of Jerusalem: The Life & Times of Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld" & Why It Challenged Everything I Thought I Knew about the Modern History of Eretz Yisrael

2/9/2019

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Originally, I wanted to list & review the main books that formed my opinions & knowledge of the modern history within Eretz Yisrael.

Yet what was supposed to be a list & review of several books ended up turning into one long review of what was, for me, the most transformational of the books:
Guardian of Jerusalem: The Life & Times of Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld written by his grandson, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Sonnenfeld. (Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld ztz"l was born in Eastern Europe in 1848 and passed away in Eretz Yisrael in 1932.)

This is an abridged translation of the 3-volume Hebrew Ha'Ish al HaChomah (The Man on the Wall).

On the other hand, while I and others found this book transformational, I met other people who found the book merely “interesting” or even just so-so.

Yet for me, this pivotal book opened my eyes to so much.

For example, the people I was always taught to respect as the “pioneering heroes” of Turkish- and then British-occupied Palestine were actually dangerous power-hungry rabble-rousers who either cared very little for or outright hated Judaism, and continuously endangered their fellow Jews.

Ironically, these "pioneering heroes" nearly wiped out Jewish settlement in Eretz Yisrael — which was then rescued by the very ultra-Orthodox rabbis so profoundly despised by these pioneering heroes and their adherents; such adherents also include historians who should know better.

The Hidden Truth: How Eliezer Ben-Yehudah Nearly Caused the Mass Expulsion of the Entire Jewish Population under the Ottoman Empire, & Who were Ultimately Saved by the Wise Intervention of the Sephardi Sage Rav Yaakov Shaul Elyashar & the Ashkenazi Sage Rav Shmuel Salant

For example, throughout the world, non-Orthodox Jewish communities hold up Eliezer Ben-Yehudah as a great hero, mostly for his revival of Hebrew as a modern language.

Yet he created great problems, not only for religious Jews in Eretz Yisrael, but for all Jews living in Eretz Yisrael, and ultimately ended up endangering every single one of the Jews living under the rule of the Turkish Ottoman Empire.

For instance, Ben-Yehudah published an article in 1895 that seemed to encourage a bloody revolution of the Jews against the Turkish rulers.

And while religious Jews have always been coming to Eretz Yisrael over the millennia, it was the new secular nationalist Jewish movement that caused the Turkish rulers to ban Jewish immigration in 1884.

Sometimes, the Ottoman authorities issued decrees prohibiting Jews from outside of Eretz Yisrael to buy land or housing in Eretz Yisrael. When some Jews tried to go around this prohibition, the Turkish authorities expanded the decrees to ban home repairs — like fixing leaky roofs.

Needless to say, this not only impeded Jewish aliyah, but also increased the deprivations of Jews already settled in the Holy Land.

In fact, the famed tzaddik, Rav Shmuel Salant, tried intervening with the Turkish governor to allow Jewish aliyah, but the nationalist revolution-mongering articles repeatedly published in the secular Jewish newspapers of Eastern Europe kept the Turks in a state of wariness. It was only with great effort that Rav Salant was able to convince the Turks to re-open Jewish immigration.

This is only one example of this particular historical deception put out by the secular Left.

So it was actually the “ultra”-Orthodox Jewish Sages who came to (or were born in) Eretz Yisrael, these same pious Sages who lived in Eretz Yisrael and did everything they could to keep the borders open for the aliyah of their fellow Jews.

The secular Leftists in Eastern Europe who called themselves “Zionists” and embraced Communism were the ones who actually provoked the bans on aliyah and stunted Jewish immigration to Eretz Yisrael.

But you’ll never hear that outside the frum community because in the Leftist narrative, the Torah-observant Jews are always the bad guys and the obstacles, and the assimilated “progressive” Jews are always the heroes.

So when the Turkish rulers got wind of this article, it spelled very bad news for ALL Jews throughout the empire.

As a result, Rav Salant convened a meeting of fellow Sages, including Rav Sonnenfeld.

Rav Sonnenfeld advised turning to the local Sephardi Gadol Hador Rav Yaakov Shaul Elyashar for assistance.

Why?

Due to all the nationalist revolution-mongering sentiment coming out of secular Jewish Europe, the Turks lost their trust of Ashkenazi Jews (although Rav Salant himself still had some influence). Because the Sephardi Jews under their reign never agitated against them, they still trusted the Sephardi Jews.

Along these lines, Rav Sonnenfeld recommended that Rav Salant and the Ashkenazi beit din proclaim their support of Rav Elyashar, to which Rav Salant and the other Ashkenazi rabbis immediately agreed.

The Ashkenazi Gadolei Hador sent a rabbinical emissary to this Sephardi Sage Rav Elyashar with a copy of the incriminating article. Upon reading Ben-Yehudah’s inflammatory message, Rav Elyashar became incensed upon realizing the danger his beloved Jewish brethren were suddenly in.

Rav Elyashar immediately contacted the Turkish authorities with a message of unequivocal rejection of the ideas within the article, insisting that such ideas did not reflect the Jewish community at large.

This showed Heavenly assisted foresight because at that moment, news of the article reached the seat of the empire in Constantinople, which resulted in the Sultan himself summoning the Gadol of Turkey, Rav Moshe HaLevi.

The advisers to the Sultan recommended harsh measures against the Jews. In fact, unbeknownst to any of the Jews (including these great Sages) of that time, the Turkish council decided it wanted to expel ALL Jews from the ENTIRE Ottoman empire!

(According to my estimates, this included around a million Jews — maybe less.)

Needless to say, this would have sparked a terrible catastrophe for Sephardi Jewry, with nowhere to go — and the Jews of Eretz Yisrael included in this expulsion! At that time, the Ottoman Empire compassed Jewish communities throughout the entire Middle East (minus Arabia & Iran).

Fortunately, the Sultan held such a high opinion of Rav Yaakov Shaul Elyashar & Rav Shmuel Salant (the two leading Sephardi & Ashkenazi authorities in Eretz Yisrael at that time), the Sultan first wished to hear from these two great Sages.

A reply to the Sultan was dictated by Rav Elyashar in his name & the name of Rav Shmuel Salant to Rav Yosef Rivlin, who then sent it to Rav Moshe HaLevi in Turkey.

Admirably, the reply was straight-foward & unapologetic about the innate Jewish yearning for the re-establishment of Tzion & Yerushalayim.

Yet it stated this fundamental Torah concept in an appealing & non-threatening manner.

The great Sage emphasized the Jewish yearning to return to Yerushalayim & live under their own king, but emphasized that they are praying for God to bring this about. He also reassured the Sultan that Jews are commanded to pray for the welfare of whatever kingdom they live in and that they certainly pray for the welfare of the Turkish empire.

This communiqué signed by the 2 great Sages of Eretz Yisrael freed the Sultan to refuse to issue a decree of expulsion.

Interestingly, this communiqué also saved Ben-Yehudah, whom the Turks wanted to punish harshly. Instead, he was sentenced to 1 year in prison (which is still pretty bad, considering the Turkish prisons of that time) — but even that sentence was eventually suspended.

Yet how was this tremendous salvation reported by the agitating anti-Torah activists in Europe?

Negatively!

The secular Jewish newspaper HaTzefira condemned this heroic act of the Gedolei Hador as “mesirah”—informing on fellow Jews to the non-Jewish authorities!

It bears emphasizing again: The Turkish authorities already knew about the article. It wasn't the Sages who brought it to their attention. If there was any mesirah here, it was committed by Ben-Yehudah and the irresponsible publishers of such articles. And anyway, this wasn't the only article that worried the Turks; this had been going on for a while.

So we see how a distorted Jewish history is taught to unsuspecting Jews outside the Torah community.

Saved by the "Black Arm" of a Complete Tzaddik

Here's another story that appeared in a previous post, but I'm reposting here for your convenience:

At one point, Rav Sonnenfeld went way out of his way to save the life of a terrible Jew (“one of the leaders of the Zionist Labor Federation, known for his virulent anti-religious attacks”) who needed the superior medical treatment provided only at Shaarei Tzedek hospital...and only Rav Sonnenfeld could make it happen.

To provide some background: The Beit Din of Yerushalayim had placed a ban on anyone who entered the Missionary Hospital, whether for work or for treatment, with dire results for anyone who violated this ban.

Anyway, it was assumed that the legendary Dr. Wallach of Shaarei Tzedek would refuse to admit a person who both intentionally chose treatment at the Missionary Hospital (despite the ban and the poorer medical treatment there) and who operated as a rabid anti-Torah Leftist bent on destroying Yiddishkeit in Eretz Yisrael.

Indeed, upon being brought to Shaarei Tzedek, the Leftist and his family encountered resistance from Dr. Wallach.

Interestingly, the family asked an off-the-derech youth to approach Rav Sonnenfeld.

This youth was the son of a big talmid chacham and well-known to Rav Sonnenfeld. This youth also knew that Rav Sonnenfeld was “quite upset” with this same youth for leaving Torah and befriending this anti-Torah Leftist.

Nonetheless, this same youth approached Rav Sonnenfeld at home, where Rav Sonnenfeld still received this youth with warmth.

Upon hearing of the urgent situation, the rav braved a severe thunderstorm to rush to Shaarei Tzedek, where Rav Sonnenfeld insisted that halacha demanded the admission of this dangerously ill traitor (but promised to discuss the matter with Dr. Wallach later).

Two weeks later, the anti-Torah Leftist experienced a miraculous recovery, then continued his nefarious activities.

Knowing how much the Leftist disliked Rav Sonnenfeld, none of the Leftist's associates informed him of Rav Sonnenfeld’s life-saving intervention & mesirut nefesh.

By the way, this also shows the mentality of such misguided people. Why not tell the Leftist leader? Why not tell this rabid hater that one of the Gadolei Hador saved his life? Maybe it would soften him up a bit. At least, it might stop him from attacking the tzaddikim. Maybe he’d more willingly to hear Rav Sonnenfeld’s side and compromise a bit.

But those who knew davka decided to be careful not to tell him. So once again, we see that Leftists don’t really pursue peace; they have other agendas.

Anyway, a year later, this same Leftist delivered a keynote speech at a groundbreaking ceremony for a new settlement in the North. When he reached the climax of his speech, this Leftist gave a frenzied shout:

“We will build this land by waging a fight to the death against the black arm of Rabbi Sonnenfeld and his cronies!”

(page 137)

Sitting in the audience was the same youth who’d interceded on the Leftist’s behalf.

This frenzied proclamation spurred the youth to jump to his feet and shout his protest against such slander.

At the invitation of the shocked Leftist, the youth took over the podium and explained to all assembled “exactly how the ‘black arm’ of R’ Chaim Sonnenfeld had interceded to save the life of one who had vowed to destroy him.”

Not that this revelation of Rav Sonnenfeld's great goodness softened up the haters.

They continued on as they were.

Big Government Agendas Cause Big Problems

Furthermore, Guardian of Jerusalem shows clearly how the secular Leftists keep landing on the wrong side of history.

Because they don’t actually care about their fellow Jews, but only their own political interests, they tend to make concessions when it’s better to be unyielding, and conversely, display aggression when diplomacy would work better.

History has shown again & again that Socialism & Communism demand a complete takeover of the government.

Because these movements necessitate what’s known as “big government,” this inherently means that they must take over all aspects of government. By virtue of their big government policies, Socialism & Communism demand complete domination (for themselves) and complete submission (of their citizens).

(And in the case of the Communists, this domination & submission repeatedly occurs via much cruelty & bloodshed.)

But people like Rav Sonnenfeld & other Gedolei Hador (who actually care about all Jews) knew when to stand tough and when to seek peace. Real talmidei chachamim routinely seek win-win solutions, which benefit the surrounding non-Jews too.

In fact, Rav Sonnenfeld decided to make a kind of peace agreement with the King of Jordan (known at that time as King Hussein ibn-Ali of the Hashemite Kingdom).

Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld Makes True Peace with Jordan - WITHOUT Any Dangerous or Disruptive Concessions

Considered the senior & most influential leader in the Middle East at that time, King Hussein’s newspaper actually lauded the Jewish return to their Homeland & called on the local Arabs to remember the writings & traditions that bade them to be hospitable & tolerant, focusing on the accomplishments of the Jewish and stressing that Eretz Yisrael was the “holy and beloved birthplace of the Jews.”

Once again, we see repeated throughout history that our holy tzaddikim often win the love and respect of the non-Jewish leaders.

As the last Gemara in Brachot says: "Talmidei chachamim increase shalom in the world."

Rav Sonnenfeld sought a meeting with the king to enable unlimited Jewish aliyah, but was thwarted by the secular Leftists who wanted to take over.

Unfortunately, the anti-Torah Leftists discovered this planned charedi delegation and denounced it as “treacherous,” presenting it as undermining the interests of the people of Israel.

(It didn't. It only improved the interests of the people of Israel. However, it did loosen the anti-Torah Leftist stranglehold on Jewish society in Eretz Yisrael.)

The anti-Torah Leftists also resorted to physical threats, which intimidated several of the charedi delegates into withdrawing.

However, 3 delegates managed to reach the king and presented an appealing plea, not only for continued aliyah, but also for an improvement in the conditions of the Jews already living in Eretz Yisrael.

The king received them warmly, bestowed honors upon them, and even handed them a large sum of money to be distributed among the Jewish poor of Yerushalayim.

The Love of a Tzaddik for Eretz Yisrael is Greater than Anyone Else's

At the same time, Rav Sonnenfeld viewed the actual Land with reverence and saw both the return of religious Jews and the newfound patriotism of the secular Jews as the beginning of the Geula — even as he waged an unwavering battle against all the anti-Torah leaders and their agendas, and against encroaching secularism itself.

In fact, Rav Sonnenfeld was not afraid to tell Chaim Weizmann that:

“The right to be called a ‘Zionist’ belongs only to those who pray thrice daily, ‘May our eyes behold Your Return to Zion in mercy.’ The meaning of ‘Zion’ is spiritual, not geographical.”

Rav Sonnenfeld went on to denigrate the secular concept of Zion as:

“merely a geographical, political, physical concept in which you seek to establish theaters and cultural institutions the same as all the nations, while severing ties with our glorious past…There is no greater travesty than this!”

...while considering a Jewish sovereignty as “icing on the cake, which will come by itself.”

(page 375)

Rav Sonnenfeld lovingly told a grandson (who received an invitation to serve as rav in one of Czechoslovakia’s leading communities):

“My son, I feel that being a laborer in Eretz Yisrael is greater than being a Rav in Chutz La’Aretz…”

(page 244)

His grandson decided to remain in Eretz Yisrael.

After the savage riots & massacres of 1929, Rav Sonnenfeld insisted on performing a bris milah in an area that necessitated his passing through some particularly dangerous Yishmaeli neighborhoods.

When a friend literally grabbed Rav Sonnenfeld’s arm and begged him not to proceed, Rav Sonnenfeld declared:

“I will go specifically via the Damascus Gate and thus inform the Arabs that they have not succeeded in frightening Jews out of even one section of the Holy City.”

(pg. 252)

The Reality of Torah-Loving Jews who Invested in the Mitzvah of Yishuv Ha'Aretz vs. The Reality of the Torah-Hating Jews who Called Themselves "Zionists": Compare & Contrast

Throughout the book, you repeatedly see displays of Rav Sonnenfeld’s dedication to the poor, the downtrodden, Jewish settlement in Eretz Yisrael, bringing Torah to all Jews; you see his incredible ahavat Yisrael and his profound sympathy toward even the most errant Jews.

You see his dedication toward peace among fellow Jews, particularly among the different groups of Torah-observant Jews, and also peace with non-Jewish authorities in an effort to prevent wars and bloodshed of both Jews & non-Jews.

The ultimate example of a warrior from love, Rav Sonnenfeld exemplified humility & a total commitment to Hashem.

In contrast, the viciousness & power-lust of the anti-Torah Leftists also come through:

their willingness to assassinate individuals who interfere with their grab for power
their willingness to starve entire communities, including children
You see their impetuousness that threatens Jews far & wide.
You see exactly how their ego-driven efforts actually shut down the very aliyah they claim they stand for and increase the suffering of the Jews of Eretz Yisrael

This is also seen through the secular manipulation of the Sephardi communities, which continued long after the establishment of Medinat Yisrael.

While the Ashkenazi tzaddikim (like Rav Sonnenfeld) displayed great concern for their Sephardi brethren, the secular Leftists would plot against the Ashkenazi religious community and when the religious Ashkenazim resisted, the Leftists would cry, “Racism!” and insist they were acting on behalf of the Sephardim.

They never were, as repeatedly shown by their actions since then.

From Whence Came Such Wellsprings of Hate toward Such a Paragon of Love?

Looking at everything altogether, it seems inconceivable that the anti-Torah Leftists hated Rav Sonnenfeld so rabidly.

Here was a man who loved Hashem so much, he couldn't help but to love Hashem's Land and also Hashem's people — even the most errant ones.

Looking at just a sampling of what Rav Sonnenfeld achieved:

He saved Ottoman Jewry from terrible suffering.
He saved the entire Jewish settlement in Eretz Yisrael (exactly what the self-proclaimed Zionist claimed to be so gung-ho about).
He saved Ben-Yehudah from harsh punishment.
He saved one of his vicious opposers from certain death.
He refused to allow others to say yemach shemo when mentioning Ben-Yehudah.
He even found a positive merit in the extremely dysfunctional Ben-Yehudah.

— How is it possible to hate such a person as Rav Sonnenfeld?

Not to mention that as far as Jewish assertion over who Eretz Yisrael really belongs to: Rav Sonnenfeld showed far more dedication & courage than the anti-Torah Leftists who made settling the Land into a Nationalist Communist vision, rather than a holy one.

Why did this paragon of love (love of God, love of Torah, love of the Jewish people, love of Eretz Yisrael) engender such hatred, including from the very people who benefited from his efforts?

(Even if they didn't know of his efforts on their behalf at the time, they still should have been able to sense his sincerity, holiness, and caring — because it was so palpable.)

And I think it goes back to a chassidish idea: A tzaddik is a mirror.

(Please see the story of The Black Wolf for illustration of this concept.)

These anti-Torah Leftists were full of ego and hunger for power & dominance. They literally hated anyone who got in their way. (You must have a very black heart indeed if you are able to starve small children death.)

I think that they couldn't grasp the concept of love and living your life out of love.

I think they couldn't ever relate to going to battle out of love rather than hate & ego.

And when they saw someone who represented everything they weren't, it looked so wrong that they literally could not tolerate him.

Along these lines, there is the well-known rabid envy that some uneducated people feel toward Torah scholars, as described by Rebbi Akiva in Pesachim, that when he was an illiterate man, he could have bitten the Torah scholars with the bone-shattering gnash of a donkey.

A Valuable Resource to Read Again & Again

The above is just a tiny sampling. At around 470 pages, this book contains many more well-documented examples of the truth behind the promoted history of modern Eretz Yisrael.

Ultimately, I found myself in heartfelt agreement with the man who told Rav Sonnenfeld's grandson (page 135):

"So many people think that they understand who R' Chaim [Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld] was, but in truth, just as the followers of Mizrachi did not truly appreciate Rav Kook, the followers of Agudah did not truly appreciate R' Chaim."

And this insight shows how vital it is to read this book again & again in order to fully grasp Rav Sonnenfeld’s ideals & who he really was, to study and glean from his deeds and his words how to truly follow in his path.

Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld ztz"l

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The Politically Incorrect Truth: Females Need Protection to Avoid Harm; And in Situations of Harm, Many Find It Hard to Act in the Absence of 3 Crucial Factors (Alternative Title: Yet More Reasons Why the Mandatory Draft of Girls is a Very Bad Idea)

29/8/2019

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Despite all the hype in today’s world about the “new!” bold confident assertive women of today, a glance around immediately shows that the truth is very different.

Especially young woman struggle to stand up for themselves in certain situations. Unfortunately, the brassy sneering females get the spotlight.

(This is despite the ugly situations they can find themselves in, situations that should be avoided for their own benefit.)

And self-absorbed women who have faced aggressive men and overcome them like to hoist themselves up on the pedestal of “If I can do it, ANYONE can!”

This highly narcissistic attitude ignores situational & personality variables. As is characteristic of cults, it holds a black-and-white view that every situation and every person can be molded in exactly the same way.

In many, if not most, situations in which a woman or girl is able to successfully fight off or escape an assault, there is tremendous mazal involved — an important factor ignored by mainstream society and those who promote this Supergirl persona.

But many young woman struggle.

In every co-ed army in the world, reports of harassment and violation occur.

This is true even in the American army, which as a volunteer army, you’d think attracts a more assertive type of women. Furthermore, female recruits undergo basic training, which includes self-defense and hand-to-hand combat.

(Although in the IDF, basic training doesn’t always include that; it depends. But it does always include training in the use of a machine gun.)

So why is it that, in all armies that allow female enlistment, so many women (especially young women) are unable to fend off (either physically or behaviorally) their male colleagues and superiors in the military?

Whether it’s verbal harassment or physical assault, these trained Amazons ultimately cannot control certain situations to their benefit if their male assailant doesn’t allow it.

Mandatory Female Draft is an Anti-Female Agenda

Today’s IDF pushes the agenda of female recruitment.

There is also a ruach of pride that girls can operate within the army, including combat, and all secular journalism portrays female recruitment in a rosy hue.

Even among the dati-leumi, female recruitment (not shirut leumi, but actual IDF service) is admired in some circles.

There are so many problems with this and so much false propaganda to counter. But today, we’ll just focus on harassment, exploitation, and violation.

What are the 3 Factors Often Necessary before Girls & Women will Seek Assistance?

Unfortunately, young woman faced with predatory colleagues (and especially predatory superiors) find themselves in a particularly distressing situation.

In addition to the superior physical strength young men generally possess over young women, a higher-ranking male possesses authority over all soldiers under him.

This obviously does not include the right to harass and assault (which is strictly forbidden in the IDF – officially, anyway).

But rules & resources aside, a young woman can easily find herself psychologically intimidated by both an officer’s physical imposition (even if he's not actively using it) and his authority, even if she’s not consciously aware of what’s she’s intimidated by.

A common yet never-discussed dynamic is that many young women find it difficult to get help UNLESS all the factors line up to their advantage.

Just to ask for help (whether in the middle of a situation or after the fact), many young women need the following:

Someone (often male) with the authority and power to help.
Approachability
The CERTAINTY that this authority will indeed help them.

If any of the 3 factors are lacking, many young women will not seek assistance or protection.

This is why you have young women stuck in situations they could easily get out of or why young women don’t always demand help even in a public setting surrounded by lots of people.

What Happened to the Israeli Superwoman All of the Sudden?

For example, my husband once supervised a café run by 2 frum guys.

The waitresses were all young Jewish women of the secular/traditional type, at least some of whom were after military service. To save money, the managers hired a middle-aged married Yishmaeli.

My husband felt disgruntled with this situation from the outset. He hated the idea of a Yishmaelite holding authority over Jewish girls.

Sure enough, my husband entered the café not longer after hiring and was approached by the young female staff to complain about harassment.

“He makes us give him a kiss and hug before we leave,” they complained. “If we don’t, then he deletes us from the computer and we don’t get paid that day for all the work we did.”

(Note: The above constitutes ACTUAL harassment.)

Some of the girls gave into the Yishmaeli’s demand while some refused and suffered their names deleted from the computer for that day’s work.

But none of them confronted the Yishmaeli on the spot.

Nor did they complain to their bosses.

No, they waited until my husband showed up — an approachable sympathetic male with the power to help and protect them.

Feeling the same as if his little sisters had approached him with the same complaint, my horrified husband instantly contacted the managers and said, “The Arab has to go NOW or else I’m withdrawing your certification on the spot.” Then he ordered them to never hire such a person again.

The Yishmaelite was fired and my husband grumbled about people trying to save money on the cheshbon of Jewish girls.

Stunned & upset by the harmful hiring on part of the frum bosses, I wondered out loud, “Could they have really thought he'd behave decently? I mean, he’s this middle-aged married guy.”

My husband huffed and shook his head.

“How could they not know that he can’t control himself?” he said. “Of course they knew! It’s literally putting a fox in charge of the henhouse. What did they think would happen? He suddenly finds himself with all these young Jewish girls under him and he just couldn’t control himself.”

Then he had some more choice words against the Yishmaelite mentality in general and toward females, especially Jewish females.

(Note: When my husband mentioned “their” lack of self-control, he did NOT mean that as an excuse for appalling behavior, but as a directive to protect ourselves and AVOID creating such situations in which girls suffer.)

Yes, my husband handled this situation excellently.

But what perplexed me was how the girls didn’t stand up for themselves.

After all, this is Israeli society and Israelis—including the females—tend to be more assertive.

According to logic, the following needs to be answered:

At least some of these girls were after or in the middle of military service. They’d shot rifles and been conditioned to behave assertively & with dedication to the welfare of their colleagues — why couldn’t they stand up to Achmed?

Also, they were a group united in their resentment and certainty that this was unjust. So why were they unable to stand up for themselves as a unit?

Furthermore, these girls represented the majority in power in the country (Jewish) while their harasser was in the less advantaged sector (Muslim-Arab). So why didn’t they just stand up to Achmed?

Also, some of the girls did have the guts to refuse his demands -- and got deleted from the system. So why didn't they take it one step further and protest to either Achmed or their Jewish bosses?

Why didn’t they immediately complain to their bosses?

Why didn’t they complain to their parents — their parents would’ve for sure intervened, right?

Why did these girls feel they needed to wait for the appearance of a definitely sympathetic & approachable male with the authority to help them?

Why?

Because that just seems to be the way many young women intuitively handle such situations. (Please see the 3 factors listed above.)

The "Freeze" Response Cannot Always be Overcome

Back to the army:

It’s unrealistic and naïve to expect all men to relate with decency and respect to their female colleagues and subordinates in the army, especially when you have a majority secular crowd that lacks knowledge or respect for the Jewish Laws of purity and the hands-off directives, and all other relevant halachot.

Furthermore, all the messages in secular society confuse both males & females.

And some people are just bad people.

I once read the heart-breaking report of a 14-year-old babysitter who’d been violated by the father of the sleeping child she was babysitting, which needless to say with a physically excruciating and emotionally traumatic experience for her. He went back upstairs for something, leaving her sitting downstairs of the sofa right near the front door.

A police station sat merely 1 block away.

Yet the girl made no dash for rescue.

She ended up sitting there for 45 minutes until the scoundrel came back to abuse her further.

Later, she recalled feeling frozen, like she couldn’t move. She could hardly think.

Hearing about this type of reaction often confounds people. She had ample opportunity to escape; why didn’t she go?

So the answer is: Based on how young women tend to respond and what they subconsciously sense they need, running to the police can be too much of a risk.

She needed to KNOW without a doubt that there would be a sympathetic approachable authority who would for sure help her.

And without knowing the officers on duty there, it was too much to ask of her to just run over there after she’d been so traumatized.

Some girls still would for sure have made it out to the police down the street.

Some girls are able to do whatever they need to do to help themselves.

But expecting all girls to help or defend themselves just because a minority manage to do so, and so it’s fine ‘n’ dandy to place girls in problematic situations l’chatchila?

What a callous attitude.

Furthermore, with the babysitter: She’d already been abused by men before, although not violated in the way she was that night. I feel this had a lot to do with her helpless response.

Apparently, the previous abuse conditioned her to feel helpless in such a situation, so she could not find it within her to make it to the police station just 1 block away.

Prevention is the Real Key to Fighting Abuse

This is yet another factor against placing young women in any military.

Any girl already traumatized by abuse can experience the same shut-down response when faced with abuse by male colleagues and superiors in the army.

But again, under the influence of Edomite culture which is the pig that extends its cloven hoof to deceptively display its claimed kashrut while hiding the totally treif lack of cud-chewing inside, the army simply posts and proclaims regulations and procedures for dealing with harassment and abuse of females even as it CREATES the very situation that leads to such exploitation in the first place.

This kind of thing is popular in Anglo cultures throughout the world.

People focus on after-the-fact measures rather than preventative measures.

Esav loves to build a hospital at the bottom of the cliff rather than erecting a barrier to prevent cars from driving off the cliff.

It's interesting to note that at least one group has dedicated itself to teaching women & girls to AVOID potentially dangerous situations, rather than rely on self-defense techniques. They were driven to do this out of concern for female well-being & after noticing that the techniques often don't help & that females are better served by AVOIDANCE measures.

(No Nonsense Self-Defense - Disclaimer: Some of the content is disturbing.)

Another top female self-defense instructor in America incorporates situational awareness and AVOIDANCE techniques into her self-defense course for females. Again, she was driven to do so upon seeing that self-defense is often not helpful for females.

And yes, I personally know girls and women who’ve fought off abusers or attackers. Baruch Hashem they were able to do so!

But using that minority to justify putting the majority of young women in a potentially harmful situation?

How very wrong, how very callous, and how very blind such people must be.

For a related post, please see:
A Brief Look at Why All the Gedolei Hador Always So Strongly Opposed Giyus Banot

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A Brief Look at Why All the Gedolei Hador Always So Strongly Opposed Giyus Banot

28/8/2019

8 Comments

The main reason given by Gedolei Hador worldwide for their strenuous opposition to giyus banot (recruiting girls into the army) has to do with arayot — illicit & licentious behavior.

In addition to the fact that there is no practical reason for women to serve in battle, their participation in non-physical aspects of the military is of questionable worth.

(Just as one example: The male-female dynamics that often accompany mixed offices are always a problem in regular work-settings, but can lead to disaster within a military setting, with so much security and lives at stake.)

It has been pointed out many times that the only other country to enforce the female draft is North Korea.

Israel's mandatory draft of girls is a big chilul Hashem. Furthermore, girls who do teshuvah sometime between high school and IDF service aren't always considered religious and therefore aren't always exempt from this ridiculous draft of teenage girls — much to the distress of these girls.

Even fully charedi Beit Yaakov girls who aren't yet registered for seminary following high school graduation have been caught in the draft.

But let's get back to arayot.

Army-Training for WHAT?!

It's always a challenge to know exactly how much to say in a public forum that can be read (and misunderstood) by absolutely anyone.

So I won't say everything, but I will say this:

When I was already frum and living in Eretz Yisrael, I got to know a young woman who was just starting out in Torah & mitzvot. She'd been living in Israeli society for a while and was more familiar with regular Israeli society.

I was chewing over the idea of giyus banot with her, saying that while I agreed that women are not effective in battle, I honestly did not understand why girls couldn't serve in non-combat areas of the IDF. (I no longer think like this.)

To my surprise (after all, she wasn't so frum at that point), she wrinkled her nose and curled her upper lip at the idea.

"The army is really a bad influence on girls," she said with distaste. "Girls really shouldn't be there."

I was surprised at the chill in her attitude toward the idea. Secular (or even some modernish religious people) are not generally so opposed to female enlistment.

"Why?" I asked. "What's wrong with non-combat positions for girls?"

She looked like she was deliberating what to say. "Well," she finally said. "I'll give you just one example that happened with 2 friends of mine."

Her 2 girl friends went through the standard (approximately 2 years) of IDF service. Upon being discharged, these same 2 girls decided to go and become pritzot in a elite beis znus in Japan that caters to wealthy clientele.

I was shocked.

"And you think that their army service had something to do with that?" I said.

Still looking like she had a bad smell in her nose, she said, "Yeah."

But she didn't want to go into anymore detail about what had happened with these 2 girls during their army service.

Now, I know that 2 don't prove a rule and that most girls do not completely lose their dignity in that way in the army. But the fact that there is something in the IDF that can lead to this is a problem.

In this situation, my friend was convinced that the girls' decision to enter into such a deplorable lifestyle was a direct result of their IDF service. Meaning, they'd shown no inclination toward that before.

And certainly, you don't hear that happening as a result of entering into other institutions.

Some Very Real (& Very Tragic) Results of Female Enlistment in the IDF

Sadly, another friend of mine went with her formerly secular Israeli husband to an Israeli hospital for a D&C after a miscarriage.

While she was there, she noticed that the waiting room was full of very young women - like on either side of 20.

My friend's heart went out to them. She was also really shocked. How is it that so many girls who are so young are having miscarriages, and then needing a D&C? "I couldn't believe all these young girls were having miscarriages!" she said to me. "I just felt like, 'Oh, these poor girls!' "

When she confided her concerns to her husband (who'd served in the IDF), he said, "What are you thinking? How can you be so naive? These girls are here for abortions. They're chayalot and the army pays for their abortions."

In 2014, 1000 chayalot underwent abortions.

In 2015, it was 839 (730 of which were "taken care of" by the IDF).

This is obviously appalling on so many levels, it's hard to know where to begin.

The physical & emotional trauma & aftereffects of abortion have been extensively documented (and repressed by pro-abortion groups). That these young women are being put through this is such an unconcerned manner is appalling.

Not to mention the circumstances that led up to this, especially since the methods to avoid pregnancy are so acceptable in Israeli society (and free to any IDF soldier) and there is still the idea to marry if a couple discovers a pregnancy.

Another reason for this situation is the atmosphere in the army. It's sort of like an American college dorm in its hefkerut between males & females, some areas worse than others.

This doesn't even begin to touch on the very real issues of harassment & coercion & seduction & grooming that not only occur, but are greatly exacerbated by the enforced obedience endemic to any army.

And finally, yet most importantly, all of the above (whether by consent or coercion) are halachically forbidden — not that the powers-that-be care.

Countering the Propaganda

Also, from what I see, the girls themselves are the least to blame.

There's so much propaganda & social pressure regarding female enlistment, it's very hard for a teenage girl to resist the bombardment.

The propaganda is also done in such a skilled and alluring way.

I've even seen "charedi" media feature photos of chayalot who've completed their completely meaningless and gross tank service.

Charedi girls going off the derech even express interest in enlisting.

It's promoted in such a way that's hard to resist.

Furthermore, not all girls lose their tsniut in the army, but the individual cases don't justify the general problem.

And it CERTAINLY does not counter the very reason WHY the IDF insists on a mandatory draft for teenage girls.

(And no, it's not because girls are better at passive observation of monitors. That claim is part of the propaganda machine.)

Here's what Rav Avigdor Miller said about giyus banot, quoting a book by an army general he doesn't name (but can probably be double-checked by seeing which Israeli generals wrote books in the 70s):

Now we want to save העם היושב בציון, we want to help them out. We want to stop the wars; and therefore if we’re going to fight against the adverse influences there; if we’re going to exert pressure on the government that they have to remedy these evils, maybe we can have a hand in protecting the Jews in Eretz Yisroel...We want them to stop drafting girls in the army.

Because girls in the army means only one thing. Like that Israeli general who wrote a book about the Israeli army. We can trust what he tells us. And he states openly that for most girls, the induction into the army is their first experience in znus.

For most Israeli girls the army is a beis zonos. So now you have an institution, the Israeli army, which is one big house of prostitution and the girls are forced into it. Now that’s not my statement. It’s a statement by a general who wrote a history of the Israel Defense Forces and he makes that statement openly. He doesn’t make it in a clandestine secret way that you have to read between the lines.

He says it openly. They’re not ashamed.

TAPE # 204 (February 1978)
How to Protect the Jews of Eretz Yisroel

For a post on how deeply the propaganda can affect young women, please see:

The Aspect of Israeli Mentality You Need to Know in Order to Understand the Issues
Then please scroll down to Story #3: Armored Corps Avoidance Anxiety Disorder (ACAAD)

And also this related new post:
The Politically Incorrect Truth: Females Need Protection to Avoid Harm; And in Situations of Harm, Many Find It Hard to Act in the Absence of 3 Crucial Factors (Alternative Title: Yet More Reasons Why the Mandatory Draft of Girls is a Very Bad Idea)

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What Do the Sephardi Gedolim Say about Tziyonut, the Medinah, and All That?

21/8/2019

15 Comments

Only recently did I realize that while I was very familiar with (and supportive of) the Ashkenazi Gedolim’s attitude toward political Zionism, I wasn’t so knowledgeable of the opinions of the Sephardi Gedolim.

This is very understandable in light of the fact that the English-speaking charedi world is heavily weighted on the Ashkenazi side of things, so we end up hearing more about people like Rav Moshe Feinstein, Rav Kanievsky, Rav Shteinman, Rav Miller, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, as well as the various Chassidic Rebbes, especially those prominent in the English-speaking world.

And this is good because they are true talmidei chachamim.

Furthermore, my Moroccan-Israeli husband’s entry into charedi Yiddishkeit was via Litvish yeshivahs.

While my husband goes according to Sephardi talmidei chachamim for halacha, he respects all true talmidei chachamim equally with regard to hashkafah (as is the correct attitude). And despite certain differences among groups, the real talmidei chachamim have more in common than not.

So when I asked my husband about Sephardi Gedolim and Zionism, he summed it up that Sephardi Gedolim place less emphasis on the "anti-Tziyoni," but other than that, don’t differ much in hashkafah from Ashkenazi Gedolim.

Also, many Sephardi Gedolim opine as Rav Shteinman that if a boy is anyway out on the street committing all kinds of transgressions and generally wasting his life, then Nachal Charedi is a better option for him. (Several other Ashkenazi Gedolim oppose even this.)

I think that sums it up on one foot, anyway.

Finally, it's important to know that the term itself (Tziyonut) is not remotely based on Torah or mitzvot (other than the name of the geographical location: "Tzion").

Tziyonut was only coined in 1890 by Nathan Birnbaum, who was a secular ethnocentrist at that time. (He did complete teshuvah later, baruch Hashem.) He promoted Jewish nationalism based on the Yiddish language and culture (however he defined that).

So Tziyonut was a secular ethnocentric (Ashkenazi-only Yiddish-only) idea from the get-go. (To be fair, Sephardim only comprised around 10% of world Jewry at that time, but they still numbered over a million spread throughout North Africa, the Middle East, the Balkans, Western Europe, including thousands in North & South America. Quite a lot to ignore, actually.)

Baruch Hashem, Birnbaum also dropped his ethnocentrism later too. Sincere teshuvah cleanses all sins.

(Quite an interesting fellow. Please see HERE for more about him.)

Ashkenazi Gedolim & Sephardi Gedolim Face Very Different Audiences

Furthermore, as my very yeshivish son pointed out, Sephardi Gedolim are talking to an extremely varied group, and they need to pasken according to needs of different Jews.

For example, charedi Sephardim listen to Sephardi Gedolim. Yet secular-traditional Sephardim also listen to Sephardi Gedolim. And then you have all the Sephardim in between those 2 extremes.

Yet who listens to, say, Rav Kanievsky outside of charedim (both Sephardi & Ashkenazi) and the very committed chardalim (charedi-dati-leumi)?

My son pointed out that when Rav Ovadia Yosef ztz”l spoke about army service, he needed to speak to both the Sephardi charedi bnei Torah AND “amcha” (the non-yeshivish Sephardim) at the same time.

I believe Sephardi Gedolim face a similar challenge if they decide to talk about tziyonut negatively to constituents who self-identify as tziyoni. (Many if not most Israelis — or Jews worldwide, for that matter — do not realize the origin of the term or the idea.)

Ashkenazi Gedolim could and do also speak to Jews at different stages of observance, but they do so on the individual level because there is no real need (or demand) to do so on the general level.

(For example, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach opposed heter mechirah for Shemittah, but if a person came to him who was insistent on heter mechirah, the rav would tell him how to observe heter mechirah according to halacha.)

Also, it’s always hard to discuss this kind of thing in a public forum because black-and-white thinkers tend to see the above as charedi compromise/capitulation/loophole or hypocrisy, with a smirky attitude of “Oho—gotchya Gadol Hador!”

But really, it’s more a matter of assisting a person “ba’asher hu sham” (Beresheit 21:17 with Rashi) and that’s not compromising on Torah values at all.

But it's very difficult to explain this to black-and-white thinkers.

So I hope there are no black-and-white thinkers reading this.

(Or if they are, I fervently hope they do not comment because I find the circular arguments & misleading blanket statements very stressful to deal with.)

But back to Sephardi talmidei chachamim and Zionism…

An Enlightening Q&A with Hidabroot

Here is a Q&A from Hidabroot (my translation):

Q:
Shalom Kavod Harav,

I’d like to know if the Shas Party is for or against the Religious-Zionist stream.

Regards,
Avi

A:
Shalom u’vracha.

We are not spokesmen for Shas.

Maran {Rav Ovadia Yosef}, may his merit guard over us, was supportive of anyone who walked completely in the way of Hashem without any compromises and he fought against anyone who tried to compromise on an issue.

Regards,
Binyamin Shmueli

Here’s another on Hashkafah & Yirat Shamayim:

Q:
Shalom.

In Heaven, is there significance regarding a person’s hashkafah? Regarding army/State/Zionism, etc…or is the important thing that a person is God-fearing and upholds the Shulchan Aruch…

A:
The Supreme importance is the observance of all the mitzvot of the Torah, as explained in the Shulchan Aruch, without any fishy leniencies.

Anyone who wants to think that the State of Israel is the beginning of the Geula is welcome to do so.

However, he must be careful not to be drawn after leniencies of Torah or any change in the priorities of Torah versus nationalism, and likewise, will continue to be wary of joining with those who can remove him or his children from the Torah.

Likewise, to – God forbid – go after the spirit of the distorters that there is holiness to the army and that the virtue of military service is greater than the virtue of Torah scholars, God forbid.

Furthermore, it’s forbidden to consider Herzl a prophet or anything else. Herzl was a heretic and nothing more. Anyone who considers Herzl a prophet or visionary despite his Sabbath desecration and the rest of his severe transgressions – such a person is a disbeliever in the Torah and disparages all the Nevi’im.

Therefore, the obligation to submit to the Gedolei Yisrael is an absolute obligation and cannot change regardless of any form of hashkafah.

I hope I have succeeded in summarizing in these few lines everything necessary to know on one foot.

Regards,
Binyamin Shmueli

That’s pretty unequivocal.

And this next one is a particularly fun read.

For those who like to compare and contrast, here is a Sephardi rabbi discussing Satmar & Neturei Karta hashkafahs – you sure don’t see that every day!

(Please scroll down to #5 in the original Hebrew.)

UPDATE: A reader knowledgeable in Satmar hashkafah wrote to clarify points mentioned in the answer given by Rabbi Nachum. Please see R' Yisroel Tzion Kash's comments below for elucidation of the authentic Satmar hashkafah.

A Few Questions on Satmar & Zionism:

Q:
Shalom Kavod Harav…

5. Is it better to live in a country led by secular-Tziyoni evildoers than to live outside of Eretz Yisrael? What is the view of Satmar chassidim? How are they different from Neturei Karta? And what is so bad about their actions? Thank you.

A:
5. It’s preferable to live in Eretz Yisrael because of kedushat ha’Aretz {the holiness of the Land}. The Gemara (Yevamot 82b) says about this that the Land maintains its holiness even in the days of Galut {Exile}.

The opinion of the Admor of Satmar of blessed memory, the author of the book The Three Oaths – which is according to the Gemara Ketubot 111 – is that it’s forbidden for Jews to ascend from the Galut as a “wall” (Rashi explains: “together by force”) [that is to say, to take by force Eretz Yisrael from the grip of the nations of the world].

The Neturei Karta part ways from the shitah of the Admor of Satmar of blessed memory as stated above, and their opinion today is that even though the secular Israelis already took the Land by force from the grip of the nations of the world and not as according to the Gemara mentioned above, the proper path is to turn the present reality back to what it was before.

This is different than the shitah of the rest of the charedim – including Satmar chassidim today – who are of the opinion that after the new reality has already occurred, one should operate according to Torah observance within the current reality.

The mistake of Neturei Karta in practicality is that they think that they are rescuing Jewish lives when they show the Arabs that it is only the secular Tziyonim who took the Land from them, and that is not the opinion of the religious Jews – therefore, they aren’t supposed to fight against or harm Jewish charedim.

The mistake is that the belief of the Arabs goes against this aspect of the belief of Judaism, and therefore it is not just a matter of taking the Land that will appease the Arabs permanently.

{Sorry, that last sentence was a bit convoluted. The rabbi means that due to the diametric contrast in religious belief, Muslims cannot be more than temporarily appeased by taking Land from the Jews. In other words, their religious belief system demands more than just taking Land. —MR}

May it be His Will that the Blessed Hashem will help every single Jew to come out of this Galut speedily in our days, Amen.

Rabbi Nachum

The Value of Sephardi Insight

I just want to add that I really value the knowledgeable Sephardi views on Arabs and Islam.

You still have many Sephardim who understand Arabic and are familiar with Muslim-Arabic culture in a way similar to those of us who grew up among Western non-Jewish culture.

These Sephardim pick up on nuances that others don’t and actually understand what Arabic-speakers mean when they say stuff.

And while they can be sympathetic toward Arabs and easily see them as individuals (just like we Americans relate toward our non-Jewish friends & neighbors), they are at the same time very aware of cultural values and behaviors.

What Do Ben Shapiro, Rav Avigdor Miller, and Neturei Karta Have in Common?

And with regard to Rabbi Nachum's summary of Neturei Karta’s views (which sound extreme under the Neturei Karta label, but are actually shared by many thinking frum Jews):

I’m seeing a similar dynamic among American Jews — those frum Jews who wish to disassociate themselves from the increasingly immoral views of liberal/Leftist Jews and the degenerate high mucky-mucks who are Jew in name only.

Disassociation is important both for the sake of truth and to avoid the undeserved fallout that occurs when decent frum Jews are lumped together with anti-Torah Jews.

Even the modern Orthodox Ben Shapiro disassociates himself from the widespread Jewish vote for Obama with:

“Most Jews aren’t Jewish in any real sense beyond ethnic identification.”

(Source)

Or this:

“…the Jews who vote for Obama are, by and large, Jews In Name Only (JINOs). They eat bagels and lox; they watch "Schindler's List"; they visit temple on Yom Kippur – sometimes. But they do not care about Israel. Or if they do, they care about it less than abortion, [same-gender] marriage and global warming.”

(Source)

Here’s something similar by Rav Avigdor Miller:
Rav Avigdor Miller on Neturei Karta & Dirty Laundry.

In other words:
“They don’t represent us. They don’t represent the authentic Jewish position.”

It’s also impossible to miss the implied plea not to hate or judge or condemn us (or authentic Torah Judaism) or attack us because of the “JINO” majority — an approach which shares some similarity with the Neturei Karta approach.

Also, please don’t think I’m equating Ben Shapiro with talmidei chachamim and real daas Torah. My point is that there is a logical response that any committed frum Jew could instinctively have. It’s self-protective, not extremist.

(And isn't it really bizarre to find a similarity in approach between Ben Shapiro & Neturei Karta & Rav Avigdor Miller? I had no idea I'd reach this conclusion when I started writing this post.)

Anyway, getting back to Sephardi chachamim & Tziyonut…

A Sampling of Sephardi Chachamim & Their Opinions

Here are 2 articles written by differently hashkafahed Jews:

Here’s a dati-leumi rabbi summing it up:
https://www.etzion.org.il/en/sephardic-rabbinical-approaches-zionism

And here is a Sephardi frum fellow summing it up:
https://bariveshema.blogspot.com/2006/05/sephardic-rabbis-and-zionism_04.html

This is the first time I’ve come across Bari VeShema and I’m not sure what his exact hashkafah is, but I prefer his summary of Sephardi Gedolim because it’s better-sourced.

Also, I found it difficult to research Sephardi Gadolim & Zionism because in the English-speaking Sephardi world, I think many prefer to think their Gedolim are dati-leumi, so I found the English-speaking Sephardi presentation slanted toward their own preference, which I'm not sure is completely accurate.

That's my impression. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Sincerely, I mean that.

So looking at Bari V’Shema, I was surprised to discover that Chacham Alfandari did not think that Agudas Yisrael was anti-Tziyoni enough.

Also, the Ben Ish Chai comes off as very strong in his stance.

Then there is this quote by the Baba Sali from Etzion’s Rabbi Jachter above:

“Ki Ata be-eish hitzata, u-va-eish Ata atid livnota” – with fire Yerushalayim was destroyed and with fire it will be rebuilt. He explained that just as Jerusalem was destroyed by the fire of avoda zara, it will sadly be rebuilt by avoda zara.

Very powerful.

I read this in another place and I wish I knew the source for this for sure. I love this quote and it makes sense that the Baba Sali said this, but I'm uncomfortable without solid sources for quotes.

Also, regarding the discussion that follows in the comments section of Bari V'Shema's post: I personally do not equate Zionism with the mitzvah of yishuv ha’Aretz, although many frum Jews do. (But many also do not.)

At the risk of this turning into a useless discussion of semantics, I think that equating Zionism with yishuv ha'Aretz confuses things — especially since the entire origin of the term & idea is secular & ethnocentric.

(This confusion can be seen, for example, in describing Doña Gracia Nasi as being one of the early “Zionists” because she strove to provide Jewish settlement in Tiveria, which some people do. Neither the term nor the idea even existed in the 1500s. There is a mitzvah of yishuv ha’Aretz. That’s all.)

Likewise, in the Etzion article, I’m not sure if the Sephardi chachamim were pro-Zionism per se or whether they were pro-yishuv ha’Aretz and in favor of winning battles against Jew-hating enemies.

What were the exact terms they used? I don't know. It doesn't say.

For example, Rav Ovadia Yosef was in favor of praying for Israeli soldiers. Doing so is not specifically Tziyoni. Why is davening for a fellow Jew to succeed against Jew-haters "tziyoni"?

To compare: Rav Avigdor Miller encouraged support of the IDF & Tziyonim against Jew-hating terror. He clearly says you SHOULD pray for Israeli soldiers. He was against these insane & suicidal “Land for peace” policies:

Rav Miller on Praying for the IDF (January 2001)

Rav Miller on Land for Peace (October 2000)

Yet he was clearly not “pro-Zionist.”

Rav Miller on the Sinking Boat of the Zionist State (November 1975)

In other words, Rav Miller loved all Jews and wanted what was truly best for us.

Secular Leftist anti-Torah tyrannies are not good for us.

Again, because of a tendency to equate fighting terror or settling the Land with “Zionism,” it’s not clear to me that these chachamim were “pro-Zionism.” Did they even use that specific term? Again, I do not know.

I personally do not & will not call myself a Zionist anymore than I would call myself a “Sabbathist” for keeping Shabbat or an “environmentalist” for observing the Torah prohibitions of bal tashchit and not uprooting fruit trees.

I don't refer to myself as a "monotheist" for believing in One God. Anyone can be a monotheist.

I'm a Torah-observant Jew.

I am not a Zionist. I’m a Torah observant Jew who, in addition to fulfilling other commandments in the Torah, also fulfills the commandment of yishuv ha’Aretz — to settle in Eretz Yisrael.

That’s it.

Anyway, I think this sums up everything I’ve learned so far about Sephardi Gedolim and Tziyonut.

Oh, Wait...One More Sephardi Opinion

Please see this tefillah of a huge Sephardi tzaddik for settling in Eretz Yisrael. This was in 1824 when Eretz Yisrael was under the occupation of Turkish Ottoman Empire.

A Prayer to Make Aliyah & Live in Eretz Yisrael

(The Pele Yoetz preceded Herzl & Tziyonut by decades, by the way, as did religious aliyah & settlement within Eretz Yisrael.)

The Pele Yoetz refers to aliyah as "likboa dirato ba'Eretz Yisrael — to set his residence in the Land of Israel" or "halichat Eretz Yisrael — going to Eretz Yisrael."

That's what I and millions of other Jews have done:

We went to Eretz Yisrael & we set our residence in Eretz Yisrael.

(Please see the Pele Yoetz's chapter on Eretz Yisrael in Ivrit or Eretz Yisrael in English.)

No Zionism, no political labels, no ethnic or cultural focus...just mitzvah.

A particularly heartwarming & fulfilling mitzvah.

Lake Kinneret (The Sea of Galilee)

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An Enlightening Conversation with the Great-Grandson of Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld ztz"l

19/8/2019

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Every once in a while, Hashem enables you to come full circle within certain aspects of life.

For example, the biography of Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld ztz"l, Guardian of Jerusalem, changed my life and stamped an everlasting imprint on my hashkafah.

It was that book which shined light on the shadow surrounding the stories and scenarios I’d been told as a child in the movement for Conservative (which is actually quite liberal) “Judaism.”

I never consciously sensed the lies by omission nor the distortions regarding the modern history of Eretz Yisrael.

But upon reading Guardian of Jerusalem, so much came pouring back to me and I now saw the distorted history I’d been fed—corrected and displayed in full.

The maskilim and Leftist “pioneers” portrayed as heroes—they nearly destroyed the struggling Jewish settlement under Turkish rule. It was always either the Sephardi chachamim or the Ashkenazi chachamim who came to the rescue.

Yet I was always told the opposite: The religious Jews were always the bad guys; the “enlightened” liberal anti-religious Socialists were the saviors (although the fact that they were Socialists—or even Communists, really—was swept aside in the Commie-fearing Eighties).

A Zealous Warrior...from Love

I developed tremendous love and reverence for Rav Sonnenfeld, the father of the stream now known as “charedi.” He possessed an overpowering love for every Jew and for Eretz Yisrael.

He was also a tremendous warrior against the anti-Torah ideologies—but his zeal came from love.

He was a warrior from love.

Absolutely fearless, a warrior propelled by love, and a great ohev Hashem, ohev Yisrael, and ohev Eretz Yisrael, Rav Sonnenfeld was exactly what I wanted to be.

And over 20 years later, he is still the example I embrace, even though I’m still dropping very short of his example—mostly because I can’t figure out how to get there. But as usual, I figure there’s value in the effort.

Anyway, after one of my sons first started yeshivah, he came home telling me that one of his teachers was Ashkenazi and the great-grandson of Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld.

Stunned with joy and gratitude, I could not believe the big chessed Hashem had done for me by placing the great-grandson of my role model as my son’s teacher.

The Ideal Teacher for Teenage Boys

And this great-grandson was an excellent teacher for teenage boys.

Extremely energetic, good-humored, yet highly intelligent and very much a product of his family’s hashkafah, he was also very understanding of dealing with all the challenges of being a teenage boy and a frum Jew in today’s world.

He was very open and honest with the boys about the challenges this generation faces, and he gave over his Torah approach with great passion and conviction.

My husband and I met him during a parent-teacher evening and he was very friendly.

At one point, I asked my son to do me a big favor.

Saved by the "Black Arm" of a Complete Tzaddik

I wanted an answer to a question I’d had about a certain event in the early 1920s, as recorded on pages 135-137 of Guardian of Jerusalem: The Life & Times of Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld.

At one point, Rav Sonnenfeld went way out of his way to save the life of a terrible Jew (“one of the leaders of the Zionist Labor Federation, known for his virulent anti-religious attacks”) who needed the superior treatment provided only at Shaarei Tzedek hospital and only Rav Sonnenfeld could make it happen.

To provide some background: The Beit Din of Yerushalayim had placed a ban on anyone who entered the Missionary Hospital, whether for work or for treatment, with dire results for anyone who violated this ban.

Anyway, it was assumed that the legendary Dr. Wallach of Shaarei Tzedek would refuse to admit a person who both intentionally chose treatment at the Missionary Hospital (despite the ban and the poorer medical treatment there) and was a rabid anti-Torah Leftist bent on destroying Yiddishkeit in Eretz Yisrael.

Indeed, upon being brought to Shaarei Tzedek, the Leftist and his family encountered resistance from Dr. Wallach.

Interestingly, the family asked an off-the-derech youth to approach Rav Sonnenfeld. This youth was the son of a big talmid chacham and well-known to Rav Sonnenfeld. This youth also knew that Rav Sonnenfeld was “quite upset” with this same youth for leaving Torah and befriending this anti-Torah Leftist.

Nonetheless, this youth approached Rav Sonnenfeld at home, where Rav Sonnenfeld still received this youth with warmth.

Upon hearing of the urgent situation, the rav braved a severe thunderstorm to rush to Shaarei Tzedek, where Rav Sonnenfeld insisted that halacha demanded the admission of this dangerously ill traitor (but promised to discuss the matter with Dr. Wallach later).

Two weeks later, the anti-Torah Leftist experienced a miraculous recovery, then continued his nefarious activities.

Knowing how much the Leftist disliked Rav Sonnenfeld, none of the Leftist's associates informed him of Rav Sonnenfeld’s life-saving intervention & mesirut nefesh.

By the way, this also shows the mentality of such people. Why not tell the Leftist leader? Why not tell this rabid hater that one of the Gadolei Hador saved his life? Maybe it would soften him up a bit. At least, it might stop him from attacking the tzaddikim. Maybe he’d more willingly to hear Rav Sonnenfeld’s side and compromise a bit.

But those who knew davka decided to be careful not to tell him. So once again, we see that Leftists don’t really pursue peace; they have other agendas.

Anyway, a year later, this same Leftist delivered a keynote speech at a groundbreaking ceremony for a new settlement in the North. When he reached the climax of his speech, this Leftist gave a frenzied shout:

“We will build this land by waging a fight to the death against the black arm of Rabbi Sonnenfeld and his cronies!”

(page 137)

Sitting in the audience was the same youth who’d interceded on the Leftist’s behalf.

This statement spurred the youth to jump to his feet and shout his protest against such slander.

At the invitation of the shocked Leftist, the youth took over the podium and explained to all assembled “exactly how the ‘black arm’ of R’ Chaim Sonnenfeld had interceded to save the life of one who had vowed to destroy him.”

That should make you eat your words, shouldn’t it?

Ba'asher Hu Sham?

Anyway, I was confused because this Leftist set himself on the warpath to destroy Torah Judaism in Eretz Yisrael.

So I didn’t get why Rav Sonnenfeld helped this terrible traitor so much.

Yes, the book clearly quotes Rav Sonnenfeld’s view that the situation was pikuach nefesh to save a Jewish life. But the halacha isn’t so clear-cut for someone willing to die fighting tzaddikim and shredding Torah Judaism to bits.

And before anybody gets lovey-dovey about it, please know that these anti-religious Leftists were killers—sometimes directly and sometimes indirectly—in addition to destroying the Am in a spiritual sense.

In fact, these same anti-Torah Leftists later programmed terrible suffering among the religious community of Yerushalayim, causing hundreds of Jews to starve to death.

So my son very kindly agreed to ask the great-grandson on my behalf. Why on earth did Rav Sonnenfeld do such a thing?

The great-grandson knew exactly to which story my son referred and pondered the question for a moment.

Then he said, “I don’t know exactly why he [Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld] did it. It could be that at the time, it wasn’t known that the other guy [the anti-Torah sickie] was so bad.”

That could be.

While at the time, the man was a known anti-Torah Leftist leader, it could be that it was only later that the man openly stated his rabid extremism, such as being willing die fighting one of the biggest tzaddikim of that generation.

But please note what the great-grandson did NOT say:

He did not say, “Nebbuch, the anti-religious hack was tinok sheh nishba, of course!”

He did not say, “Ahavas Yisrael, you know.”

He did not say, “Why, alter Zeidy loved EVERYBODY — of course he made every effort to save this hate-filled destroyer of Yiddishkeit!”

Nope. He didn’t say any of the expected feel-good stuff.

Instead, he said he wasn’t sure why his holy great-grandfather went to so much trouble to help this terrible person, then surmised that it wasn’t yet known exactly how bad the terrible person actually was.

This sort of fits in with Judaism’s precept of Hashem judging a person ba’asher hu sham—in the place where he is (i.e., in his present state), which is one reason given for Hashem’s Compassion upon Yishmael dying of thirst in the desert (Beresheit 21:17 with Rashi).

Yishmael would eventually produce a nation of terrorists (along with some very nice people too). But at that moment, he was a 16-year-old boy abandoned by a mother who couldn’t overcome her own pain to comfort him in his suffering.

(For more on that incident, please also see Salvation is Hashem and scroll down one-third.)

Who Listens to a Rabid Dog Frothing at the Mouth? And WHY?

I’d like to make one final point.

(And I'm not going to answer the question posed in the above sub-heading, but leave it to you instead.)

It seems to me that Rav Sonnenfeld’s tzidkut was widely known at that time.

Rav Sonnenfeld not only performed tremendous chessed in official capacity, but also as a neighbor and regular passer-by.

Rav Sonnenfeld was well-known for his generous tzedakah activities. He was also incredibly humble and a tremendous baal chessed—all in addition to his scholarly brilliance.

How is it that the secular Leftists possessed such intense hatred toward Rav Sonnenfeld?

Why were they so blind to the rav’s sterling qualities?

Furthermore, based on the above story and many others like it, then rav was clearly approachable. People just came to his house or joined him on his walks to davening.

Why didn't his opponents approach him themselves? They could have.

So what was going on here?

Why did they describe Rav Sonnenfeld as having a “black arm”? Why were they willing to “wage war” against him and even fight him “to the death”?

What was so terrifyingly awful about this wise, loving, compassionate, and generous tzaddik?

It seems to me the only reason was that these anti-Torah Leftists were rabidly insane.

What else explains their all-consuming hatred? Why else were they willing to starve impoverished charedi children in Yerushalayim and elsewhere?

Yet people followed them! People listened to what they had to say!

How could they?

Yet if you look around, it seems we have the same problem today.

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What's the Deal with Neturei Karta?

18/8/2019

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At one point in our marriage, we lived in Geula (near Meah Shearim) for around 2 years (and I worked there too), so I met many different types of frum Jews whom I'd only read about until then.

And I met some wonderful women (including the warm & encouraging mikveh ladies) who seemed like they might be Neturei Karta (they had shaved heads, long black tichels, and black dresses), but I wasn't sure because I'm not always sure how to differentiate between Neturei Karta and other super-frum insulated groups.

And just for knowing: Neturei Karta is a specific group within that Meah Shearim-Geula community of wonderfully traditional & insulated Yidden. In other words, not everyone from there is Neturei Karta. (Neturei Karta has also spread out to other cities too.)

But I don't recall meeting any of the men. (Or if I did, I didn't know it.) So despite living & working right there, I actually know surprisingly little about Neturei Karta, other than what appears on the (deplorably biased) news or other tidbits here and there.

It also seems that other frum people don't know much about them either. There tends to be a lot of contradictory back-and-forth among frum people regarding Neturei Karta.

So imagine how pleased I was to run across a 2-minute 45-second video from Rav Zamir Cohen, which discusses Neturei Karta and who they really are. If you understand Hebrew, it's HERE.

(Note: A couple of females appear briefly in an ad — which you can skip — preceding the video. They're tsniusly dressed, but some people are shomer aynayim l'mehadrin — and more power to them. So the MP3 audio is on the lower right-hand side of the video screen for those who just want to listen, can't skip the ad, or whatever.)

What Rav Zamir Cohen Says about Neturei Karta

Anyway, a member of the audience asks Rav Zamir what's the deal with Neturei Karta, who appear to engage in behaviors that are offensive at best and deplorably forbidden at worst.

So Rav Zamir first acknowledges that when people claiming to be & dressing like Neturei Karta are photographed with the PLO and other particularly genocidal sonei Yisrael, this raises legitimate concerns.

Thus, Rav Zamir starts by explaining the Aramaic term Neturei Karta:
Neturei: Guardians of the
Karta: City

He then explains that the authentic original Neturei Karta group believes that (0:47):

"...because the State educates the children of Israel on a path against the Torah; the laws of the State do not go according to the Torah — so they [Neturei Karta] say: 'We do not wish to participate in elections, we don't want to be partners in this whole enterprise. We'll manage our schools without the funding of the State."

Even though it costs a lot of money to run schools on their own, they still refuse to accept any government funding. Why?

" 'Because we don't want to be partners with a government that educates the Nation not according to the Torah'."

(1:09)

Rav Zamir adds,

"That, in essence, is Neturei Karta."

He goes on to explain that within this group is a splinter group of whom "there are those who say seven families, there are some who say twelve families — but according to all opinions, no more than twelve families" who have even more extreme opinions. "But there, they've completely lost themselves," says Rav Zamir.

(I had no idea about any of that.)

In Neturei Karta's newspaper (I didn't know they had one), Neturei Karta states regarding this splinter group:

"They do not represent us and obviously their attitude is warped, and they bring upon all of us a bad name."

Rav Zamir then states his opinion that all those who meet with the leader of Iran, terrorists, the PLO, and who are photographed with the Philistinian flag are "completely corrupt" and "apparently in need of hospitalization."

When someone has reached the point where they associate with such enmity, Rav Zamir declares:

"Not only do they not represent the Torah, they don't even represent the Torah extremists."

Then Rav Zamir cautions against making assumptions about people you see dressed like the nutters supporting sonei Yisrael. They look the same as the authentic Neturei Karta and they call themselves Neturei Karta, but they are not.

This actually echoes what many frum Jews, regardless of our group association, deal with: We're always forced to defend ourselves against the actions (or misreported actions) of a disturbed few, protesting that "they don't represent us" or "they're a tiny minority; most of us aren't like that at all" or "the media got it wrong (again)," etc.

Again, Rav Zamir clarifies (2:15):

"Even the extreme Neturei Karta, their war is in that they claim that the State educates and legislates laws against the Torah — 'We don't want anything from them, we don't want to participate in elections, we don't want to influence, we don't want to take even one cent from them. But not, God forbid, to befriend enemies of Israel. We are all Jews; we are all brothers'."

This little clip contained a lot of new information for me, so I thought I'd share it because I suspect that I'm not the only one who didn't know all this.

It's not about whether you agree with the actual Neturei Karta or not.

It's just knowing the truth about your fellow Jews and not being a victim of the distortions of media or impostors.

A courtyard in Meah Shearim

Kashering utensils in Meah Shearim (although the guy in the forefront isn't Neturei Karta, but looks Breslov to me)

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And the Winner is...

HANG ON TO YOUR EMUNA

The Hidden Truth: How Eliezer Ben-Yehudah Nearly Caused the Mass Expulsion of the Entire Jewish Population under the Ottoman Empire, & Who were Ultimately Saved by the Wise Intervention of the Sephardi Sage Rav Yaakov Shaul Elyashar & the Ashkenazi Sage Rav Shmuel Salant

​Saved by the "Black Arm" of a Complete Tzaddik

Big Government Agendas Cause Big Problems

Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld Makes True Peace with Jordan - WITHOUT Any Dangerous or Disruptive Concessions

The Love of a Tzaddik for Eretz Yisrael is Greater than Anyone Else's

The Reality of Torah-Loving Jews who Invested in the Mitzvah of Yishuv Ha'Aretz vs. The Reality of the Torah-Hating Jews who Called Themselves "Zionists": Compare & Contrast

From Whence Came Such Wellsprings of Hate toward Such a Paragon of Love?

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What Happened to the Israeli Superwoman All of the Sudden?

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Ashkenazi Gedolim & Sephardi Gedolim Face Very Different Audiences

An Enlightening Q&A with Hidabroot

The Value of Sephardi Insight

What Do Ben Shapiro, Rav Avigdor Miller, and Neturei Karta Have in Common?

A Sampling of Sephardi Chachamim & Their Opinions

Oh, Wait...One More Sephardi Opinion

A Zealous Warrior...from Love

The Ideal Teacher for Teenage Boys

Saved by the "Black Arm" of a Complete Tzaddik

Ba'asher Hu Sham?

Who Listens to a Rabid Dog Frothing at the Mouth? And WHY?

What Rav Zamir Cohen Says about Neturei Karta

Myrtle Rising

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