FOR WHAT SIN SHOULD WE REPENT?
In these days when Jewish blood
is spilled like water, there exists a most confounding attitude nurtured
perhaps by our growing sense of frustration and helplessness. In reaction to
our worsening security situation, many say that the only solution is for us to
do teshuva. What do they mean by this? That we must be more stringent in the
laws of modesty, lashon hara, and the like.
To what can we liken the
situation? To a group of people who go on a journey of several days in the
desert. A few hours go by, and people begin to faint. Why? There is no water.
They simply didn't bring water. Problem.
So they sit themselves down and
ponder: Why are we suffering so? Why are we fainting? And they arrive at a
conclusion: Our deeds are tarnished. And, indeed, they are right. Along the way
they had spoken lashon hara, were not completely stringent in all the rigors of
modesty, and slackened in intensity during prayer. So, they decide to do
teshuva for these sins.
How would we characterize their
response? Is it logical? Of course not. First of all, they should have realized
that the source of their problem was their failure to bring water. That was
their real sin. Next, they should have obtained water as soon as possible for
they were in the desert and members of the group were liable to start dying.
Only those not searching for water should have started thinking about
repentance, asking G-d to forgive the group for the sin of putting themselves
in danger by criminally neglecting to bring water, along with any other sin
they may have committed. They should have taken upon themselves to mend their
ways in the hope that G-d would answer their prayers, accept their penitence,
and quickly assist those who were busy obtaining water for the group to
survive.
But all this only after the group
starts searching for water! If no one searches for water, the rest is
meaningless!
And now for the moral of the
story: When Arabs kill Jews, we must understand that the source of the problem
and root of the sin is the fact that when there was enough time to deal with
the Arab time bomb, we sat by indifferently, talked about coexistence, and gave
them guns. This is not only a sin according to logic, it is a sin according to
the Torah which clearly states, "And you shall drive out the inhabitants
of the land from before you...But if you do not drive out the inhabitants, then
those whom you allow to remain will...torment you in the land in which you
dwell" (Numbers 33:52-55).
All those who arrive at this
understanding must then begin to act at this late stage-- after years of Jews
being murdered-- and explain that he who refuses to carry out the above
commandment out of fear of the nations has the blood of innocent Jews on his
hands. Only after does it become possible and necessary to immerse in
soul-searching regarding Shabbat observance, modesty, and lashon hara.
In truth, the parable does not
perfectly match our situation in Israel. For in the parable, the sin was
limited to not bringing water and thereby placing lives in peril. Our sin of
not expelling the Arabs, however, not only places Jewish lives in peril but
stems from lack of faith in G-d and fear of the nations.
We are speaking of a sin far more
serious than the desecration of Shabbat. We are speaking of the most
fundamental of sins. G-d gave us the land through great miracles, demonstrating
His wondrous power on our behalf, and yet after all His help we basically
turned to Him and said, "Excuse us, but we'll do just fine without Your
miracles because we are of the opinion that the nations are stronger than You
are. Goodbye, drop by another time."
Can there be a greater slap in
the divine face than this???!!!
Darka Shel Torah, 2000
Rabbi Binyamin Kahane HY"D
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