WHEN G-D DEMANDS CRUELTY 1989

 

Kahane on the Parsha

Parshat Va'Etchanan

WHEN G-D DEMANDS CRUELT-Y

"And you shall love the L-rd, your G-d, with all your heart" (Deuteronomy 6:5). Why does the Torah use the word "l'vavcha," which implies plural hearts, rather than "libcha," which clearly means one heart? The Mishnah (Berachot 9:5) answers: "You should serve G-d with BOTH your inclinations- the good inclination and the evil inclination." Rabbeinu Yona in his commentary on the Talmud explains this as follows: "When a man does not have mercy on the wicked and is cruel to them, he performs a great mitzvah and worships G-d with the evil inclination."

The foundation of foundations of Judaism is ol malchoot shamayim, the acceptance of the yoke of heaven. A mitzvah is EXACTLY that. A COMMANDMENT. Not an approved thing; not a thing that was mulled over, considered, and then agreed to, but a commandment from the Almighty. Do! Don't! Regardless of your approval or disapproval. To smash the ego and harness it and limit it and bend it to the will of G-d.

That is, of course, the exact opposite of what I call "Saulism," after the first king of Israel, Saul. Concerning the words in I Samuel 15:5 "Va'yarev ba'nachal," the Rabbis (in Yoma 22b) explain that Saul "struggled," i.e., he struggled with himself over the commandment to wipe out Amalek, saying, "If the men sinned, why the women? If the women, why the children? If the children, why the animals?" And a voice from heaven called forth, "Do not be overly righteous."

Saulism. The inability to accept the standards of mercy and cruelty that G-d has laid down. AS G-D HAS LAID THEM DOWN. The inability to accept the yoke of heaven because of personal views and concepts that are at odds with the Torah.

That Centrist Orthodoxy is the heir of Saulism is beyond dispute. Let it never be forgotten that Saul, according to tradition, was a great scholar, av bet din of the Sanhedrin. This did not prevent him from sadly falling into the sin of following his own views and concepts and ideas concerning morality and ethics. He defied the L-rd, refused to bend to the yoke of heaven, because his heart and mind were shaped by other views and he could not accept what he considered to be the immoral and unethical command of G-d. That is the original sin of Centrist Orthodoxy, too. And as one pours over the myriad of sources that clearly show Judaism's commitment to the hatred and wiping out of evil, one is appalled at reading an article by Rabbi Emanuel Rackman, an eloquent spokesperson for Centrist Orthodoxy, as he tells Jews:

"I know how hard it is for Jews to be self-disciplined and suffer the intifada until the Arabs learn that it will gain them nothing. Many a time, I, too, am tempted to say that perhaps only Rabbi Kahane's way is the road we will have to take. He can base his militancy on Biblical texts. But it is not the truly Jewish way. It is the way of bringing G-d down to the level of man. Our goal must be to bring man up to G-d's level. We MUST continue to be patient, obedient to law and even forgiving. It is a slow road but the only G-dly one."

Few statements in my recent memory are more deliberately fraudulent and hypocritical. It is precisely the Saulists of our time, as so keenly represented by Rackman and Centrist Orthodoxy, that bring G-d down to man's level because they pervert Torah and create it in their image. They, the ones who have been so sadly perverted by worship and adulation of the secular, non-Jewish, gentilized college and university courses they embraced, find it spiritually impossible to accept Torah values that are at such odds with what they call humanism. It is THEY who drag Torah and G-d down to THEIR level, and it is precisely those Jews who accept the Torah commandments without hesitation and queasiness of soul and intellect who raise themselves to His level.

Centrist Orthodoxy, the continuation of Saulism, is the greatest ultimate danger to Torah verities and purity. And as it becomes ever clearer that they are a retreating camp with less and less of a future, they will become more desperate in their attacks on authentic Judaism (which they call "ultra-Orthodoxy") and more radical in their accommodations with right-wing Conservatism, with whom they have more in common than they care to admit.

Written in The Jewish Press 1989

 

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THIS IS JUDAISM, AND STOP APOLOGIZING!

Kahane on the Parsha

Rav Binyamin Ze’ev Kahane

Parsahat Devarim

This Is Judaism, And Stop Apologizing!

By western standards, the book of “Devarim” would have to be defined as an ultra-nationalistic doctrine. Its concepts are the very opposite of liberal western concepts. Its laws are illegal by western standards. The book is based on conquest. Stressed over and over again is the uncompromising commandment to conquer the land of “Canaan” from the gentile nations who have lived there for thousands of years, and to change the name to “Eretz Yisrael”.

If this isn't enough, we are even commanded to disinherit (to expel), and if necessary to annihilate the inhabitants of the land. This is an inseparable component of the positive commandment of “settling the land”.

The Book of “Devarim” also centers around the choosiness of the Jewish Nation. The concept appears most prominently in Parsahat Vaetchanan (7: 6-8), in Parshat Eikev (10:15), Parshat Re'eh (14:1-2) and almost all other parshiot of the book. This “ultra-nationalism” continues right on through to the book of Joshua and beyond.

Judaism is not a Supermarket!

We want to now delve into the “morality” of all this. We do not do so in order to make the Torah more palatable for all the non-believers and Hellenists around who simply reject the book of “Devarim” as they do the rest of the Torah, considering it primitive and racist. Rather we direct our words to G-d fearing Jews who understand that the Jewish Nation is dependent on the Torah, want to fulfill it, and ask all the same: These are the enlightened traditional Jewish ethics and values that everyone speaks about? This is the Jewish morality we so often hear about: Conquering, expelling, chosen people?

The answer is yes. What can one do when the “traditional Jewish values” that so many Jews speak of simply do not exist! Do not exist? There is no such thing as traditional Jewish ethics and values? Of course there is! But they are something entirely different. At the core of Jewish ethics and morality setting in apart from the ethics of mortal man is the concept of the acceptance of the yoke of heaven. That is, we DO NOT pick and choose the “merchandise”. First and foremost, we accept upon ourselves the values of Hashem WITHOUT ASKING QUESTIONS. Only then do we “check the goods”. While it is true that in the world of business one does not buy until he examines the product, the mitzvot and concepts of Hashem are not a business negotiation. They must be accepted unconditionally. Thus it is written, “It is better than all other goods” - for it is a product that one does not “check” before “buying”.

Book of National Policy

The Book of “Devarim” is the national policy guideline for the Jewish Nation. It is the morality that G-d conveys to us on subjects connected to Israeli nationalism. If someone wants to call it “ultra-nationalism”, so be it, for it is true Jewish ethics. It is not a system of values that is subject to change according to the whims of one generation or another as another passing fad, but rather it is an eternal morality that we, our fathers and our forefathers clinged to for thousands of years. This value system withstood all the passing tides of the past thousands of years, while modern western culture which evolved during the last one hundred (100) years will melt away as did its “enlightened” predecessors: Greek, Rome, Assyria, Babylon, east and west, of one generation or another...

No Guilt!

Precisely today when the sabotaging of all Jewish concepts are intensifying; at a time when the so-called “national” camp is non-existent, it is an obligation to read the parshiot in the Book of “Devarim”, and in particular “Ekev”, to strengthen our “emunah” in these authentic Jewish concepts. We must do so in order that we, the spiritual right side of the spectrum, can speak our piece clearly, unequivocally, and without guilt: The Almighty is stronger than all the nations, and if we believe in Him and fulfill His difficult “immoral” mitzvot, so to speak, we shall overcome our enemies (both political and cultural), and re-establish the Torah Republic that we have dreamed of for 2,000 years!

Shabbat Shalom-Chodesh tov

Barbara

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DRIVE THEM OUT! 1981

Kahane on the Parsha

Mas’ay

DRIVE THEM OUT!

(Rabbi Meir Kahane, may G-d avenge his blood, had the ONLY answer to exist in safety in our land.  Thousands of Jews were killed, because we didn’t do what had to be done. bg)

The Torah states clearly:  “And you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you . . .  but if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those whom you allow to remain will be like thorns in your eyes and thistles in your sides and will torment you in the land in which you dwell” (Numbers 33.52.55).

The Biblical commentators are explicit  “And you shall drive out the inhabitants and then you shall inherit it and be able to exist in it.  And if you do not, you will not be able to exist in it” 

(Rashi).

“When you shall eliminate the inhabitants of the land, then you shall be privileged to inherit the land and pass it down to your children  But if you do not eliminate them, even though you will conquer the land, you will not be privileged to hand it down to your children” (Sforno).

“This verse refers to nations  other than the seven nations found there . . .  Not only will they hold that part of the land that you did not conquer, but even concerning that part which you did conquer and settle in, they will distress you and say, ‘Rise and get out’” (Ohr HaChaim).

And so the Midrash tells us: “Joshua sent three messages to the inhabitants [of Canaan].  He who wishes to evacuate – let him evacuate; he who wishes to make peace – let him make peace, he who wishes to make war – let him make war” (Vayikra Rabba 17.6).

The choices are given.  Either leave, or prepare for war, or make peace.  The choice of “making peace” is explained by Rabbis as involving three things.  To begin with, the non-Jew must agree to adopt the seven basic Noahide Laws, which include the prohibitions against idolatry, blasphemy, immorality, bloodshed, robbery, eating flesh cut from a living animal, and a positive action – adherence to social laws. Once he has done this, he has the status of a resident stranger (ger toshav) who is allowed to live in Eretz Yisrael (Avoda Zara 64b) if he also accepts the conditions of tribute and servitude.

The Biblical commentator, the Radak, explains (in his commentary to Joshua 9:7):  “If they uproot idolatry and accept the seven Noahide laws, they must also pay tribute and serve Israel and be subject under them as it is written (Deuteronomy 20:11, ‘All the people . . . shall be tributaries to you and shall serve you.’”

Maimonides (Hilchot Melachim 6:11) declares: “If they make peace and accept the seven Noahide laws, we do not kill them for they are tributary.  If they agreed to pay tribute but did not accept servitude or accepted servitude but not tribute, we do not acquiesce until they have accepted both.  And servitude means that they shall be humble and low and not raise their head in Israel.  Rather, they shall be subjects under us and not be appointed to any position over Jews ever.”

Far better than foolish humans did the Almighty understand the dangers inherent in allowing a people that believes the land belongs to it free and unfettered residence, let alone ownership, proprietorship, citizenship.  What more natural thing than to ask to regain what it rightly believes to be its own land?  And this over and above the need to create a unique and distinctly separate Torah culture that will shape the Jewish people into a holy nation.  That uniqueness can only be guaranteed by the non-Jew having no sovereignty, ownership, or citizenship that could allow him to shape the state’s destiny and character.

And so, concerning any non-Jew, Maimonides writes: “‘You shall not place over yourself a stranger who is not of your brethren’ (Deuteronomy 17:15).  Not only a king, but the prohibition is for any authority in Israel.  Not an officer in the armed forces. . .not even a public official in charge of the distribution of water to the fields .  And there is no need to mention that a judge or chieftain shall only be from the people of Israel. . .  Any authority that you appoint shall only be from the midst of your people” (Hilchot Melachim 1:4). 

The purpose is clear.  The non-Jew has no share in the land.  He has no ownership, citizenship or destiny in it.  The non-Jew who wishes to live in Israel must accept basic human obligations.  Then he may live in Israel as a resident stranger, but never as a citizen with any proprietary interest in the land or with any political say; never as one who can hold any public office which will give him domination over a Jew or a share in the authority of the country.  Accepting these conditions, he admits that the land is not his and therefore he may live in Israel quietly, separately, observing his own private life, with all religious, economic social and cultural rights.  Refusing this, he cannot remain.

This is Torah. This is Jewishness.  Not the dishonest pseudo-“Judaism” chanted by liberal secularists who pick and choose that “Judaism” that finds favor in their eyes and who reject that which their own gentilized concepts find unacceptable

Written:  The Jewish Press 1981

Shabbat Shalom

Barbara

Kahane on the Parsha can be purchased at Amazon.com

Anyone reading this Rabbi Meir Kahane or Rabbi Binyamin Kahane  article and is not on my personal list to receive the weekly articles and would like to be, please contact me at:

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VENGEANCE

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Kahane on the Parsha

Parsha Pinchas

VENGEANCE

The desecration of the name of the L-rd is the very cardinal of sins. It strikes at the very existence and reality of the G-d of Israel. It is intolerable that it be allowed, and impossible that it not be erased.

When Pinchas beheld the open Chillul Hashem that took place at Shittim, he burned with zealousness over the desecration of G-d’s Name. And he looked about to see who, burning with similar indignation, would leap to put a stop to it. At that moment, Pinchas said: “Is there no man here who will kill Zimri?...When he saw that all were silent, he arose himself from the Sanhedrin and killed Zimri” (Sifri, Balak 131).

Note: Pinchas was in the midst of Moses and all the elders of Israel. He waited for them to act, and they did not. And so he, not one of the elders, leaped to end the desecration and put a stop to the plague that was raging in the camp through G-d’s wrath. And so, “Pinchas the son of Elazar saw…” (Numbers 25:7). The Tanna Shmuel said, “He saw [and remembered] the verse in Proverbs (21:30): “There is neither wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the L-rd.’ Any time that there exists Chillul Hashem, we do not give respect to the scholar” (Sanhedrin 82a). And Rashi explains, “Therefore, Pinchas did not wait to receive permission from Moses [who hesitated and was subsequently punished as a result, as stated in the Tanchuma] but acted on his own lest the elders, out of fear, not act according to the Law.” And he killed the head of a tribe.

And when the angels sought to punish him for acting as he did, and without permission, the Almighty said, “Leave him alone. He is a zealot, the son of zealots; he turned away My wrath and is the son of those who turned away My wrath” [i.e., he comes from the tribe of Levi who turned away G-d’s wrath from Israel by killing those who had bowed down to the Golden Calf] (Ibid. 82b).

This was the response that the Almighty demanded from the people of Israel, from the leaders of Israel, from SOMEONE in Israel. And because Pinchas acted, of him is it said, “Who caused the Holy One Blessed Be He to turn away His wrath and not destroy all Israel? Pinchas” (Tanchuma, Balak 21).
And thus speaks the Law: “Pinchas, the son of Elazar, the son of Aaron the Priest, turned away My wrath from the Children of Israel when he was zealous for My zealousness in their midst, so I did not consume Israel in My zealousness” (Numbers 25:11).

And thus says the Ibn Ezra: “For he was zealous just as his Maker, of whom it is said: ‘A G-d of jealousy’ (Exodus 20:5). And had he not acted with zealousness, I, G-d, would have destroyed all of Israel.”

And the Sforno: “He took My revenge before the eyes of all Israel, so that they were forgiven for not acting to protest the sinners.”

And the Ramban: “He was worthy of great honor, for he killed a chief of Israel and the daughter of a gentile king and feared not, because he was zealous for his G-d.”

And Rashi: “’When he was zealous for My zealousness.’ Meaning: when he avenged My vengeance, when he was angry for the wrath that I would have shown. Every expression ‘zealous’ means one who is anxious to avenge something.”

Vengeance is the inability to abide the act of abomination and injustice. It is the need to erase from the land the free perpetration of an act of evil, done without punishment. It is the need to show that in the world of the Almighty one who pollutes and defiles the world by an act contrary to its precepts will be punished.

Shabbat Shalom

“Kahane on the Parsha” can be bought at the following  links on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Kahane-Parsha-Meir/dp/098867680X , it's also available on website, www.BrennBooks.com

Anyone reading this Rabbi Meir Kahane or Rabbi Binyamin Kahane  article and is not on my personal list to receive the weekly articles and would like to be, please contact me at:

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Barbara Sandra Ginsberg

Otzma Yehudit for Anglos