Friday 21 August 2009

Torat HaRav Aviner: The State of Israel & rebelling against the nations

The State of Israel & rebelling against the nations


20
Aug
2009

Q: How was it possible to establish the State of Israel when the Gemara (Ketubot 111a) says that it is forbidden to rebel against the nations of the world?
A: While the Gemara in Ketubot does mention the prohibition of rebelling against the nations of the world, it is not found in the law codes – not in the Rambam or the Shulchan Aruch. There are two possibilities why this is so: 1. It is a dispute and we did not hold this way (Our Rabbi, Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah, Le-Netivot Yisrael, vol. 2, p. 217). 2. This is not a legal (halachic) issue but a homilectic (aggadic issue) (see Shut Avnei Nezer, Yoreh Deah #454 and Ha-Rav Menachem Kasher's "Ha-Tekufah Ha-Gedolah," p. 187).
There is a commentary to the Rambam's Sefer Ha-Mitzvot called "Megillat Ester" by Ha-Rav Yitzchak Leon and he did in fact write that it is forbidden to conquer Eretz Yisrael since it is it is forbidden to rebel against the nations of the world. He argued with the Ramban who said that it is a mitzvah to conquer the Land of Israel throughout all generations (Additions to the Sefer Ha-Mitzvot, positive mitzvah #4). It is thus a dispute between the Ramban and the author of "Megillat Ester." According to the general rules of deciding Halachah, we must follow one of them. The Ramban is well-known to all and there are many of his rulings in the Shulchan Aruch, while there is not even one law from the "Megillat Esther." Furthermore, the Rambam did not cite the Gemara that it is forbidden to rebel against the nations of the world.
Ha-Rav Meir Simchah – the Or Sameach – wrote in a letter of support for "Keren Ha-Yesod" ("The Foundation Fund" established to raise money and invest in the Jewish Homeland) that even according to one who claims that there is a prohibition to rebel against the nations of the world, we did not rebel or take the Land by force since the British gave us the Land. And after the British gave us the Land, the Arabs attacked us. We did not rebel against them, they came and attacked us. By permission of the nations of the world in the Balfour Declaration, San Remo and the UN vote, the prohibition fell even according to those who claim that such a prohibition existed.
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Torat HaRav Aviner: The State of Israel & rebelling against the nations

RubinReports: Stop the Presses: Blood Libel Goes Mainstream: Swedish Newspaper Proves Antisemitism Is Anti-Zionism Is Now Acceptable

Stop the Presses: Blood Libel Goes Mainstream: Swedish Newspaper Proves Antisemitism Is Anti-Zionism Is Now Acceptab

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By Barry Rubin

Update (August 20):
What is provoking outrage in Sweden is not the article itself but the statement of Sweden's ambassador in Israel who expressed a partial apology, while defending free speech in Sweden. Where were all these people during the Danish cartoon controversy when Sweden's government went far out of its way to grovel and even try to repress those who published the cartoons?

Meanwhile, Jan Helin, editor of the newspaper that published the article accusing the Israeli army of murdering Palestinians to steal their organ defended it as an opinion piece and accused critics of using antisemitism as an excuse:

"It's deeply unpleasant and sad to see such a strong propaganda machine using centuries-old anti-Semitic images in an apparent attempt to get an obviously topical issue off the table."

The strong propaganda machine he should have had in mind was that of the Palestinians who use old antisemitic images to get off the table such topical issues as their intransigence and terrorism. Editors are not supposed to like being duped by false information.

But instead Helin reserves his wrath for those objecting to the Swedish media's endless defamation of Israel. They are the ones, he says, trying to hide something? Like what: murdering Palestinians to steal their body parts?

Let's remember this article was written by a known anti-Israel activist for an editor who is an anti-Israel activist accusing Jews of the modern-day equivalent of ritual murder without any evidence. The editor also misstates that point. If he thinks that the arrest of a Jew in New York for criminal activity automatically suggests that the state of Israel is involved officially in murder, he's acting out a pretty good example of classical antisemitism right there.
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RubinReports: Stop the Presses: Blood Libel Goes Mainstream: Swedish Newspaper Proves Antisemitism Is Anti-Zionism Is Now Acceptable

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Bret Stephens: North Korea and Iran Are Practicing Extortion - WSJ.com

Bret Stephens: North Korea and Iran Are Practicing Extortion - WSJ.com

Solomonia: How Do You Print a Book About a Cartoon Without Showing the Cartoon?

Solomonia: How Do You Print a Book About a Cartoon Without Showing the Cartoon?

Yale Press Bans Images of Muhammad in New Book by Jytte Klausen - NYTimes.com

Yale Press Bans Images of Muhammad in New Book by Jytte Klausen - NYTimes.com

Solomonia: Ben-Dror Yemini: Crime Against Humanity (The HRW/Joe Stork Follow-Up)

Solomonia: Ben-Dror Yemini: Crime Against Humanity (The HRW/Joe Stork Follow-Up)

JPost.com | BlogCentral | Double Standard Watch | Targeted killings - OK for US but not for Israel

JPost.com BlogCentral Double Standard Watch Targeted killings - OK for US but not for Israel

Israel Matzav: Distorted values

Israel Matzav: Distorted values

Israel Matzav: Should the schmuck have said Shana Tova?

Israel Matzav: Should the schmuck have said Shana Tova?

Israel Matzav: Israeli cabinet shakeup coming?

[Real+Americans+defend+Israel.jpg]


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Israel Matzav: Israeli cabinet shakeup coming?

Israel Matzav: Tone deafness

Tone deafness

Tevi Troy reviews President Obumbler's conference call with 1000 American rabbis, at which he urged them to get political in their High Holiday sermons, and then comes up with this description of Obama's relationship with the Jewish community.

Overall, the mistakes here are minor. But these missteps indicate a continuing tone-deafness in the White House’s political dealings with the Jewish community. This extends to a variety of issues, including the settlement freeze in Israel, the aborted nomination of Israel critic Charles Freeman to chair the National Intelligence Council, and the Mary Robinson medal. The powers that be in the White House may feel that, since they won 80 percent of the Jewish vote in the last election, the Jewish vote is unshakably Democratic. Perhaps so. Nevertheless, it seems as if the Obama administration is going to try very hard to test this proposition.

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Israel Matzav: Tone deafness

Israel Matzav: Awesome: 'Our friends the Saudis' to build nuke plant

Awesome: 'Our friends the Saudis' to build nuke plant

Just what we needed: 'Our friends the Saudis' have decided to go nuclear.

The Saudi newspaper Al-Watan reported on Thursday that the Saudi minister of water and electricity, Abdullah al-Hosain, said the kingdom was working on plans for its first nuclear power plant. The US inked civil nuclear power deals with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates last year.

Israel had no official response to the Saudi minister's announcement.

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Israel Matzav: Awesome: 'Our friends the Saudis' to build nuke plant

Esser Agaroth: Battling The Erev Rav Mentality,...Again

Esser Agaroth: Battling The Erev Rav Mentality,...Again

Parshat Shoftim: To Be an Officer

Parshat Shoftim: To Be an Officer
t the start of this week’s parshah, the Torah informs us of the rules and regulations involved in setting up a proper judicial system. The first verse of the portion writes: “Judges and officers shall you appoint in all your cities…” [Deuteronomy: 16:18] Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaqi, 1040 - 1105, famed as the author of the first comprehensive commentary on the Torah) distinguishes between “Judges” and “Officers“. “Judges” are the ones who perform the proper judgements and decide the various outcomes in court. “Officers” are the ones who enforce the law (even if physical force is necessary), ensuring that the guilty litigant fulfills the judgement that has been declared upon him.

The rest of the parshah deals with a lot of different laws and cases, which seem to fit in with the appointing of judges and how they are to rule in different cases. But the parshah barely returns to the duty of the officers. Only near the end of the parshah do we again read about the officers, but in a seemingly strange way. The Torah tells us the following:

“When you go out to the battle against your enemy…you shall not fear them, for Hashem your God is with you…let your heart not be faint, don’t be afraid, do not panic…Then the officers shall speak to the people saying ‘…Who is the man who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house…’ ” [Deuteronomy: 20: 1 - 8 ]

For Zion's Sake: Finally Home, and Never Leaving Again

Finally Home, and Never Leaving Again

1012, Jews expelled from Mainz. 1290, Jews expelled from England. 1306, Jews expelled from France. 1483, Jews expelled from Warsaw, Sicily, Lithuania and Portugal. 1492, all Jews expelled from Spain. 1510, Jews expelled from Brandenburg, Germany. 1569, Pope orders all Jews out of the Papal States. 1593, Jews expelled from Italy and Bavaria. 1941, Jewish refugees expelled from the German Reich to Poland. 1956, Jews expelled from Egypt.

Both Church doctrine and Islamic teachings adopted the theology of the Wandering Jew, that the continuous expulsions of Jews was proof of their debased status and rejection by G-d. Jews were regularly forced out of their homes in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East at the whims of kings, clergymen and rulers. The partial list of expulsions above shows the regularity with which Jews were uprooted and were forced to seek new host countries. This 2000 year period of exile forever came to a close on one historic night in May 1948 when David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the re-establishment of the State of Israel and the promise of immediate citizenship to any Jew who desired.

Never again were Jews to be left without a refuge or a place of safety. As Hitler's dark forces grew, the world began to close its doors to Jewish immigration, leaving the Jews of Europe doomed to the Nazi inferno. "None was too many" was the infamous response of a Canadian official when asked how many Jewish refugees his country would let in. Then suddenly, this homelessness came to an end with the earth-shattering words: "we... hereby declare the establishment of a Jewish state in the Land of Israel, to be known as the State of Israel". Finally, the exile had ended. When the Jews of the Arab world were forced out of their homes, they found a country waiting for them with open arms. The Jews of Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, etc. were not condemned to wander or to languish in camps but became full citizens in their own country, the Jewish state.

Incredibly, the very same countries that threw Jews out of their homes, prompting many to make their way to Israel and fight for their right to their own state there, are now leading the way in preparing for the expulsion of Jews from there. Leaving the lands of Europe behind, Jews came to Israel and now the European countries are demanding that Jews leave their rightful homes in Judea and Samaria. 70 years after the cry was 'Jews to Palestine!', the grandchildren of those who screamed this now yell 'Jews out of Palestine!'.

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For Zion's Sake: Finally Home, and Never Leaving Again

Israel Matzav: Obama: 'After an era of selfishness and greed, I'm here to spread the wealth'

Israel Matzav: Obama: 'After an era of selfishness and greed, I'm here to spread the wealth'

Israel Matzav: Yaalon says he was 'misinterpreted'

Israel Matzav: Yaalon says he was 'misinterpreted'

Israel Matzav: Iran: The game is over

Iran: The game is over

Anonymous diplomats have told AP that IAEA inspectors were allowed to visit the nearly completed Arak heavy water nuclear facility in Iran last week, and will be allowed to visit the Natanz nuclear facility soon. Iran had barred the inspectors for more than a year.

But from reading the report it sounds like the inspectors were allowed to visit because the game is over anyway: Iran already has enough weapons grade uranium to produce a nuclear bomb.
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Israel Matzav: Iran: The game is over

Israel Matzav: Obama's epic fail on the Middle East 'peace process'

Obama's epic fail on the Middle East 'peace process'

A joint poll of 'Palestinians' and Israelis shows that neither are very impressed with President Obama's peacemaking.

Following the intensified American diplomatic activity in the region in recent months, a majority of Palestinians think that Obama's policy is more supportive of Israel (64%). Among Israelis 40% think Obama's policy is more supportive of the Palestinians; only 12% think it is more supportive of Israel. Compared to a poll conducted December 2008, in proximity to Obama's election, Israelis are less enthusiastic about American involvement in the region, more worried about the continuation of American support, and less willing to accept American pressure. Palestinians see now American
involvement somewhat more favorably than in December.

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Israel Matzav: Obama's epic fail on the Middle East 'peace process'

Israel Matzav: And then there were two: Danny Danon calls 'Peace Now' a threat to Israel

Israel Matzav: And then there were two: Danny Danon calls 'Peace Now' a threat to Israel

Israel Matzav: 'God' tells the Rabbis what to discuss in their High Holiday sermons

'God' tells the Rabbis what to discuss in their High Holiday sermons

A couple of my favorite bloggers were livid on Wednesday because President Obama had a conference call conversation with about 1000 rabbis in which he made the outrageous statement that "we are God's partners in matters of life and death." Perhaps they would be even angrier if they knew what the conference call was about. Rick Richman fills in the details.

Yesterday, President Obama participated in a conference call with about 1,000 rabbis in anticipation of the High Holy Days next month—and the sermons the rabbis will give. The purpose of the call was, apparently, to urge the rabbis to support ObamaCare, or something like it, from the pulpit.

Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun Times writes that the call was left off the Obama schedule—an interesting note, she writes, on “Obama White House selective transparency.” [Where have we seen that before? CiJ] Jodi Kantor of the New York Times cites a participant’s tweet that the president told the rabbis “I am going to need your help.”

The call was a joint effort of the Central Conference of American Rabbis and the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), the Rabbinical Assembly, and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, coordinated by the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. The URJ invitation read, in part, as follows:

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Israel Matzav: 'God' tells the Rabbis what to discuss in their High Holiday sermons

Israel Matzav: India buying Israel's SPYDER mobile air defense system

Israel Matzav: India buying Israel's SPYDER mobile air defense system

Israel Matzav: Moonbats seethe: Israeli General Security Service guards Abu Mazen and Fayyad

Moonbats seethe: Israeli General Security Service guards Abu Mazen and Fayyad

Haaretz reports that under an agreement with the 'Palestinian Authority,' Israel's General Security Service (GSS or Shabak in Hebrew) guards Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen and Salam Fayyad whenever one of the two goes into Area C, the part of Judea and Samaria that is under complete Israeli security control.

According to an agreement between Israel and the PA, a team from the Shin Bet's VIP security unit accompanies Abbas and Fayyad whenever they are in Area C, meaning that part of the West Bank that is under full Israeli control according to the Oslo accords.

On Tuesday, for instance, Fayyad visited several villages near Nablus to inaugurate new wells. Because the trip going back and forth between Area C and Area B (where Israel has security control but the PA is in charge of civilian matters), Fayyad's convoy also included an Israel Police patrol car, representatives of Israel's Civil Administration and a jeep full of Shin Bet bodyguards. These guards were responsible for Fayyad's security in Area C, while his Palestinian bodyguards - members of the PA's Presidential Guard - took over in Area B.

Israel Defense Forces sources told Haaretz that the security procedures for guarding Abbas and Fayyad on their trips through the West Bank stem from Israel's desire to avoid having armed Palestinian guards open fire in Area C should their charges come under attack.

The same procedures are in effect when foreign dignitaries visit the West Bank: The Shin Bet guards them in Area C, and the PA takes over in Areas B and A (the latter is the area under full Palestinian control). The Shin Bet also guards Abbas when he visits Israel proper.

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Israel Matzav: Moonbats seethe: Israeli General Security
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