Example of Ahdut and Lack Thereof
I've many times blogged about the Ahdut we need before the Final Redemption. This is known to us primarily from the verse in Vayehi:
וַיִּקְרָא יַעֲקֹב, אֶל-בָּנָיו; וַיֹּאמֶר, הֵאָסְפוּ וְאַגִּידָה לָכֶם, אֵת אֲשֶׁר-יִקְרָא אֶתְכֶם, בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִיםAnd Jacob called unto his sons, and said: 'Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the end of days.
2 articles in the Kikar Hashabat website shows the contrast of Ahdut and the antithesis of Ahdut.
Let's start with the negative. According to Kikar, The Neturei Karta came to Beit Lehem - not to pray that Jewish sons should return to their borders - but rather to give advice to Abu Mazen Harasha how to fight against Israel. At the International Conference for the Return of Palestine to Arab Rule, the Neturei Karta leader said in Hebrew, "The Zionists are the Antisemites, and the Zionists will be driven out of the Holy Land with G-d's power." He also said, "The proper step of our honored beloved president [Abu Mazen] must be on the basis of a unilateral declaration alone in order to complete the conquest [of the Zionists]." There is no example of lack of Ahdut (let alone sedition and treason) worse than this.
On the positive side, there was a story of a plane that got delayed in Switzerland due to snow, and was scheduled to land very close to sundown on Erev Shabbat - at 4:10 PM. The passengers will have hopefully gotten off the plane in time, but will be required to spend Shabbat at Ben Gurion Airport. (I'm writing this after the fact, but it's not clear what actually happened.) Askanim from Kfar Chabad and Bnei Brak are working together to provide meals for the passengers who were to be stranded there. This is a beautiful example of Ahdut.
May we continue to stay far away from division and closer to Ahdut so that we can bring the Ge'ula Shleima Bimheira Veyameinu, Amen.
Updates: According to Ladaat, the plane arrived at 3:45 so most of the passengers rushed home in time - only 15 passengers needed to stay in the airport on Shabbat.
VIN now has an article on the Neturei Karta speech.
Updates: According to Ladaat, the plane arrived at 3:45 so most of the passengers rushed home in time - only 15 passengers needed to stay in the airport on Shabbat.
VIN now has an article on the Neturei Karta speech.
posted by yaak @ 12/17/2010 11:06:00 AM
8 comments
8 Comments:
not just הֵאָסְפוּ . how about וְאַגִּידָה לָכֶם, i will bind you into an aguda?
kt,
josh
where did you see this?
check the nesivos shalom - he has a piece that has this idea
made it up... but it's the type of derasha Chazal like to say.
to defend Neturei Karta -- I read a while back that they are motivated in part by a theology that requires kissing up to the umos ha'olam, so that in times of oppression, they will not kill all the Jews. since they are distancing the disfavored Zionist enterprise from Jews in general. seen in this light, they are trying to save Jewish lives. their 'advice' is surely no great strategic advice, and the statement is only what Abu Mazen wants to hear.
they are wrong; they are stupid; they are misguided; they are ungrammatical (it should be netOray karta, with a cholam); but still, there is room to be dan lekaf zechus.
kol tuv,
josh
Josh,
Kissing up to the Umot Ha'olam is a misguided policy to be sure, but still one I would be Dan Lechaf Zechut for.
However, kissing up to those who wish our destruction is unjustifiable and unforgivable.
who else TO kiss up to, if not the ones who would pose a danger? what did R' Yochanan ben Zakkai do?
Hachi Hashta! You kiss up to ruling powers - not some non-nation that wants to become one.
Post a Comment
<< Home