Zionism will not hold if it is not deeply rooted in Judaism. But this Judaism must radiate grandeur. In exile, Judaism was strangled and reduced chiefly to the private domain. It could not prove its enormous potential as an all-compassing ethos that included all dimensions of human existence. It is the task of great teachers, Jewish thinkers and Halachic authorities to show the way back to this ethos.
In Israel & Zionism and The Jewish Year
It must have been an extraordinary experience when the Kohanim in the days of the Chashmonaim suddenly realized that a tiny amount of oil which should have lasted for only one day would last for eight days. A solemn terror must have overtaken them. This is the foundation of genuine religiosity; the dawning of awareness that all things cannot be explained by the ordinary. It is radical amazement, which shatters the commonplace and makes us realize that our wisdom is sometimes inferior to dust. And so it is with the Jews. Like the Chanukah lights, they keep on reminding the world that there is exceptionality, which transcends history and ordinary human accomplishments.
After the terrible internal fights that nearly tore apart the Israeli nation, this war has brought our people together as never before. It is as if a Divine voice rang out and said: "Enough! This far and no farther! There will be no civil war in Israel. I will not allow it."
In Contemporary Issues, Israel & Zionism and Jewish Thought and Philosophy
The disastrous situation in which Israel finds itself at this hour asks for serious self-reflection on a level unfamiliar to many of us.
In Contemporary Issues, Israel & Zionism and Jewish Thought and Philosophy
Serving in the Israel Defense Forces is an act like no other. It is an act that serves the State of Israel and all its citizens, the Jewish People, and all of mankind. Moreover, the soldiers serving in Israel's army are entirely enveloped by the army - their entire bodies and beings are involved in this sacred task.
Words on my Grandsons Enlisting in the Israeli Defense Forces - the tremendous significance of the Israel Defense Forces surpasses the mere defense of Israel's citizens. The joy and honor of joining Israel's army relate to 4,000 years of Jewish history, morals, and ethics, and the universal good.
In Israel & Zionism and The Jewish Year
The bond, a marriage, between the People of Israel and its land stretches far back prior to the Declaration of the State of Israel in 1948. This marriage weathered wars, conquest, and exile - and now more than ever it is our duty to maintain and fortify the relationship of every Jew to the Land of Israel and the Jewish State.
In Israel & Zionism and The Jewish Year
As we celebrate 73 years of independence here in Israel, below are some essays which I hope will make the holiday more meaningful.ย
ืืื ืืืื ืื ืื ื ืืชืืงืฉืื ืืื ืื ืืฆื ืืช ืืืกืืจ ืืืก ืืืืืืื ืืืช ืืขื ืืชืืืืช ; ืืช ืืชืืืฉื ืฉืื ื ืืขืืื ืืืืืืื ืฉื ืืขืืื ืืื. ืืื ืืืื ืื ืื ื ืืืืื ืื ืื ืื ืืืื ืืืืืจ ืืืืฆืื ืืื, ืืืืืืคืื. ืืืจืชื ืฉื ืืืื ืืื ืืืคืื ืืช ืืขืืื ืืื ืฉื ืฉืืืื ืืื ืกืืขืจ ืฉื ืืจืฆืืืช, ืืืื ืืื ืืฉืืืข.
Israelโs very existence is the manifestation of divine intervention in history to which it must attest.ย In Israel, history and revelation are one. Only in Israel do they coincide. While other nations exist as nations, the people of Israel exist as a reminder of Godโs involvement in world history. Only through Israel is humanity directly touched by the divine.
Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai or A.B. Yehoshua?
In Israel & Zionism, Jewish Thought and Philosophy, The Jewish Year and Yom HaShoah
Rabbi Yochanan taught us that Jews can survive without Israel, as long as there is Torah, the portable homeland of the Jewish people. But Jews will not survive solely because of the existence of Israelโhowever powerful it may beโif Israel does not incorporate a large percentage of Jewish traditional resources.
Radical change has taken place in the Jewish world after the Holocaust and the establishment of the State of Israel. We have been shown that it is impossible for all of us to stay outside of history. The Holocaust has taught us that we cannot survive without entering history. To argue that our yeshiva students are the ones who really defend us against our enemies, and that we do not need soldiers, is an escape from reality.