Torah Jews - Halacha

Palestinians to Outnumber Jews in the Holy Land by 2020

TTJ — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 22:49:07 +0000

The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) has released its annual report. It states that at the end of 2015, the estimated number of Palestinians in the world was 12.37 million, of whom 4.75 million live in the Palestinian territories (West Bank and Gaza Strip), 1.47 million in Israel, 5.46 million in Arab countries and around 685 thousand in foreign countries.

Of the 4.75 million in the territories, around 2.90 million reside in the West Bank and 1.85 million in Gaza Strip.

The PCBS estimates that the number of Arabs in historical Palestine will exceed the number of Jews within five years.

The number of Arabs in historical Palestine (between the Jordan and the Mediterranean, including Israel and the territories) totaled 6.22 million at the end of 2015. There were 6.22 million Jews at the end of 2014 according to estimates by the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics and the number is expected to reach 6.34 million Jews by the end of 2015. The number of Arabs and Jews will be equal before the end of 2017. By the end of 2020, the number of Arabs in historical Palestine will total 7.13 million compared to 6.96 million Jews.

http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/site/512/default.aspx?tabID=512&lang=en&ItemID=15...

This information places us before an historic question of Jewish law. Suppose that a future Israeli government were to decide to solve its conflict with the Palestinians by annexing the territories and granting citizenship to all residents (the “one-state solution”). Would the fact that Jews would then be in the minority make the state officially not Jewish - and thus not in violation of the Three Oaths, which prohibit Jews from having their own state? Or would Jewish law still regard such a state as a Jewish state, due to the existence of pro-Jewish laws such as the Law of Return? And what if a complete non-discrimination policy were instated?

The Satmar Rebbe wrote in 1958, “We see from the Gemara in Sanhedrin 98a that the State of Israel will certainly come to an end before the messiah comes. He cannot come otherwise. So the state is what is delaying the redemption… But we need mercy from Heaven that the state should come to an end only by the power of G-d above, not through the nations, because if it happens through the nations it will obviously be a great danger to Jews.” (Introduction to Vayoel Moshe, p. 8)

Today perhaps we are beginning to see what that “end through the power of G-d” will look like: an end not through war, not through terrorism or conflict, but through the natural demographic trends of the population.

We do not have authorities on Torah law today of the stature of the Satmar Rebbe and others in his time. But we must present the question to the Torah leaders of our time and abide by their decision.

tags:

Solutions

One-State Solution

Halacha

What should I do if the only Orthodox shul in my city says the prayer for the State of Israel?

ycohen — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 19:11:43 +0000

Jan. 1, 2013

I live in a city where there is only one Orthodox shul. Unfortunatelly, the rabbis of the shul are Zionists and during a Shabbes Shachris they read the prayer for so called Jewish State. What – according to Halacha – should I do in the situation: pray alone at home every Shabbes, be inside the shul, leave the shul for this prayer? I will be thankful for your answer.
Yitzchak B.

Dear Yitzchak,

I've consulted with one of our rabbinic advisors, Rabbi Efraim Hersh Smilowitz, about your question, and this is what he said:

As long as they continue to say this prayer every Shabbos, you should not pray in the shul, even on a weekday. The reason is that by davening in the building, you are affirming that their shul represents a valid form of Judaism. It would be better to daven alone than to daven in such a shul.

He said that this is what the Satmar Rebbe, Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum zt"l, used to tell his talmidim when they visited a place where all the shuls were Zionist.

If it's a small community, perhaps they will notice your absence and ask you about it, and when the rabbis realize that their Zionism is turning people off, maybe they will change. Or perhaps nine other people will agree with you and you'll make a separate minyan. Let's hope things change for the better.

tags:

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, Rosh Yeshiva of Tiferes Yerushalayim (1895-1986)

ycohen — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 20:59:11 +0000

Regarding your question if there is a mitzvah nowadays to live in Eretz Yisroel, as the Ramban says, or if there is no mitzvah nowadays, as Rabbeinu Chaim says, quoted in Tosafos on Kesubos 110b: Most poskim hold it is a mitzvah. But it is obvious that this is not an obligatory mitzvah in our time, for if so, it would result in a prohibition to live in Chutz Laaretz because doing so would be violating a positive commandment, like wearing a four-cornered garment without tzitzis, which is forbidden because it transgresses the positive commandment of tzitzis. But we only find a prohibition regarding one who lives in Eretz Yisroel, who is forbidden to leave with the intention of dwelling permanently in Chutz Laaretz - see Rambam Hilchos Melachim 5:9. And this prohibition is certainly not a negative commandment. Had it applied to the Jews of Chutz Laaretz, the Rambam would have written, 'It is forbidden to live in Chutz Laaretz unless there is a strong famine in Eretz Yisroel.' So we see that it is a Rabbinic prohibition, only for those who dwell in Eretz Yisroel. But as far as the Biblical positive commandment, it is not obligatory, only that if one lives there he fulfills the mitzvah. And in my Chiddushim I have written at great length about the words of Rabbeinu Chaim in Tosafos in Kesubos. Now, since it is not an obligatory mitzvah, you must definitely take into consideration the concern of Rabbeinu Chaim in Tosafos as to whether you will be able to keep the special mitzvos of Eretz Yisroel." (Igros Moshe, Even Hoezer 1:102)

tags:

Rabbinic Quotations

Halacha

Aliyah

If I send charity to the poor or to hospitals in Eretz Yisroel, is that considered supporting Zionism?

ycohen — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 16:28:31 +0000

11/05/06

Dear Rabbi,

Is it permissible to send Tzedaka money to support the poor in Eretz Yisroel, or to hospitals in Eretz Yisroel, or, for example, to organizations in Eretz Yisroel who help handicapped children?

Is this allowed, according to the Torah; or is this considered supporting the Zionist state?

Thank you.

Yaakov Moshe

Dear Yaakov Moshe,

There is nothing wrong with sending them money. There is a difference between supporting Zionism and its state (giving to UJA, AIPAC, ADL, Israel Bonds) and helping individual Jews, even if some of them happen to be Zionists. All Jews are our brothers and we want to help them in their time of need. It is said that the Satmar Rav once gave a lot of tzedaka to the editor of a Zionist newspaper in Eretz Yisroel, who had to marry off his daughter and had come to him for assistance. The gabbaim tried to remind the Rebbe that this man had published many articles attacking him, but the Rebbe just called him back and gave him even more.

tags:

Do anti-Zionist Jews living under the state use its currency and pay taxes?

ycohen — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 22:50:56 +0000

06/03/07

Dear Rabbi:

How is it possible for the anti-Zionist Jews in Meah Shearim and Bnei Brak to live under the Zionist regime, without paying taxes to the Zionist government and without using the Zionist money for purchases?

What I am asking is, for example: when an anti-Zionist Jew goes to the grocery to buy food, does he use Israeli Shkalim or American dollars? Is he obligated to use the money of the Zionist state, or is there a way for him not to use the Zionist state's money?

When an anti-Zionist Jew goes to work in either of these 2 communities, is he obligated to pay taxes to the Israeli government from his paycheck?
Or do these anti-Zionist communities not work and learn Torah and receive community support from Jews from abroad? How are they able to survive while maintaining distance from the Zionist government?

Thank you.

Zachary Schwartz

Dear Mr. Schwartz,

Many of the anti-Zionist Jews in Eretz Yisroel did not choose to live
under the Zionist regime. They were living there before the regime
took power, or they are descended from people who live there before.
To get into other countries, to get jobs and settle there, is not
easy. Thus they remained there against their will.

There are others who live there by choice, because they want to live
in a certain community where they feel they can serve Hashem better.
Every Jew has to serve Hashem in the way he can do so best - a chassid
as a chassid, a Yerushalmi as a Yerushalmi, a Brisker as a Brisker.
Reb Ahron Katzenellenbogen, leader of Neturei Karta in the early
decades of the state, was a student of the Brisker Rav. Once the
Brisker Rov said that the Zionist State was the most dangerous place
for Jews, both physically and spiritually. Reb Ahron asked him, "If
so, perhaps we should go and live outside Eretz Yisroel." He
replied, Yes, according to halacha perhaps we are obligated to do
that. But since there is no place as good as Yerushalayim for the
proper Jewish education of boys and girls, for it is the only place in
the world where there are no secular studies, we must be moser nefesh
for the education of our children, and Hashem will help us. (Uvdos
Vehanhagos Leveis Brisk, v. 4 p. 207-8)

All those living there, whether against their will or because of some
unrelated good reason, are subjected to many tests of faith. Will they
allow their environment to influence them? Will they help the state in
any way, monetarily or through encouragement? Jews who live there
must know that they are subjecting themselves to tests and they must be
confident that they can pass them.

To answer your specific questions: yes, they do pay taxes and they do use the Zionist money. They try as much as possible to stay away from the Zionist system (e.g.
accepting their funding). But if the government is coming after them for
income taxes, they don't go to jail rather than pay. And when you go into a
grocery store, only shkalim are accepted
and not dollars. (Anti-Zionist Jews do have their own system of
dollars/shkalim money changers who work with the Banks of Jordan and Egypt.)
It is said of the great tzaddik Rabbi Amram Blau that he never took Zionist
currency into his hands. But that level of righteousness cannot be maintained by the
multitudes.

tags:

Why do some mekubalim support Zionism? Can I pray for the end of Zionism in birkas hamazon?

ycohen — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 22:45:46 +0000

07/01/07

Dear Rabbi,
Why some or all 'Mekubalim' in the holy land supporting the zionist state? They give many advices for the zionist regime members,the same zionist state which is rebellion against Hashem and his holy torah. I think that even you know Kabalah and you do not supporting the zionists.
Thank you very much and Regards,
Aharon Ben-Yitzchak

Dear Aharon,

You can be sure that there is nothing in Kabbalah to support the Zionists. On the contrary, the Zohar (Shemos 32a, end of Va'eira) says that Yishmael will rule the Holy Land until his merit (of bris milah) is used up. The Maharsha in Bava Basra 73b says that Yishmael will rule until the coming of moshiach. The Zohar in Vayikra 6a says that the future geulah will not be like other geulos where the Jews came back on their own, but we will wait in exile until Hashem comes to redeem us. The Zohar in Bereishis 54a predicts that there will be a false "ketz yamim" caused by the Sitra Achra. It says that Daniel was told to wait for the "ketz yamin", the true ketz, not the "ketz yamim".

The question of why some mekubalim support the state is the same as the question of why some talmidei chachamim support it. The answer is simply that they did not learn the Torah subject of the galus, geulah and shalosh shevuos well enough. Just because someone is a great talmid chacham in Bava Kama, Bava metzia and Gittin does not automatically mean that he knows everything. Many rabbis know Shulchan Aruch perfectly but the Shulchan Aruch does not mention the shvuos because it was not practical halacha until just recently.

Take the example of the great mekubal, the Baba Sali. When Vayoel Moshe was published, he bought himself a copy, and spend a few days alone reading the entire sefer. When he finished he made a siyum and was very happy, saying that everything in it was true. A great man like him recognizes that he can learn from others, and when someone like the Vayoel Moshe did us the kindness of studying the subject of the shalosh shvuos thoroughly and writing a sefer about it, other gedolim can learn from it. Not everybody can be a specialist in everything.

Dear Rabbi,
Can I add at the Birkas Hamazon the sentence:
" Harahman hu yishbor ol hashilton hatzioni me'al tzavareinu" ,is it possible?
Thank you very much for your comments.

Aharon ben Yitzchak

Dear Aharon,

We do not make changes in the siddur. But you raise a good question: what should a Jew living under the Zionists think when he says "hu yishbor ol hagoyim (or in Nusach Ashkenaz uleinu) me'al tzavareinu v'hu yolicheinu komemiyus le'artzeinu"? I would say to look at the repetition of the word "hu" - it sounds like we want to stress that Hashem will do it. This is similar to what Rabbi Shimshon Rafael Hirsch said on the fourth blessing of Birkas Hamazon. (See Parsha Pearls, Emor.) It says "hu heitiv hu meitiv hu yeitiv lanu" and "hu gemalanu&" Every time it repeats hu for stress, that only Hashem helped us in the past and now, and only He will bring the geulah. This blessing was written after the fall of Beitar, when the Jews stumbled in following a false moshiach who led them into war for their independence. Chazal wanted to teach us that this was a mistake that should never again be repeated.

The same thing should be our thoughts here, wherever we are in the world: Hu only Hashem yishbor ol hagoyim me'al tzavareinu, and Hu only Hashem should bring us komemiyus le'artzeinu, because it is forbidden for Jews to do it on their own, and look at the troubles and dangers that come on them when they try!

Also one should have in mind to be mekabel the ol hagoyim, the ol hagalus, and be subservient to them, not to the Zionists.

Dear Rabbi,

I wrote my question about Birkat Hamazon because in the Sephardic siddur it says that it is allowed to add requests beginning with the word Harachaman& Therefore I thought it would be permitted to add this request, since I am living under the Zionist government, which blinds and wishes to blind the eyes of the Jewish people, may G-d spare us. But after your reply, I decided that it was not worth it, because adding to the prayers might lead to bal tosif.

I must also tell you that there is a feeling here that war is imminent in the Ashdod area where I live, from many fronts, Heaven forbid, due to the provocative actions of the Zionist regime, whose existence is the cause of the death of Jews, G-d spare us. Please pray for us and for the peace of our people. Together with this offer prayers for the end of the Zionist regime, soon in our days, amein.

May it be G-ds will that we merit to see the uprooting of the Zionist regime from Eretz Yisroel in peace and without pain, and the coming of the son of David and the complete redemption, and complete repentance of the Jewish people, and that we see only happy occasions and good tidings, amein. Many thanks to you for your attention in sending answers to my questions.

Aharon Ben Yitzchak

Dear Rabbi,
why the religious zionists making connection and giving legitimation to the zionist election on the basis of talmudic law from Bavli,Brachos 55a ?
"Ein memanin parnas al Hatzibur elah im ken..." ,
what is the the basis of theirs argument?
I say that for jews there will never be the right to choose for them a leader, only Hashem yisborach knows whos leader appointed for us like Shaul Hamelech,Dovid Hamelech and others.
Therefore, there's no any legitimation to elect for us a leader like all the nations,G-d forbiden.
Thank you for yours answer,
Aharon Ben-Yitzchak

Dear Aharon,

It is true that we do not appoint a leader without consulting the public. Over the generations, the community board members in every Jewish town were elected by the community, and the rabbi was selected by the board. The story is told about Rabbi Yosef Ber Soloveitchik, author of Beis Halevi, that when he was offered the rabbinate in Slutzk by the board of the main synagogue, he refused to accept unless the boards of all the synagogues in town signed the contract as well, even the cobblers and the chimney sweeps.

However, all agree that one may not appoint a leader who has no fear of G-d, even if he be very wise (Rambam Melachim 1:7). And in any case we may certainly not appoint any leader for the purpose of transgressing the severe oaths which prohibit Jews from ruling over the Holy Land.

This is all said regarding regular leaders. But regarding a king you are correct that the king is chosen by G-d through His prophets, and anointed by the prophet, just as Saul and David were anointed by Samuel. The messiah as will be chosen by G-d and anointed by Eliyahu the prophet.

tags:

When I pray that "minim" should be destroyed what should I have in mind?

ycohen — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 22:43:10 +0000

08/02/07

I have a question to ask:.

Acoarding to what i read in your memo, that the "Chazal" (I thing rebe Gamleiel) added the ninteenth paragraph in the daily Prayer that all "minim" should be destroyed. so it means those people who are real zionists and serve in the army or who wish to have a own state etc. all those are "minim"&

I wish if I would be able to get a explanation on this question.

sincerely

Yonit

Usually a person is considered a "min" if he believes something that goes against the principles of emunah, even if his mistake was sincere. However, the Rambam writes in Hilchos Mamrim 3:3 that if someone was brought up by minim and was taught their ways from an early age, he does not have the same status as a min. We must talk to them kindly and try to get them to repent and come back to the Torah. Regarding this category of Zionists, we should certainly pray for them to repent.

The same is true for intentional sinners who are not heretics. The Gemora in Berachos 10a says that we do not ask G-d to destroy the sinners, only the sins. "May the sins be gone from the earth, and let them not be wicked anymore." (Tehillim 104:35).

But as for real heretics, we do pray for them to die, as you rightly point out. The question is, why are heretics different from intentional sinners?

The Satmar Rebbe in Al Hageulah V'al Hatemurah Chapter 67 explains this as follows: The Gemara in Avodah Zarah 17a quotes the verse, "All who go to it (i.e. heresy) will not repent, and they will not achieve the paths of life" (Mishlei 2:19). Asks the Gemara: if they will not repent, surely they will not achieve the paths of life, so the second half of the verse is unnecessary! The Gemara answers that it means that even if the heretic does repent, he will die right away. The Maharsha explains that G-d does this out of His great mercy on the repentant heretic. Heresy is hard to resist, and G-d knows that if he were to live, he would be likely to revert back to his old ways. Therefore he causes him to die right after repenting so that he can go straight to the World to Come.

According to this we can understand why we pray for heretics to perish, not to repent. Actually, we are praying for them to repent, but we know that even if they repent they will have to die right away lest they revert back to their old ways.

Of course, it is up to G-d to determine who is a real heretic and who is simply a sinner or an innocent child of sinners.

tags:

How do I find an anti-Zionist hechsher? An anti-Zionist shul?

ycohen — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 18:04:03 +0000

08/03/07

I am a new anti-zionist, and as far as I know, I am the only one in Northeast Philadelphia.

Would you be able to tell me how to determine if a hechsher is from a zionist or anti-zionist rabbi? If a rabbi is zionist I don't think I can trust his kosher supervision, which is why I ask this.

Also, how do I find an anti-zionist (or at least non-zionist) shul? Do the Lubavitchers count? They seem to be zionist, but some of their past leaders were not, so I don't know.

Also, how do I know which Jewish organizations are OK to donate to, is Mogen David Adom OK even though they are part of the zionist entity?

Any help you can give will be appreciated!

Hindy

There are some major kashrus organizations which are Zionist, such as the OU, which publishes Jewish Action, is affiliated with YU rabbis and the Young Israel movement, and supports the Zionist parade every June. However, when it comes to kashrus we look more at the kashrus policies of the organization than at its hashkafah. I have heard that the OU is reliable but it uses many leniencies that more religious Jews prefer not to use as long as there is a choice.

The CRC Hisachdus Harabbanim is the most prominent anti-Zionist hechsher. Also anti-Zionist are the Volever Rav, the Nirbator Rav and the Tartikover Rav. These hechsherim are recommended. I don't know if they are available in Philadelphia. You might want to contact the Philadelphia Kollel for more information. The kollel is made of up young men from the Beis Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, a non-Zionist institution. I don't know if they are in your area.

Some Lubavitchers today are actually more pro-zionist than the Agudah world, in that they openly advocate belligerence and expansionism. The last Lubavitcher Rebbe is known to have encouraged the Israeli army to take Damascus during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, and he said not to give back land. But not all Lubavitchers feel that way. Many are anti-Zionists and interpret their Rebbe's position as being self-defense only. The Lubavitcher Rebbe himself once said the the state is holding back the coming of the messiah. You could start by asking your local Lubavitcher rabbi what his position is (making it clear that you don't want to hear Zionism).

The rule with donations is to help all good Jews, no matter what their affiliation, but to avoid helping organizations that are Zionist. Thus, when Zionist Jews came to the Satmar Rebbe for their private needs, he gave them with an open hand. But supporting the Zionists through their systems strengthens their system. Outside the Zionist system, there are so many charities that help Jews in Eretz Yisroel - more than enough addresses to send your money.

tags:

Can I daven in a Zionist minyan?

ycohen — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 17:44:42 +0000

08/03/07

It seems to me that zionists essentially are creating their own religion and turning Yiddishkeit into something that it isn't. I mean would you drink the wine of someone who kept shabbos, kashrus and taharas mishpacha but also did avoda zora? - you wouldn't. So my question is then how does this apply to the zionists. For example, I learn in the Yeshiva near where I live (&&&.) but cannot make it during the week there for mincha because I work during the day so go to &&&.. to daven with a minyan. For chinuch reasons (I have a 3 year old son) I don't enter the place unless I have to as I want my son to know right from wrong, but is it even a valid minyan with regards to the kashrus of the people there? Do we say there is a chezkas kashrus or do we say that your average person there will have warped hashkafos? If they do have warped (zionistic) hashkofos, does that invalidate them for the minyan?

Regards and thanks for spending time regarding my concerns.
Good Shabbos,

Dear Binyomin,

On the question of whether a individual Zionist can be counted in a minyan: the Rambam in Teshuva 265 forbids using a Karaite for a minyan, since they do not believe in the concept of minyan. He quotes the Mishnah in Eiruvin 31b, which says that a eiruv cannot be established through someone who does not believe in the concept of eiruv. The implication of the Rambam is that if someone is a heretic yet believes in the concept of minyan, he can be part of the minyan. The Brisker Rav is known to have ruled in accordance with this Rambam. (The Igros Moshe, Orach Chaim 1:23 goes even further and permits the use of any heretic for a minyan. The Satmar Rav in his Teshuvos Divrei Yoel, Orach Chaim 8, disagrees.)

So it would seem that if a Zionist who believes in Hashem and the Torah and believes in the concept of a minyan enters a regular, non-Zionist shul, or a non-aligned or melting pot shul, he may count for the minyan. However, davening in an officially Zionist shul is a different story completely. By entering the building and davening there, you are affirming that their shul represents a valid form of Judaism. It would be better to daven alone than to daven in such a shul.

Now, what is considered an officially Zionist shul? Any shul with an Israeli flag, or any shul that says the prayer for the medinah or the Mi Sheberach for the Israeli army, is an officially Zionist shul. Even though they only say these prayers on Shabbos and you are davening there on a weekday, it makes no difference. This is what their shul represents and you are affirming it as valid.

It is known that the Satmar Rebbe sent his yeshiva bochurim to collect tzedaka in shuls that had a Zionist flag. It could be that this was different because they did not daven there, so they were not affirming it as valid Judaism. They were just entering to find people who might give tzedaka. The Rebbe told them not to answer "amein" or "yehei shmei raba" in such a shul.

tags:

Should Jews live in the occupied territories?

ycohen — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 17:02:09 +0000

08/03/07

what is the torah perspective today on the jews living in the occupied territories?

Dear Avraham,

The Brisker Rav stated in 1937, when the Peel partition plan was under consideration: In our holy Torah, it makes no difference what character this Jewish state will have. Even if it would be a Jewish state run completely according to the Torah law, even if the president and prime minister would be Reb Chaim Ozer, and everything would be done according to the Torah even then it is forbidden that even one Jew be killed in order to establish a Jewish state. That is the crux of the issue here. The issue is not how the Jewish state will be run, religiously or secularly. The point is that it is forbidden for Jewish blood to be spilled for the purpose of establishing a Jewish state. And since it is impossible to accomplish the partition without spilling Jewish blood, it is forbidden to accept this plan.
There is nothing more precious than a Jewish life, and those Jews who put Jewish lives on the line for the sake of a nationalistic ideal, or even for the mitzvah of Yishuv Eretz Yisroel, are to be considered rodfim (endangering the lives) of the Jewish people.

If this is true of the State of Israel in general, it is even more true of the settlers. The Israeli victory in 1967 angered the Arabs even more than that of 1948, because the Israelis now controlled large pieces of land whose population was entirely Arab. The least the Arabs could hope for was that the world would eventually recognize the injustice of Jews ruling over Arabs in a land with no Jewish population, and some concession would be reached. The settlers came to destroy that hope by creating facts, creating a Jewish population in the territories, so that it would even harder to return them. Thus their settling was an act of belligerency, and led directly to the rise of Arab terrorism. (This is without mentioning the acts of violence and destruction of property committed by some settlers.) And that is why most acts of terrorism have been directed at the settlers - because the purpose was to discourage them.

Rabbi Elazar M. Shach ztl wrote about the settlers in his sefer Mictavim Umaamarim 2:4: The idea of settling is simply starting up with the nations of the world, and it comes from the fundamental error of the Zionists, who think that all that has ever befallen us is because we did not have a state and Jewish sovereignty, but now that we are a state equal with all the states of the world, if we show strength and do not budge, our enemies will back away. Even if there are many who adhere to these views, it is a departure from the path we have received from Chazal, and the opposite is the truth.

The opposite that showing strength and not budging will only lead to further attacks and further loss of life is the truth, according to Rav Shach. The settlers are actually the rodfim of our people, because they incite the Arab terrorist groups to attack us.

The settlers they are the strongest Zionists of all. Because "Zionism" has become somewhat of a negative term among religious Jews, they try to use different phrases and portray the Israeli government as being the Zionists. There are some of these extremists who have stopped saying the Hallel prayer on Zionist independence day because they no longer respect the government (after the disengagement etc.). But this is all a confusion of the issue. Regardless of what words you use, the ideology that advocates Jewish sovereignty over any part of the Holy Land is forbidden by the Torah and is contrary to the Jewish belief that we are in exile and must wait for the coming of the messiah.

tags:

Rabbi Elazar M. Shach