With nothing else on his municpal table, he sent off a letter to President Barack Obama bashing Israel. Sources say that the letter was written in reaction to the anti-Obama rhetoric of some religious pro-settler organizations, which have become increasingly vocal in recent weeks as the Obama administration continues to push the Israeli government to curb settlement growth in the West Bank as a prerequisite for a peace settlement.
Wieder’s letter reads in part (the full text is up at Jews Against Zionism):
“Life is Judaism’s most precious commodity; its preservation and the prevention of bloodshed are its more central tenet. When life is in jeopardy all commandments that guide Jewish life must be set aside in order to preserve human life. My heart therefore aches over the endless loss of innocent life just to hold on to lands inhabited by one’s enemies. I therefore deeply respect and support you and pray that divine providence guides your every move.
“Some Israeli politicians resist relinquishing any part of the holy land claiming religious prohibitions. This is wholly fallacious! In fact, after the destruction of Israel in 69 CE, Jews were commanded to await divine redemption and prohibited from conquering the land. To this day Jews yearn and pray for the divinely inspired return to Jerusalem… The modern State of Israel stands in contravention of the Almighty’s prohibition. Its effort to cloak itself in religion as a means of continuing the contravention of the Almighty is laughable if it weren’t so sad.”
Just one comment.
This assertion - "Jews were commanded to await divine redemption and prohibited from conquering the land" - the central tenet of Reb Yoelish, saved from being burnt alivve by a Zionist but let's not get personal - is hogwash. I have dealt previously with the issue of the Three Oaths but there is no 'command' character to this Midrash. It is but an outlook element, hashkafa, and the amount and quality of Rabbios opposed to such an interpretation basically classify Satmar and its Neturei Karta spin-off and Jews Against Judaism.
(Kippah tip: Failed Messiah)
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5 comments:
"It is but an outlook element, hashkafa"
A more correct way of describing the Three Oaths would be Aggada, as opposed to Halakha.
Reb Yoelish would care less if the State would be "religious". In the Satmar hashkafah, any attempt to restore Israelite sovereignty is a revolt against the kingdom of Heaven. He attributes the success of the IDF to an act of the devil, which is clearly a dualistic approach.
Anon: of course I do. come to Shiloh and spend a Shabbat with us. Kosher, too.
as kosher as your government?
Much much more
there you go.
now you have "Jews Against unkosher government"
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