.ישלח לקץ הימין משיחנו לפדות מחכי קץ ישועתו
Fear not! Even those who are still “waiting for Moshiach”, will in the end be redeemed.
The phenomena of those against “climbing the wall” of Satmar tradition, based on the Gemara in (Ketubot 111a) known as “the 3 Adjurations”, has permeated a major segment of our people, who insist on waiting for Redemption, i.e., Moshiach, rather than participate.
Aside from the Lubavitcher people, some of which have corrupted this Rambam’s admonition of faith altogether, nobody today will challenge, state their objections, or can even tell you why they believe in waiting, without knowing the popular “halachic” reasons, other than the hackneyed argument that “the Gedolim are against Israel today”.
When you will try to convince them that there are other Gedolim who will argue for the State of Israel today, they will repeat hackneyed tripe to support their argument, telling you they are “Tzionim”, as if all Jews are not, even as they dutifully recite twice daily and pray to the God of Tzion
And along the same line, why will not the many Jews living in Israel, and studying and building their lives here today insist on speaking Yiddish instead of accepting he language of the land as they would throughout Europe, China or anywhere else?
The answer they give is because it is loshon Kodesh reserved only for Torah study and prayer. In fact, the real reason is because they will not accept the “Zionist” Hebrew language of Ben Yehuda, who, motivated by a desire to preserve Hebrew literature and a distinct Jewish nationality, and in the context of early Zionism, led a movement to revive Hebrew as a spoken language.
Also, many have asked, with Lubavitcher Houses all over the world, why can you not find a Lubavitch settlement anywhere in Israel (except for Kfar Chabad), which would be the greatest acknowledgment of Geulat Yisrael today? The answer is because they cannot accept the State of Israel as a forerunner of the Malchut Beit David until their understanding of “Moshiach will redeem us!
Then again, why do millions of Jews throughout the world who ARE able to make aliyah, insist on waiting? Why have there not been logical arguments given to those “waiters” who still haven’t learned the main “halachic” reasons for modern day Israel?
As I touched upon Reb Chaim’s zt’l Seven Proofs in a recent column, I feel it would be helpful towards this understanding to present his famous Seven Proofs” against the popular arguments against Eretz Yisrael today, which he wrote in the early 60’s. These arguments were created, after based on many conversations with the late Satmer Rov, Harav Yoel Teitelbaum, zt’l, to counter his adamant opposition to the State of Israel based mainly on the “3 Oaths” as he published in his sefer “Vayoel Moshe”.
Summary of the Seven ARGUMENTS and
Seven PROOFS on the Atchalta deGeula
As I understood from the teachings of the Gaon Reb Chaim Zimmerman, Shlita – from the book “Torah and Existence”*
1) Medinat Yisrael is not related to Geula without Nissim Geluyim.
The will of G-d is not to perform Nissim unless they are required by man’s freedom. Nissim Geluyim are not required. G-d wants man to do his utmost bederch hateva. in a natural way.
2) Necessity for Teshuva before Geula.
Complete Geula has to come through Teshuva; the Beginning of Geula – the Atchalta deGeula – can be even in the period when there are Poshim. sinners.
3) Geula cannot come through Zionists.
A “rasha” may prepare the Redemption for the future generations of Tzaddikim, who will further develop the generations, according to Torah and Halacha. It is similar to any other Hechsher Mitzva, preparation for tile Mitzva itself, a means towards the end, which is only Torah.
4) Geula must come through the Malchut Beit David.
When the Geula is Be-itoh-as evidenced by all the other natural phenomena concerning Eretz Yisrael – there is no necessity for the Melech haMashiach to bring us to Eretz Yisrael as described by the Rambam.
Though the process of the Atchalta deGeula is determined by the divine hashgacha, its procedure and development is a natural process without any Nissim Gluyim – as might have been the case Be-achishena – hastened “before the appointed time,” in which ease we would have required the Melech haMashiach, first!
5) If Hashem does not want the State, all efforts are in vain.
The Chafetz Chaim established axiomatically that a Jewish state in Eretz Yisrael cannot be established in a without “Nissim Geluyiim”. Only through specific Hashgacha Pratit of the will of G-d.
It is specifically because we have a Jewish state that it is necessary to conclude that this was done directly through the will of G-d in this establishing the Atchalta deGeula. G-d does want us to achieve Geula in a natural manner. The last 40 years [at the time this was first explained. -YS] of the physical development prove “all efforts were not in vain.”
6) It Is against the Shalosh Shevuot.
The “Three Oaths’ are not related to Yisrael being in Eretz Yisrael. The sixth argument is the famous argument about the Three Oaths, one of which is that G-d beswore Klal Yisrael not to storm and come up to Eretz Yisrael before the time.
The clear halachic aspects of this oath refer only to when the Jews are in Galut. They cannot storm and enter Eretz Yisrael by force or by war. The probability is that the Jews will not win Bederech Hateva, in a natural way according to the oath. however, if the Jews are fighting or conquering land when they are in Eretz Yisrael. then, according to the Torah, the probability is that the Jews will win.
There is a difference between the status of Yisrael when they are in Chutz Laaretz and their status when they are in Eretz Yisrael. Once we are in the land, in a natural way, then we are obliged to inherit the land. We must not leave it to other nations or leave it abandoned and desolate.
The Ramban explains we are commanded to conquer the land and live in it. This precept is determined for all generations and for all times. It is a Mitzva to live in Eretz Yisrael in every generation. Even in times of Galut, this Mitzva of Yerusha, which means conquering the land, and Yeshiva, which means living and settling in the land, is valid.
7) Medina cannot be part of Geula because it is against the Torah.
To halachically determine this period of the Atchalta deGeula, one cannot depend on sentiment or emotion. Our experiences fit exactly the pattern of the Atchalta deGeula according to halacha – Be-itoh – even if people have no Zechuyot or choose to follow Torah.
Since war is also part of the Atchalta deGeula (Megilla 17b), and since it would have, been impossible for Torah people to halachically wage war with its enemies (see Torah and Existence, p. 77), and since the war is part of Geula had to come Bederech Hateva, it could only be done through non-Torah people, who have to make life and death decisions every day in Israel.
Practically speaking, even though we are guaranteed to be redeemed though we chose to “wait”, isn’t it far better to be waiting in the courtyard of the King than outside His magnificence Prescence?
Besides, every additional hand in His building this promised Kingdom, will only hasten the גאולה שלימה, the complete Redemption.
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* Limited copies still available
