I never met Rav Binyamin Ze'ev Kahane HY"D, nor his wife Talyah Kanahe HY"D (HaShem Y'qom damam - May God avenge their blood).
They were killed five years ago today, just south of the town of Ofra. They were not the first and not the last, to be killed by snipers from that same hill, now called in their names Tal Binyamin (The Dew of Benjamin). Tal is from Talyah (dew of God) and Binyamin, as it happens is not only from Rav Binyamin Ze'ev, but the area where they were murdered, from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, north to around Beth El.
I first heard of their murder, shortly after they were found. They were on their way back from spending Shabbatn in Jerusalem. It was a Sunday morning. They had just dropped their son, Me'ir David (named for his grandfather Rabbi Me'ir David Kahane HY"D) off at school in Beth El, back tracked to the main road, then continued north to toward their home in Kfar Tapu'ah. They did not get very far after that. Attacked by snipers, Rav Binyamin Ze'ev and Talyah Kahane HY"D were killed in front of their five daughters.
I was in Beth El, where I taught junior high school. The history teacher got a call from her brother. He had found them. There was nothing that could be done for them.
But, let us not remember Rav Binyamin Ze'ev and Talyah Kahane HY"D only for how they died; they died as martyrs. Let us remember them for how they lived.
Rav Binyamin Ze'ev HY"D was no doubt seen as a threat, placing Torah principles before the idioc practices of the State, encouraging its own self-destruction, and having the audacity (sic.) to express his ideas to others,...and in public forums.
Rav Binyamin's crime (sic.), with the altruistic support of his selfless wife Talyah, was to speak his mind, and to say what he believed was the truth, and that was Torah, unabridged and uncensored, with all of the political-incorrectness, most Israels find difficult to hear, yet the sparks of the Jewish neshamoth tell them is true.
Rav Binyamin's crime (sic.) was his attempt to wake up his brothers and sisters from their comfortable numbness.
Rav Binyamin's crime (sic.) was his desire to put the "Jewish" back in the so-called "Jewish State."
Many are not so sure that the Yishma'elim (Arabs) acted alone in carrying out their evil deed, may their names and memories of all those involved be blotted out!
I said that I had never met Rav Binyamin Ze'ev and Talyah Kahane HY"D. However, I will close with one thing I learned from Rav Binyamin Ze'ev Kahane HY"D which I carry with me always, something which has affected my view of the material world in a profound way.
Rav Binyamin Ze'ev Kahane HY"D said of Baruch Goldstein HY"D, that, irregardless of the details of what may or may not have really occurred that Purim in Hevron, 10 years ago, one thing that he did not do was think about his what people would think of him afterwards. He was not concerned about his reputation. He was only concerned with his immediate decisions which needed to be made. The only opinion of him and his actions which was of any consequences was that of HaQadosh Baruch Hu (The Holy One, Blessed Be He).
To some of you that may seem the obvious arrangement of priorities. It was to me, but only because Rav Binyamin Ze'ev HY"D said it that way he did, was I affected, and profoundly touched.
May the blood of Rav Binyamin Ze'ev and Talyah Kahane be avenged!
May the memories of Rav Binyamin Ze'ev and Talyah Kahane be for blessings.
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