Netanayhu's "Jewish State Law" Is Not Really Jewish

ג' לחודש התשעי תשע"ה

JPost.com: Cabinet approves 'Jewish state bill'
Lahav Harkov, Herb Keinon, November 24, 2014

PM says he "can't run the country with coalition's ultimatums" as cabinet vote descends into shouting match, Livni accuses him of wanting to fire her, Lapid.

The cabinet voted in favor of the controversial "Jewish state bill," with the preceding discussion descended into a shouting match between ministers on Sunday.

“People ask who needs this bill; we have managed 66 years without it,” Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said ahead of the meeting. “And I ask, who needs the Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty, we managed 45 years without it. We need both,” he said. “Israel is a Jewish democratic state. There are those who want democracy to take precedence over Judaism, and those who want Judaism to take precedence over democracy. In the law that I am bringing, both principles are equal and must be given equal consideration.”

Netanyahu said Israel is the national home of the Jewish people where there are equal rights for every citizen. “But there are national rights only for the Jewish people; a flag, anthem, the right of every Jew to immigrate to Israel, and other national symbols,” he said. (cont.)

Esser Agaroth (2¢):

There are those who might say that Prime Minister Netanyahu is using the recent increase in acts of Arab terrorism to push through this legislation, taking advantage of a rising tide of nationalism. And, they might be right.

However, just like his predecessors, he has taken this nationalism on detour away from the Jewish nationalist path, in favor of an Israeli nationalist path,... a secular, Israeli nationalist path. In other words, nothing much has changed.

To sell his scam, Netanyahu keeps a few sprinkles of Jewish symbolism, as well as the ultimate cherry on top, a "Jewish" national flag. The Temple's Menorah remains on the seal of the same State which has absolutely no intention of rebuilding the Temple, let alone asserting full control over it. In reality, Netanyahu has not added anything new. Instead, he has taken steps to fortify the State's protection against anything which could risk its being further influenced by Judaism.

The manifestation of the Prime Minister’s proposal will be something like that of assimilated, North American Jews proudly displaying their Hannukah Menorahs during the month of December, and perhaps even overemphasizing their eating of matzah during Passover, ie. around Easter time, yet do not necessarily have any deep understanding of the reasons behind what they are doing.

The difference between the prime minister and those assimilated Jews in North America, is that the latter are trying their best to discover their identity. They simply have not yet found the guidance and direction to do so. On the other hand, Netanyahu appears to be continuing one of the objectives initiated by the Labor Zionists, the de-Judaising of Jewish Nationism. The Labor Zionists have attempted all along, to disconnect Zionism from its only true source, the Torah.

“Israel is a Jewish democratic state. There are those who want democracy to take precedence over Judaism, and those who want Judaism to take precedence over democracy. In the law that I am bringing, both principles are equal and must be given equal consideration.” 

Whether the democracy of the Hellenism we fought against, culminating in the first celebration of Hanukkah, or the current manifestation of democracy, neither is fully compatible with Torah, let alone being equal with it.

Some like to bring up how the members of the Sanhedrin “voted,” failing to recognize the profound differences between how and why the Sanhedrin “voted,” and how citizens of [real] democratic countries vote today. The Sanhedrin attempted, and will again attempt in the future, to pin-point what The Almighty wants from us, based on the Tora, both Written and Oral, which has been handed down to us over the generations. Whereas, in the [real] democracies of today, people vote for what they want for themselves. Furthermore, not every citizen in today’s democracies would be permitted to serve on the Sanhedrin, or for that matter, on any Jewish courts.

Does the Torah allow for the freedom of speech? Certainly not. Of course, the deMOCKratic, Israeli Government does not allow for it either.

These are only two of the many examples as to how Torah and democracy are not compatible. The list goes on.

Netanyahu appears to be trying to beat us to the punch, acknowledging that there are those who place the Torah on a higher authority than man-made laws, Israeli, international, or otherwise. There are those who dare to believe that the Torah touches every aspect of a Jew’s life, and not just what he can put into his mouth and what he can do on Shabbath, are known by the dirty word “extremist.” After all, this is technically an “extreme” position to take.

Let us hope that Netanyahu’s new laws will not be used to hammer down on Jews. Now you know why I am against the death penalty.

“…the right of every Jew to immigrate to Israel,…”

What?! Does Prime Minister Netanyahu’s proposed law include a change in the “Law of Return,” to cover only those individuals who are really Jewish? Even Ashkenazy Chief Rabbi David Lau has suggested that chages in the “Law of Return” be made. Will non-Jews, even those with one Jewish grandparent, real or theoretical, with or without proof, now be prevented from immigrating to Israel? This is what the Torah allows, with the addition of gerei toshav, non-Jewish resident aliens who have accepted the Seven Noahide Laws.

Later on in the report from JPost.com…

“I brought the principles of the law in which I believe, the principles that appear in the Independence Scroll,” Netanyahu stated.

From the Independence Scroll, NOT the Torah Scroll.

This final statement of the Israeli Prime Minister pretty much sums it up.