24 of the Third Month 5771
Many have been raving in hysterical adoration over the recent South Carolina House of Representatives' resolution made in support of Israel.
Has anyone bothered to read the exact text of the resolution?
The tip-off that it would be a good idea to do so came when I heard Danny Dayan, Chairman of the YeSh"A Council, mention this resolution last week. The part he quoted seemed rather odd to me
(red). So, I searched for the exact text to confirm the quote.
The first part of the resolution is found below, followed by my comments.
South Carolina General Assembly
119th Session, 2011-2012
H. 4339
STATUS INFORMATION
House Resolution
Sponsors: Reps. Clemmons, Sellers, Hardwick, D.C. Moss, Bedingfield, G.R. Smith, Hosey, Henderson, McCoy, Sottile, Norman, Delleney, Pope, Hiott, Skelton, Parker, Pinson, J.M. Neal, Willis, Pitts, Atwater, Quinn, Bingham, Allison, Crawford, Lowe, Loftis, Forrester, Chumley, Patrick, Long, Neilson, Brannon, Daning, Crosby, Anderson, G.A. Brown, Limehouse, J.R. Smith, Bales and Thayer
Introduced in the House on June 2, 2011
Adopted by the House on June 2, 2011
Summary: Israel
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date Body Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6/2/2011 House Introduced and adopted
6/2/2011 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Hardwick,
D.C.Moss, Bedingfield, G.R.Smith, Hosey, Henderson,
McCoy, Sottile, Norman, Delleney, Pope, Hiott,
Skelton, Parker, Pinson, J.M.Neal, Willis, Pitts,
Atwater, Quinn, Bingham, Allison, Crawford, Lowe,
Loftis, Forrester, Chumley, Patrick, Long, Neilson,
Brannon, Daning, Crosby, Anderson, G.A.Brown,
Limehouse, J.R.Smith, Bales, Thayer
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
6/2/2011
A HOUSE RESOLUTION
TO COMMEND THE NATION OF ISRAEL FOR ITS RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND WITH THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
Whereas, Israel has been granted her lands under and through the oldest recorded deed as reported in the Old Testament, a tome of scripture held sacred and reverenced by Jew and Christian, alike, as the acts and words of God; and
Whereas, as the Grantor of said lands, God stated to the Jewish people in the Old Testament; in Leviticus, Chapter 20, Verse 24: "Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey"; and
Whereas, God has never rescinded his grant of said lands; and
Whereas, along with the grant of said lands to the Jewish people, God provided for the non-Jewish residents of the land in commanding that governance must be in one law for all without drawing distinction between Jewish and non-Jewish citizens, as contained in Leviticus 24:22; and
Whereas, the Nation of Israel declared its independent control and governance of said lands on May 14, 1948, with the goal of reestablishing their God-given lands as a homeland for the Jewish people; and
Whereas, the United States of America, having been the first country to recognize Israel as an independent nation and as Israel's principal ally, has enjoyed a close and mutually beneficial relationship with Israel and her people; and...
(Read the entire resolution)
What does Leviticus 24:22 actually say?
ויקרא כד,כב מִשְׁפַּט אֶחָד יִהְיֶה לָכֶם, כַּגֵּר כָּאֶזְרָח יִהְיֶה: כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה, אֱלֹהֵיכֶם
Lev. 24:22 Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for the home-born; for I am the LORD your God.'
Sounds like the South Carolina Legislature got it right, doesn't it?
Not hardly.
First off, this verse being taken WAY out off context does not surprise me in the least. It was quoted by Christians, who lack half of the Torah,
Torah sheb'al Peh (Oral Torah), and their outlook on the half they do possess is distorted by their latter texts related to the preaching of a false deity.
Jews who distort or reject outright the
Torah sheb'al Peh (Oral Torah), have done the same, even Jews who cover their heads and call themselves "Orthodox." The most basic Torah tenant seems foreign to them, that one cannot fully understand the
Torah shebikhtav (Written Torah) without the
Torah sheb'al Peh (Oral Torah).
So what this verse really mean?
When it says "one law," it is referring to all of the laws and rulings immediately preceding this verse. It is a verse which concludes this section of laws and punishments.
Furthermore, the word גר (stranger) is more likely referring to a convert (eg. a Jew) than not, as
RaSh"I explains on Deuteronomy 24:17. When this word refers to a non-Jew (גר תושב), it refers only to a non-Jew who has accepted the
7 Noahide Laws and has permission to live in Israel. This category does not include members of another religion, such as Islam or Christianity.
A בן נח
(Ben No'ah) is a non-Jew following the
7 Noahide Laws who has not necessarily received permission to live in Israel. Words such as גוי
(goy) and נכרי
(nokhri) refer to non-Jews who do not
7 Noahide Laws, such as Muslims and Christians.
There are countless other sources which contradict the South Carolina Legislature's gross misinterpretation of the Holy Torah. The Talmud speaks very clearly of the differences between Jews and non-Jews, and their respective statuses both in and outside of the Land
(eg. Ramba"m, Hil. Melakhim u'Milhamothehem).
Enemies who want to kill us are not welcome. Non-Jews who worship The Almighty in ways deemed forbidden under Jewish Law are not welcome. This is the case, whether such non-Jews wish to come to Israel to convince Jews to worship as they do, or not.
Non-Jews who follow the
7 Noahide Laws (Gen. 9), which includes the acceptance of Torah as truth, and the rejection of other religions
(Mahara"tz), are allowed to settle in Israel under limited circumstances. Most authorities agree that such individuals would have to complete a process under the auspices of a high rabbinical court not currently in existence. Others argue as well, that such a process could not even take place until
Yovel (Jubilee) comes back into effect.
And, if and when such non-Jews would be allowed to enter the Land to live, they would be subject to service and special taxes (all authorities), and have several other limitations imposes upon them, such as living outside of Jerusalem, outside of additional cities, and living in groups of families of three or less.
They definitely not have share the same rule of law. Furthermore, under the
7 Noahide Laws, they would be required to set up their own courts, courts which would have no authority over Jews, yet the
Sanhedrin would always have the authority to overrule them.
For several reasons, the South Carolina House of Representatives incorrectly stated that
"governance must be in one law for all without drawing distinction between Jewish and non-Jewish citizens, as contained in Leviticus 24:22."This statement is simply not true.
The South Carolina House of Representatives is right about one thing. The Almighty makes the decisions as to who possesses which lands, not human beings.
The Almighty took
Eretz Yisrael away from the practitioners of forbidden worship, the Canaanites, and gave it to
Am Yisrael...
...but not to the
Yishma'elim (Arabs), and not to other practitioners of forbidden worship (eg. Christians).
Thanks, South Carolina, for your support. But, please leave the interpretation of Torah according to Jewish Law, and well as our Homeland, to us.