Former Chief IDF Rabbi Ronsky Appears to have Completely Lost It

ערב ראש החודש הראשון תשע"ד

YWN: Rabbi Ronsky: We Have More in Common with Lapid than with the Chareidim
(Sunday, March 23rd, 2014)

Rabbi Gen. Avichai Ronsky

Clearly little has been learned by some members of the dati leumi community as former IDF Chief Rabbi Avichai Ronsky is quoted saying that his community still has more in common with the secularists and Yesh Atid than with the chareidim.

Using his Facebook page to get the message out, Rabbi Ronsky on Sunday, 21 Adar II explained the common denominator between the dati leumi and secular community represented by Yair Lapid. Ronsky feels the political deal reached between Yesh Atid and Bayit Yehudi was mutually beneficial, leading to betterment for each party and collectively for the state.

MK Yoni Chetboun

Rabbi Ronsky feels that with all the machlokes, Yesh Atid and Bayit Yehudi are on the same page regarding key issues, including education, the nation’s economy, national defense and “the other issues pertaining to the State of Israel” while the same cannot be said regarding Bayit Yehudi and the chareidim.

For some, Rabbi Ronsky’s words come as a surprise while for others; the cat is out of the bag.

In his post Ronsky also used the opportunity to criticize MK Yoni Chetboun for violating coalition discipline and voting against the new draft law.

Rabbi Ronsky feels the headlines in the chareidi media resulted in additional support for one who compromised party unity and such a reality is needless and damaging.

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
In the past Rabbi Ronsky had made what have seemed to be very appropriate Torah statements, appropriate statements which have appropriately enraged Leftists and pseudo-Right wing, die-hard State loyalists alike. These appropriate statements have included:

1. Saving a wounded enemy terrorist's life may only be done under limited circumstances, such as for the sake of obtaining intelligence information which may save Jewish lives. (Rabbi Me'ir Kahane hy"d made similar statements.)

2. It is forbidden to rely on the United States of America.

3. Jewish women do not need to serve in the IDF. (Well,...close, but no cigar.)

Rabbi Ronsky has also been called an example of those who "cause racist and extremist incitement." In other words, even though he IS a rabbi, how dare he cite halakhah (Jewish Law)!

And now, he identifies more with God-less, Statists, than with Stateless religious, who keep Shabbath, like he does, who keep dietary laws like he does, pray three times a day, fulfill the misswoth of tzitzith and tefillin like he does, look to The Almighty as their Creator and ultimate Authority over everything they do and say,....not like he does???

So, what the heck happened? I have no clue. Maybe he was always this loyal to the State and to the un-Jewish, Israeli deMOCKratic system of government it possess, and I was just too blind to see it.

Yair Lapid
Finance Minister and Yesh Atid Party Chief

Still, to have jumped all the way over from there to here, either he has been influenced,...in one way or another, or he has completely lost it.

It's Broken Record Time: New York is not Your Home; Israel Is!

ו' לחודש השנים עשר תשע"ד

So, yet another North American Jew, even another frum (Orthodox) Jew has made the "big time," being elected to state office. In the case of New York State Sen. Simcha Felder (D-17th-Kings County*), he has been in office for 13 months and a few days.

You can read all the details, including the controversies, of his political career on his Wikipedia page.

In the meantime, let's check out what the good State Senator had to say on the floor....


(Tip: Life In Israel)


Hmm...

OK. So, he talked about a proposed Senate Resolution honor a Jew man Rabbi Michoel Ber Weissmandl who spent much of his life rescuing Jews people from their ultimate demise during the Holocaust.

Did you pick up on the politically-correct manner in which he expressed his thoughts and feeling regarding this issue? (SIGH)

The manner in which he went about speaking on this proposal for a resolution was not wrong, per se. the fact that he is in a position where he follow such rules of politically-correct etiquette is.

So, I must add NY State Sen. Simcha Felder to the ever growing list of Jewish politicians, investing way too much time and energy for the sake of galuth (their lands of exile).

With all of the guff I give to Rabbi MK Dov Lipman (Yesh Atid), at least I can say that he is living in the only true Homeland of the Jewish People, and that his time and energies are more highly invested in the right direction, for the sake of Am Yisra'el.

Rb. Lipman and I may disagree (often). Nevertheless, he is here in Eretz Yisra'el; Sen. Felder is not.

Wanna wait around for Mashi'ah? That's fine (Well, it's not actually fine, but...), then at least invest your time and energy more directly in your own People.

*********

*The 17th NY Senatorial District is comprised of the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Borough Park, Midwood, Brooklyn Chinatown and parts of Bensonhurst and Gravesend

What's Stopping French Jews from Moving to Israel?

י"ח לחודש האחד עשר תשע"ד

Arutz 7: Main Obstacle to French Aliyah: Non-Recognition of Diplomas
New Knesset Caucus for Olim from France discusses urgent need to remove obstacles to aliyah from France.

Gil Ronen, January 16, 2014

MK Yoni Chetboun
(Jewish Home)

The Knesset Caucus for Olim from France and Francophones in Israel was inaugurated Wednesday in the Knesset. The caucus is an initiative of MK Yoni Chetboun (Bayit Yehudi), who will head it.

About 100 of the leaders of the organizations of immigrants from France attended the event, as did Absorption Minister Sofa Landver, Immigration Ministry Director Oded Forer, Jewish Agency Director Josh Schwartz, World Zionist Federation Chairman Avraham Duvdevani, French MP Meir Haviv, Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon (Likud Beytenu) and MKs Nissan Slomiansky, Shuli Moallem and Orit Struk of Bayit Yehudi, Karine Elharar and Rabbi Dov Lipman of Yesh Atid, and the Head of the Etzion Bloc Regional Council, Davidi Perl.

MK Chetboun, who was born into a family that made aliyah from France, said that the caucus intends to bring about practical and immediate change, to speed up the aliyah of French Jews. “The urgency is great,” he warned, “and it is important to understand is a national project that the government of Israel, with all of its ministers, must take upon itself.”

Chetboun said that at present, mistaken policies are blocking the potential stream of olim from France. “You can't expect aliyah and prevent it at the same time,” he added.

Minister Landver said that an inter-ministerial committee to encourage aliyah from France is currently being readied. “This is the window of opportunity,” she declared. “If we do not remove the obstacles, Jews will not immigrate to Israel.”

Director Forer said that while 60% of French Jews are considering emigrating, half of those prefer not to go to Israel.

One of the major obstacles to aliyah is the difficulty in getting diplomas and degrees recognized, mostly in medical professions...

...About 200,000 olim from France and French speaking countries, recent and veteran, live in Israel. In 2013 alone, 3,120 Jews made aliyah – a 63% rise from 2012. Unlike previous years – more olim came from France than from the US, and the trend is expected to gain strength.
Esser Agaroth (2¢):
I actually got wind of this issue on the bus a few weeks ago, when I heard a French Jew explain to some American college students that the French Baccalaureate was not accepted in Israel. I was surprised, because when I arrived in Israel, and lived with 300 college students in Tel Aviv, my understanding is that the French Baccalaureate was the only diploma accepted in Israel.

This meant that Jews from Morocco also had it made if they had been enrolled in a school which followed that system of study and examinations, examinations which are well-known, world-wide to be quite grueling. American and Canadian diplomas were virtually worthless, except for the receiving of an exemption in English, and perhaps other courses which could be skipped through examination.

Well, it is nice to know that MK's are actually trying to do something about it.

If this is the "major obstacle," it gets removed, and then French Jews come en masse, then fantastic. If they still decide to stick around France, or move elsewhere, then I am not what I can say to that, except that we tried.

The WZF Chair also mentioned the need to improve Jewish identity among French Jews. I believe that is also important, and could help.

I recommend a French Birthright type program. That way the Jewish identity of the French youth can be connected with the building of their connection to the Land of Israel.

I am happy to hear that increases in aliyah from France are expected to continue. However, I also believe very strongly that increases in violence targeting Jews will continue as well. And so, I do not think that we have that much time to achieve the implementation of one or two, super programs.

Yair Lapid vs. Israel's Chief Rabbis: Any Bets?

י"ד לחודש האחד עשר תשע"ד

ערוץ 7: שטבון ללפיד: התנצל בפני הרבנים הראשיים

"ישראל היא מדינה יהודית", הזכיר שטבון לשר האוצר בעקבות דבריו נגד הרבנים. "הם לא 'עובדי מדינה' אלא מנהיגי ציבור ופוסקי הלכה".

חזקי עזרא, י"א בשבט תשע"ד, 12/01/1

ח"כ יוני שטבון (הבית היהודי) שיגר היום (ראשון) מכתב חריף לשר האוצר יאיר לפיד בו גינה את דבריו נגד הרבנים הראשיים ודרש ממנו להתנצל.

ביום שישי האחרון תקף השר לפיד בדף הפייסבוק שלו את הרבנים הראשיים לישראל, הרב יצחק יוסף והרב דוד לאו. "הרבנים הראשיים לישראל הודיעו שהם אוסרים על בנות להתגייס לצבא, זוהי חוצפה ושערורייה לאומית", כתב לפיד.

אלא שלא בכך הסתפק שר האוצר והצהיר "אנחנו נפעל לפיטוריהם בכנסת ובממשלה ואם צריך גם במישור המשפטי", כך דברי לפיד שסיים בקביעה כי "דוד לאו ויצחק יוסף אינם ראויים עוד לכהן כרבנים ראשיים."

חבר הכנסת שטבון ראה את הדברים בחומרה ושיגר מכתב לשר לפיד. "לא יעלה על הדעת כי כך ידבר שר בישראל. זוהי שערורייה לנהוג כך בכבודה של תורה, ואני קורא לך לחזור בך ולהתנצל בפני הרבנים הראשיים."

"ישראל אינה צרפת או גרמניה, ישראל היא מדינה יהודית", הזכיר שטבון לשר האוצר. "הרבנים הראשיים בישראל אינם 'עובדי מדינה' אלא מנהיגי ציבור ופוסקי הלכה. מי שרוצה לנהוג ברבנים כעובדי מדינה, לא יעשה כן במדינה יהודית". אני קובל על הסגנון, על הבוטות ועל הזלזול בכבוד הרבנים הראשיים".

ח"כ שטבון אמר אחר הצהריים כי לפיד ומפלגתו מבקשים ''לנתק'' את הדת מהמדינה וקרא למנהיגות הציבורית והרבנית "שלא לשחק לידיהם של אלו המבקשים לטשטש את הזהות היהודית של המדינה."

Esser Agaroth (2¢) Translation:

Arutz 7: Chetboun to Lapid: Apologize in front of the Chief Rabbis
"Israel is a Jewish state," Chetboun reminded the Finance Minister [Lapid] on the tail of his words against the Rabbis. "They are not employees of the State' rather community leaders and rulers on issues of Jewish Law."

Chezki Ezra, January 12, 2014

Rabbi Yitzhaq Yosef and Rabbi David Lau
Israel's Chief Rabbis

MK Yoni Chetboun (Jewish Home) sent a harsh letter today (Sunday) to Finance Minister Yair Lapid in which he admonished his words against the Chief Rabbis and demanded that he apologize.

Yair Lapid
Finance Minister and Yesh Atid Party Chief

Last Friday Minister Lapid attacked the Chief Rabbis of Israel, Rabbi Yitzhaq Yosef and Rabbi David Lau, on his Facebook page. "The Chief Rabbis of Israel have announced that they forbid girls from enlisting in the army; This is hutzpah (gall), and a national scandal," wrote Lapid.

But that was not enough for the Minister of Finance, and so he stated, "We will work toward their dismissals in the K'nesseth and in the government, and if need be, in the legal arena", said Lapid finishing with the assertion that "David Lau  and Yitzhaq Yosef are no longer fit to serve in the positions of Chief Rabbis."

MK Yoni Chetboun
(Jewish Home)

MK Chetboun saw Lapid's words in a severe light, and sent a letter the Minister Lapid, "It is inconceivable that an Israeli minister would speak in this manner. It is scandalous to behave in such a way when it comes to respect for the Torah, and I urge you to retract your statements, and apologize to the Chief Rabbis." 

"Israel is not France or Germany, Israel is a Jewish state," Chetboun reminded the finance minister." The chief rabbis in Israel are not 'civil servants," but community leaders and authorities in Jewish Law. Whoever wants to drive treat rabbis like civil servants, should not do so in a Jewish state." My complaint is about the style, and the blatant disregard for the respect of the Chief Rabbis."

This afternoon MK Chetboun said that Lapid and his party seek to ''cut off'' the religion from the country and called for community and rabbinic leadership "not to play into the hands of those seeking to blur the Jewish identity of the state."

Esser Agaroth (2¢):

Rabbi Shai Piron, Minister of (Re-)Education
Boy, that face sure inspires confidence, doesn't it?
(Photo Credit: Yo'av Dudekevitch)

It seems that Lapid believes that deciding that the halakhah (Jewish Law) goes against Israeli Law, and then going public with it is grounds for dismissing the Chief Rabbis of Israel.

MK Chetboun, on the other hand, believes that the Chief Rabbis are independent from the Israeli Government? Whose payroll are they on? As long as they are elected by, and connected to, the State, they are anything but independent.

I wish that MK Chetboun was correct, but he is not. He is either naive, or just forgot to do his homework. He needs to realize, if has not already, that there are MANY stiroth (conflicts) between the Torah and Israeli Law, and that, like every other Jew in this Land, he will have to make up his mind as to which he is more committed to following. It will soon be impossible to follow both simultaneously.

Lapid at the Conservatives Bash, 2012
"Anyone interested in breaking the
'Orthodox monopoly' in Israel?"

On the other hand, MK Chetboun was quite right in admonishing Lapid, and he was right on the mark when it comes to Lapid's objectives, and which I already warned you about in "Lapid's Attack On Torah.". The only difference between Lapid and his father, Shinu'i Party founder Yosef "Tommy" Lapid, is that the younger seems to be more effective at communicating his message, having learned from his father's mistakes. Of course, after this latest incident, it appears that Yair Lapid be slipping.

Gee, I wonder how one of Lapid's token "rabbis" feels about this? I mean MK Dov Lipman, of course. Rabbi Shai Piron, the Minister of RE-Education is a committed mamlakhti (undying state loyalist), and is thus a lost cause.

Yair Lapid and Rabbi MK Dov Lipman

Rabbi MK Dov Lipman, on the other hand, who I previously suggested might be like one of the spies from Parashath Sh'lakh Lekha, may tow the party line when it comes to state loyalty. But, I am not so that he is willing to go as far as Piron, when it comes to decisions, which even he believes are Torah based. In other words, it will interesting to see how Lipman reacts if Lapid follows through on his threats, and has the Chief Rabbis fired because they dare to follow a higher authority that the State!

Finally, this conflict between Lapid and Chetboun begs the question, to what degree is the tension building up between the two political partners, Yesh Atid and Jewish Home? Is this just a bump on the road to a beautiful and loyal relationship? Or is it a hint of things to come?

Israeli Supreme Court Justices
with President Shimon Peres
(Photo Credit: Orel Cohen)

Speaking of bets, I'll bet that, meanwhile, the Israeli Supreme Court Justices are sitting back with some coffee, and enjoying the show. The K'nesseth and Rabbis will battle it out, and the Supreme Court will come out as the winner, and continue safely legislating from the Bench. That's safely, as in no one will be the wiser.

Of course, the one who always wins is Torah. Our stubbornness just gets in the way most of the time.

Jordan Valley Settlement: Winners and Losers

ב' לחודש האחד עשר תשע"ד

Jordan Valley must remain part of Israel 'for all eternity,' Gideon Sa'ar says

Times Of Israel: Hours before Kerry visit, senior minister helps build settlement
Accompanied by entourage of parliamentarians, Sa’ar says Israel must maintain its civilian, military presence on eastern frontier

Raphael Ahren, January 2, 2014, with Mitch Ginsburg and Times of Israel staff 

Gid'on Sa'ar
Interior Minister

A top Israeli minister on Thursday led a delegation of parliamentarians to the Jordan Valley, where he helped inaugurate a new neighborhood in a settlement and vowed to maintain a military and civilian presence in the territory “for all eternity.” Gideon Sa’ar’s statement came mere hours ahead of the arrival in Israel of US Secretary of State John Kerry, who is slated to present a “framework” for a peace deal to Israeli and Palestinian leaders, including a proposal for security arrangements in the valley, which borders Jordan.

“We are here in the Jordan valley out of a recognition that during these days one of the most crucial issues to Israel’s future is at stake,” Sa’ar, the interior minister, told journalists at a lookout over the Jordan Valley named for the late IDF general and Labor Party politician Yigal Allon.

Sa’ar was accompanied by an entourage of deputy ministers and other MKs, including Likud’s Ze’ev Elkin, Tzipi Hotovely, Yariv Levin and Reuven Rivlin [and Miri Regev]; the Jewish Home party’s Eli Ben-Dahan, Orit Struck and Ayelet Shaked; and Yesh Atid’s Dov Lipman and Ronen Hoffman.

The “crucial” issue is where Israel’s border is going to be drawn: whether it will be the Jordan River or, “God forbid,” somewhere near Netanya and Kfar Saba, Sa’ar said, noting that Israel would become a “state with no strategic depth” if it withdrew from the valley.

“The presence of the IDF in the Jordan Valley can’t be a temporary thing; it needs to be for all eternity,” he added, linking Israel’s military presence to the ongoing presence of settlers in the area.

Sa’ar noted that all Israeli governments since the 1970s had built settlements in the Jordan valley, including Labor-led governments, and added: “It needs to be entirely clear that where there will be no settlements, there will be no IDF. Where there will be no IDF there will be no security and there will be terror instead.”

Ze'ev Elkin
Foreign Affairs
Deputy Minister

After the impromptu press conference at the lookout, the group continued to the Jordan Valley community of Gitit, where Sa’ar and his companions lent a symbolic hand to efforts to construct a new settlement neighborhood, taking turns hoisting buckets of cement and pouring them into the foundations of a new building.

Thursday’s event was “the right action at the right time,” said Elkin, the deputy foreign minister, evoking the late diplomat Abba Eban’s comparison of the 1967 lines to “Auschwitz borders.” He added that in light of Kerry’s visit and the security arrangements proposed by the Obama administration, the ministers were presenting to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Israel’s “sole possible response” to the demands made of it.

MK Dov Lipman

Lipman, the MK from the centrist Yesh Atid party, told The Times of Israel that his presence and the presence of his fellow party member Hoffman was no indication that Yesh Atid was in favor of recent efforts by some Likud ministers to legislate the annexation of the Jordan Valley. Rather, he said, he was there to “discuss the issues.”

The event was organized by the Caucus for Eretz Israel, a Knesset caucus dedicated to fortifying Israel’s presence in all parts of the West Bank. The minister and the other MKs are also to visit other communities in the Jordan Valley, including a meeting with farmers in the settlement of Tomer.

Israel's "Fearless Leader?"
(Photo Credit: YNET Archives)

The West Bank border region has become a sticking point in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, with Jerusalem demanding the long-term presence of Israeli troops in the area, a proposal the Palestinians reject.

On Sunday, a bill to annex the Jordan Valley passed a key ministerial committee, drawing condemnations from both Palestinians and Israelis, who said it threatened the future of the talks. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) is expected to thwart the bill becoming law. (cont.)


Esser Agaroth (2¢):
OK. Whatever....

...Symbolic settlement cementing supposedly signifies something.

I won't knock the MK's who went out to pass cement and plant trees, symbolically or not. Interestingly enough, this event took place on the first of the Eleventh Month in the Hebrew calendar, Sh'vat, the day which Beth Shammai believed was the New Year of the Trees, which, of course, we celebrate on Tu (15) b'Sh'vat.

...באחד בשבט, ראש השנה לאילן, כדברי בית שמאי; בית הלל אומרין, בחמישה עשר בו. (משנה ראש השנה א,א)

...on the first of Sh'vat, the new year of the tree, according to the school of Shammai; the school of Hillel says on the fifteenth. (Mishnah Rosh HaShannah 1:1)

Another significant event occurred on this day, and is mentioned in our Holy Torah.

But, the big loser today is Rb. MK Dov Lipman, whom I have already declared is a spy,...in the Book of Numbers sense. There to “discuss the issues,” huh? And, when the annexation of the Jordan Valley becomes law, then you can say that you were there?

If we have to wait for Mashi'ah, in order to conquer the Land thoroughly, then what are you doing, sitting in the government of a conquering force? Next, we will start hearing the "O" word out of your mouth?

Give MK Boaz Toporovsky (Yesh Atid) A Break!

ערב שבת קודש פר' חקת תשע"ג

YNET: New MK falls asleep in office, wakes up online
MK Toporovsky, young new MK from Yesh Atid, causes stir after uploading suggestive picture of himself online where he's seen shirtless in his office, after plenum deliberation continues into early hours

June 12, 2013

MK Boaz Toporovsky (Yesh Atid) caused a stir both online and offline after he posted what some have called an intimate and suggestive picture of himself sleeping shirtless in his office at the end of long plenum session.

The incident joins a long line of "unparliamentary" activities and has irked Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein who called on MKs to protect the Knesset's honor.

MK Toporovsky: "From now on, I'll sleep in a suit."

---(snip)---

In it, he can be seen lying on what appears to be the couch in his office, giving the camera a "flirtatious" stare and using his shirt as a blanket.

"4:51 am, going to sleep in my office in the Knesset," he wrote alongside the picture. "This is the first time I am sleeping in my office; luckily there is a shower in the office."

Within a number of hours the picture had gone viral, inspiring a slew of internet memes poking fun at Toporovsky, the picture, and specifically his stare.

"I don’t always take semi-nude pictures of myself while I'm in the Knesset" one of the memes read, "but when I do, I make sure my eyes are deep and dreamy."

Esser Agaroth (2¢):

For Goodness Sakes! Give MK Boaz Toporovsky A Break!

K'nesseth Speaker Yuli Edelstein "called on MKs to protect the Knesset's honor." and yet, last Sukkoth, K'nesseth Speaker Yuli Edelstein spoke at a conference of Christian missionaries in the Jerusalem, even after being warned by former Jerusalem City Councilmember Mina Fenton (NRP). How is that protecting the K'nesseth's honor? In fact, it sounds pretty "unparliamentary" to me. Don't you think?

It was reported that MK Toporovsky later added, "From now on, I'll sleep in a suit."

I am certain that if I were to take a look at a list of MK Toporovsky's stances, I would take issue with most of them. In fact, I am pretty disgusted by most all of his colleagues in his Yesh Atid Party, Dov Lipman, Ruth Calderon, and Yair Lapid himself.

In contrast to those folks, MK Toporovsky is an asset. Goverment representatives of the people are supposed be just that, government representatives of the people. And MK Toporovsky represents the people.

He is real. He takes his shirt off to go to sleep on his couch, just like all other, hard-working Israelis do.

AND like most other hard-working Israeli's, he has a sense of humor. Thank The Almighty, we at least have one Member of K'nesseth, who may take his issues seriously, as evidenced by his all night K'nesseth session debate, but does not feel compelled to take himself so seriously.

I can think of at think 100 other Members of K'nesseth you could take a less from this.

OK. So, maybe not every hard-working Israeli posts about it on his or her facebook page. Nonetheless, the way I see it is that, for better or worse, he keeps in touch with his constituents, and he reminds them (us) that he is not above us, nor any better or worse than any of us.

He IS just one of us.

MK Toporovsky, I want to thank you, for being real, and for not forgetting that you're just like any other Israeli.

You're just one of us.

*********

I posted the following on MK Toporovsky's Facebook Page, in addition to this post, more or less a summary in Hebrew of the above:

ח"כ טופורובבסקי,

אני לא מסכים איתך רוב הזמין, אבל אחרי פרשת "שינה בספה" אני יודע שאתה ישראלי אמיתי שעובד קשה מאוד בשבילינו! אתה הראת לכל העולם שאתה לא נמצא ברמה יותר גבוה מישראלים אחרים. אלא אתה ממש אחד ממנו! אתה האח האמיתי שלנו (אפילו כשלא מסכימים.) :-)

Dov Lipman Is A Spy!

ד' לחודש הרביעי תשע"ג

Arutz 7: Yesh Atid’s Lipman: Giving Up Settlements Will Hurt 

MK says love of the land of Israel can go hand-in-hand with support for Israeli withdrawals, PA state. 

Maayana Miskin, June 11, 2013 

Love for the entire land of Israel can go hand-in-hand with support for Israeli withdrawals and the creation of an Arab state in Judea and Samaria, says MK Dov Lipman of the Yesh Atid party. 

MK Lipman spoke Tuesday at the first meeting in this Knesset session of the Land of Israel Lobby. 

“I came to the Land of Israel Lobby meeting today because it’s very important for Members of Knesset who support the ‘two states for two peoples’ plan to say in a loud, clear voice that we love the entire land of Israel,” he declared. 

“Of course we need to build and support the settlement blocs, of course Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Jewish nation, and of course any concession of even the smallest piece of the land of Israel will pain me greatly,” he continued. 

Lipman recalled a visit he made to Hevron last week as part of a tour organized by MK Orit Struk (Bayit Yehudi). “There, under the stones of the Tomb of the Patriarchs my love of Israel grew even stronger,” he said. 

“So did [my recognition of] the reality there, which we cannot ignore,” he added. (cont.) 

(Tip Credit: Jews News)

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
Never, have I heard such a great example of double talk,...except from maybe from Shimon Peres,...or Ariel Sharon.

Clearly, MK Dov "Rabbi" Dov Lipman is a spy. No, not the kind who acquires secrets and hands them over to enemies, at least not that I am aware of.

Rather he is this kind of spy...

במדבר יג

כה  וַיָּשֻׁבוּ, מִתּוּר הָאָרֶץ, מִקֵּץ, אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם. כו  וַיֵּלְכוּ וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל-מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל-אַהֲרֹן וְאֶל-כָּל-עֲדַת בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶל-מִדְבַּר פָּארָן--קָדֵשָׁה; וַיָּשִׁיבוּ אֹתָם דָּבָר וְאֶת-כָּל-הָעֵדָה, וַיַּרְאוּם אֶת-פְּרִי הָאָרֶץ. כז  וַיְסַפְּרוּ-לוֹ, וַיֹּאמְרוּ, בָּאנוּ, אֶל-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר שְׁלַחְתָּנוּ; וְגַם זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבַשׁ, הִוא--וְזֶה-פִּרְיָהּ. כח  אֶפֶס כִּי-עַז הָעָם, הַיֹּשֵׁב בָּאָרֶץ; וְהֶעָרִים, בְּצֻרוֹת גְּדֹלֹת מְאֹד, וְגַם-יְלִדֵי הָעֲנָק, רָאִינוּ שָׁם. כט  עֲמָלֵק יוֹשֵׁב, בְּאֶרֶץ הַנֶּגֶב; וְהַחִתִּי וְהַיְבוּסִי וְהָאֱמֹרִי, יוֹשֵׁב בָּהָר, וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי יוֹשֵׁב עַל-הַיָּם, וְעַל יַד הַיַּרְדֵּן.ל  וַיַּהַס כָּלֵב אֶת-הָעָם, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה; וַיֹּאמֶר, עָלֹה נַעֲלֶה וְיָרַשְׁנוּ אֹתָהּ--כִּי-יָכוֹל נוּכַל, לָהּ.לא  וְהָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר-עָלוּ עִמּוֹ, אָמְרוּ, לֹא נוּכַל, לַעֲלוֹת אֶל-הָעָם:  כִּי-חָזָק הוּא, מִמֶּנּוּ.לב  וַיֹּצִיאוּ דִּבַּת הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר תָּרוּ אֹתָהּ, אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֵאמֹר:  הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר עָבַרְנוּ בָהּ לָתוּר אֹתָהּ, אֶרֶץ אֹכֶלֶת יוֹשְׁבֶיהָ הִוא, וְכָל-הָעָם אֲשֶׁר-רָאִינוּ בְתוֹכָהּ, אַנְשֵׁי מִדּוֹת.לג  וְשָׁם רָאִינוּ, אֶת-הַנְּפִילִים בְּנֵי עֲנָק--מִן-הַנְּפִלִים; וַנְּהִי בְעֵינֵינוּ כַּחֲגָבִים, וְכֵן הָיִינוּ בְּעֵינֵיהֶם.

Numbers 13
25 And they returned from spying out the land at the end of forty days.  26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, and said: 'We came unto the land whither thou sent us, and surely it flows with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. 28 Howbeit the people that dwell in the land are fierce, and the cities are fortified, and very great; and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. 29 Amalek dwelleth in the land of the South; and the Hittite, and the Jebusite, and the Amorite, dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanite dwelleth by the sea, and along by the side of the Jordan.' 30 And Caleb stilled the people toward Moses, and said: 'We should go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.' 31 But the men that went up with him said: 'We are not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.' 32 And they spread an evil report of the land which they had spied out unto the children of Israel, saying: 'The land, through which we have passed to spy it out, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 And there we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come of the Nephilim; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.'

Of course, he is NOT of the Joshua nor Caleb variety. Rather, he is like one of the 10 spies, who although learned in Torah, and witnessed the miracles The Almighty did for them, they had a complete lack of emunah (faith) in Him.

Like those spies, MK Lipman believes that we should look at the "reality" of our situation, which is, or course, code for "I'm afraid of the big, bad Arabs!" (Yishma'el) or "I'm afraid of what the 'international community' (goyim) will think!" (Esau).

Pathetic.

MK Dov Lipman lounging in his K'nesseth office

He must be like one of the spies. The Almighty promised us this Land, handed it back to us in 1948, gave us even more back in 1967, and then topped it off with lands from promises for the future, right before our very eyes.

And, Dov Lipman wants to carve it up, just like Shimon Peres, Yossi Beilin, and Zahava Gal-On! Only, Dov Lipman is worse. We already know what Peres, Beilin, and Gal-On want to do. But, Lipman?

Like the spies, he is supposedly learned in Torah, and thus should hold dear the precious gifts The Almighty has given us, rather than spit in His Face, by rejecting the Holy Land granted only to us.

And what exactly does "Rabbi" Lipman intend to do about all of those Torah observant Jews living on those lands, to be handed over??? Has he thought of that yet? Difficult concessions, huh? To our enemies, huh?

"Fearless Leader" Yair Lapid with Dov Lipman, one of his token, kippah-wearing minions

Why don't we hand over Ramath Beth Shemesh over to the Yishma'elim? What would you think of that? Difficult concessions are necessary, right? Besides, it will go nicely with Shiekh Munes, the "stolen" village upon which the neighborhood of Ramat Aviv was built. Fortunately, former MK Michael Ben-Ari would run to defend Ramath Beth Shemesh just as much as he would Hevron, and Ramat Aviv resident and former MK Michael Kleiner would never hear of such a thing regarding his neighborhood.

In contrast to MK Lipman, they are like Joshua and Caleb.

I guess MK Lipman was just thinking of Hevron, where are righteous forbears are buried, Shiloh, where the Mishkan stood for 400 plus years, and Beth El.

If he believes that we just sit around and wait for Mashi'ah to do everything, then why on earth is he jumping the gun by sitting in a prematurely established government?

You cannot have your cake and eat it, too.

MK Lipman, you should resign. And, if you are still wondering why I do not include the title "Rabbi" next to your name, then you really have some self-reflection to do.