הבית היהודי של יוסי ברדני הוא ריק / Yossi Brodny's Jewish Home Party is Empty

כ"ט לחודש החמישי תשפ״ב

Yossi Brodny - the Jewish Home: No matter how we look at it, they took over our home, a home that was a sign of a sane and good Religious Zionism that turned into a religious Zionism of factionalism and incitement. It is time to stop and do a U-turn, return to a true and sane Religious Zionism. Religious Zionism that really represents us. Returning home. Returning to the Jewish Home - National Religious Party. Real Religious Zionism!

עשר אגורות (2¢):
הסתה = חוקי התורה קודמין לחוקי האדם.
ציונות דתית אמיתית = ממלכתיות נאמנות למדינה גמורה... ללא שאלה על פקודות הנראות לנגוד בתורה?
ציונות דתית שפויה = השתדלות להיות יותר דומה לאומות העולם (הדרך להתבוללות?).

אני לא טוען שהפירושים האלה באמת לפי הכוונה של יוסי ברודני. אלא אני פשוט כותב את מה שאני מבין בקטע שלו בין השורות, אפילו אם הוא לא מבין את זה ככה.

מומלץ לקרוא ההפתעה של יוסי ברודני.

והנה כמה הערות...

1. Arieh King, Jerusalem City Councilman: And to the mother who sent him Hagit Moshe, the last stanza in my song about Yossi is dedicated to him.

Empty is the (Jewish) Home. It has no milk,
Bread not even a mouthful
But the House is full, filled with
A harmonica player and a flower
And a barking puppy....

2. Yaakov Fauci: You won't get half a seat in Knesset!!!

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
Incitement = Torah Law takes precedence over manmade laws.

Real Religious Zionism = Diehard loyalty to the State... without questioning orders appearing to contradict the Torah?

I am not claiming that these interpretations are actually what Yossi Brodni intends. Rather, I am simply writing what I understand between the lines of what he wrote, even if he does not understand it that way.

*********

Related Posts:

Yossi Brodny's Big Surprise

The Real "Religious Zionist" (תשס"ח/2008)

נפתלי בנט בסדר עם הסכם אוסלו באמת? / Is Naftali Bennett Really OK with the Oslo Accords?

ג׳ לחודש האחד העשר תש"פ

YNET: בלי שהרגשנו, נפתלי בנט דווקא בסדר עם אוסלו
אף שעל? שתי גדות לירדן? הרשות היא אסון? מי נתן נשק לערבים? לא ולא: שר הביטחון הזמני נתקל במציאות ואימץ כצפוי את צעדי השמאל 

סני ארזי:  20.01.20 

בשבוע שעבר, בשקט בשקט, התכנסו אנשי פורום הימין המתנחלי-דתי "קהלת", והריעו לשר הביטחון הזמני נפתלי בנט על הצהרותיו לשינויי המדיניות שהוא מבצע. וכך אמר כבוד השר הזמני: "המדיניות של מדינת ישראל היא ששטחי C שייכים לה, אנחנו לא באו"ם. לפני חודש כינסתי במשרד הביטחון את כולם והסברתי את המדיניות הברורה של הדרג המדיני, והיא שמדינת ישראל תעשה הכול כדי שבשטחים האלה תהיה בנייה ישראלית". (המשך...)

עשר אגורות (2¢):
ראשית אני רוצה להדגיש שאני כותב את זה לא כדי לתקוף את סני ארזי אלא אני משמש בגיוי דעה שלו כמבוא לתקוף את נפתלי בנט, ...מה שאני נוהג לעשות שנים כבר.

נפתלי בנט

אני שמח שסני ארזי כתב את הקטע הזה. כמובן אני לא מסכים עם חזון או עם ההשקפה שלו. אבל, עם רוב התצפיות שלו אני כן מסכים.

לעתים קרובות השמאל האמיתי מבטא באופן בבירור לגבי חזונו. לא תמיד, אלא לעתים קרובות. בזכות הביררות הזו יש לי הנכונות לדבר איתם מכיוון שאנו מסכימים לחלוק על מראש. לא תמיד, אלא לעתים קרובות. ואז אנו יכולים לדבר על שמירת הטבע, הקיימות, ניקוי חופי הים שלנו, צמצום שימוש האריזה ומוצרים מיותרים קשורים, קומפוסט וכדומה לאלה. כלומר, בהנחה שיש לנו נכונות להקשיב אחד לשני.

ואחרי כמה זמן בשיחה, אני הייתי מזכיר לידיד החדש שלי שהעניינים האלה גם חשובים מאוד לדתיים הלאומיים האמיתים (למשל, מתנחלים אמיתיים) ... או שככה הם צריכים להרגיש לגבי העניינים אלה. הקב"ה נתן לנו את הכוכב הזה לטפל בו ולא להרוס.

אני כותב "השמאלנים האמיתים", מכיוון שיש גם השמאלנים הכאילו -- הצבועים האליטיסטים החילונים ורוב הזמן אשכנזים -- הלעולם לא יתנו לבניית מסגד בשכונה שלהם, ולעולם לא יתנו לפליטים למסתננים האפריקאים הנמצאים בארץ ללא אישור לשחות בבריכות הציבוריות שלהם.

אני אומר "הדתיים הלאומיים האמיתית", מכיוון שיש גם הדתיים מבולבלים באופן אידיאולוגי. הם נאמני המדינה כאילו נאמנות המדינה שווה ל נאמנות התורה ואפילו נאמנות להקב״ה עצמו. אין ביכולת היהודים המסכנים האלה להבחין בין חוקי התורה לחוקי המדינה. לפעמים מכיוון שהרבנים שלהם לא יודעים את ההבדל בעצמם, או שהם כן יודעים את ההבדל, אך מסרבים ללמד להם על כך.

בינתיים, הילדים שלהם עוברים אידוקטרינציה על ידי מערכת החינוך הממלכתי "הדתי". ב״ה, עדיין יש המורים המגנים על השפיות של הילדים שלנו. בעיקר המורים האלה הם עירקיים, פרסיים, תימניים, או צפון אפריקאיים שזוכרים היטב איך התייחסו אליהם בילדות שלהם. יתכן ואף יש להם אחים שנחטפו או עברו קרינה כשהם היו ילדים. אנו עדיין יכולים לסמוך על המורים האלה למנוע מללמד שמדינת ישראל "מושלמת", קל וחומר שהיא "יהודית ומושלמת". (אפשר לנשום עכשיו)

אולי אתם חושבים שהפסגות הקודמות לא שייכות לעניין כל כך. אבל להסביר את ההבדל בין הדתיים הלאומיים האמיתיים למזויפיים (אני פגעתי במישהו בשימוש מילת התואר "מזוייף?) מביא אותנו בחזרה לשר הביטחון הנוכחי נפתלי בנט.

כפי שכתבתי הרבה פעמים, מעולם לא היה למפד"ל חזון חוץ מהפסקת הפצצות והירי (והדקירות והדריסות ע"י הטרקטורים). יותר ויותר התבררה הדעה שלהם "להיות דתי" לא קשורה לתורה כמו שצריכה. והדעה שלהם "להיות ציוני" גם לא כל-כך ציוני. אפילו שהתורה היא המקור האמיתי לאמונה שארץ ציון (ירושלים, ארץ ישראל) היא מולדתו המובטחת ע"י אלוהים של עם ישראל.

הם הצביעו לשינויים בחוק השבות לומרואומרים כי כמה עולים חדשים לא-יהודים לא יפגעו בנו.

הם שאלו רבנים רציניים כמו הרב מרדכי אליהו זצ"ל שאלות להדרכה, ואז עשו את ההפך.

הגלגול הבא של מפד"ל היה מפלגת הבית היהודי. לחץ על הקישור כדי לקרוא תיעוד של השטויות שלה הכוללות את המעורבים של בנט, שמאז עבר למפלגת הימין החדשה וכעת ימינה. פשוט יש רבים מדי לרשום כאן.

הרב רפי פרץ לקראת גירוש
היהודים מעזה בשנת תשס"ה.

כיום הרב צה"ל לשעבר הרב רפי פרץ יו"ר מפלגת הבית היהודי . ולדעתי הוא לא נלחם מספיק על "הבית היהודי" האישי שלו בעזה (היא כוללת גוש קטיף). אלא הוא העדיף לשיר ולבכות על זה עם החיילים המבצעים את גירוש היהודים. בינתיים ראש הישיבת מרכז הרב קוק הרב אברהם שפירא זצ"ל אמר לחיילים לשבת בכלא ולא לעבור התורה.

אתם מתבלבלים?

אל תדאגו. אתם בהחלט לא היחידים המתבלבלים. עם זאת, אתם במעוט. אתם הכנים לגבי זה.

אני תוהה אם נפתלי בנט מבולבל.

פרסמתי לראשונה את המפה הזו ע״י אומן אנונימי לפני כשבע שנים. היא מציגה השוואה בין תכנית הסכם הקטלני אוסלו לתכנית של נפתלי בנט.

הסכם אוסלו ותכנית בנט: מה ההבדל?

יש טוענים שהוא פשוט יהיה מציאותי ויצליח בדרך זו. אבל, זו אסטרטגיה. אסטרטגיה יכולה להיות תירוץ להתקדם באטיות, או בעקיפין, אפילו נגד אינטואיטיבי לעבר המטרה. אבל אסטרטגיה בכלל לא תירוץ להזדהות כדתי לאומי (ציוני) ולהזניח להצהיר אולפחות להודות את העקרונות קבועים של הציונות הדתית. לצערנו חייבים להזכיר שאסטרטגיה בכלל לא תירוץ להתעלם מעקרונות התורה כדי להשיג מטרות מבוססות בתורה.

בנט הסביר כי פקודות [צבמסוימות אינן חוקיות וכל חייל צריך להחליט לבצע או לא לבצע אותן. 

(ערוץ 7, 03.12.12)

ואיזה פקודה לא חוקית? לא חוקית לפי מי? לא חוקית לפי מה?

אם נפתלי בנט כבר הצהיר פעם בעבר את אמונתו שארץ ישראל בסופו של דבר תונחה על ידי תורה, והיא תכלול ממשלה מבוססת תורה, מלך, סנהדרין, בית מקדש שנבנה מחדש ודרישות מגורים, בכל דרך, אנא יידעו אותי .

נראה שהוא עדיין רוצה אוטונומיה לכמה ערבים ואזרחות לערבים אחרים.

בנט מדבר על ריבונות ביהודה ושומרון, אבל מה זאת אומרת בדיוק? מפלגת תחיה כבר ניסתה את "האסטרטגיה" הזו של התעלמות מדרישות התושבות מבוססות התורה.

כל מה שנקרא דתיים הלאומיים צריכים לעשות הוא לקבוע שאנחנו לא יושבים בארץ ישראל במצב של "יד ישראל תקיפה". אז לפחות תהיה להם אסמכתא לתכניות שטות שלהם ולעוד מספר עקרונות הנוגדים את התורה.

אבל האגוים פשוט שלהם לא יתנו להם לעשות דבר כזה, מפני שלארה"ב, האיחוד האירופי, והאו"ם יותר שליטה על ארץ ישראל מאשר על עם ישראל עצמו. (יד הגויים תקיפה.)

יש לשמאל "האמיתי" יש את הכנות להודות את המטרה שלהם, להיות מדינה חילונית דמוקרטית כמו האומות האחרות בעולם. ויש לחרדים הקיצוניים הכנות להצהיר את המטרות שלהם, להתפלל וללמוד תורה ולחכות בסבלנות עד המשיח יבוא להציל אותנו.

עכשיו, עם חשיפתו של מה שנקראה "Deal of the Century" של הנשיא טראמפ, בואו נראה אם ​​"הדתי הלאומי" (הציוני) נפתלי בנט קיבל את משאלתו.

YNET: Bennett is actually fine with the Oslo Accords
Opinion: Right-wing tenets like Israel holding both sides of the River Jordan, the PA being a disaster and a complete refusal to retreat from any territory have fallen from favor with the defense minister, who seems to have adopted some of the left's most deep-rooted beliefs about West Bank 

Sany Arazi, 01.25.20 

Last week, under right everybody's noses, Defense Minister Naftali Bennett essentially told the pro-settlement, religious-Zionist Kohelet Policy Forum that large swathes of the West Bank should be under Palestinian control.

It even came as the Forum praised him for his policy turnaround regarding the West Bank. (cont.)

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
Just to be clear, I am not writing to attack Sany Arazi. Rather, I am using his piece as a platform to come after Naftali Bennett,...yet again.

I am glad Sany Arazi wrote this piece. Obviously, I do not agree with his vision. But, his observations are very much on the mark.

The real left is often clear about its vision. Not always, but often. For this reason I can often speak with them because we agree to disagree right off the bat, and then talk about the environment, sustainability, cleaning up our beaches, reducing the consumption of packaging and related unnecessary products, composting and the like. That is, assuming we have the willingness to listen to each other.

When the time is right, I mention that the real religious right (eg. real settlers) also feels strongly about these issues,...or should feel strongly about these issues (A-hem!). After all, The Almighty gave us this planet to take care of. Not to trash it.

I write "real left," because there is also the often Ashkenazy secular elitist, hypocritical left who would never let a mosque into their neighborhood, nor let an African refugee insurgent swim in their local, public pools.

I write "real right," because there is also the ideologically confused religious die hard State loyalists (mamlakhtim) who do not know the difference between Torah law and State law, sometimes because their rabbis don't even know the difference themselves, or actually do know the difference, but refuse to tell them. Meanwhile, their children are being indoctrinated in the Israeli "religious" public school system. Fortunately there still are the occasional disenfranchised Iraqi or Yemenite teachers, getting ready to retire, who remember all too well how they were treated as children. They may even have siblings who were kidnapped or irradiated when they were babies. We can still count on them to disavow any notions of a "perfect," or better yet a "perfectly Jewish," State of Israel. (take a breath)

Now, you may think that I have gotten off on a big tangent here, as I sometimes do. But this talk of real right vs. (what should we call them, so as not to hurt anyone's feelings?) the unreal right, leads us right to current Minister of Defense Naftali Bennett.

As I have said time and time again, the National Religious [NRP] never had much of a vision other than making the bombs and shootings (and not stabbing and tractor races) stop. More and more it became obvious that its idea of "religious" had very little to do with Torah. Neither did its idea of Zionism. Even though the Torah is the actual source for the belief that the Eretz Tzion (Jerusalem, Land of Israel) is the Divinely Promised homeland of the Jewish People.

Supporting changes to the Law of Return, saying that "a few non-Jews won't hurt us.

Asking serious rabbis like Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu ztz"l questions for guidance, and then doing the opposite.

The next incarnation of the NRP was the Jewish Home Party. Click the link for a record of its shenanigans, which includes those involving Bennett, who has since moved on to the New Right Party and now the Yamina Movement (Rightward). There are simply too many to list here.

Rabbi Rafi Peretz during the expulsion
of Jews from Gaza in 2005.

Now the Jewish Home Party is headed by former Chief IDF Rabbi Rafi Peretz who didn't fight terribly hard for his personal "Jewish Home" in Azza (Gaza), preferring to sing and cry over it with soldiers. Meanwhile the Rosh Yeshiva of Merkaz HaRav Kook Avraham Shapira ztz"l was telling soldiers to sit in jail, rather than violate the Torah.

Confused?

Do not fret. You are certainly not the only one who is confused. However, you may be one of the few who is willing to be honest about it.

I am beginning to wonder whether Naftali Bennett is confused after all.

I first posted this map comparison from an anonymous artist almost seven years ago.

The Bennett Plan vs. The Oslo (Death) Accords: What's the difference?

Some might claim that he simply be practical, realistic if you will. But, that's strategy. Strategy may be an excuse for moving slowly, or indirectly, even counter-intuitively toward ones goals. But is is a legitimate excuse to identify as a Religious Zionist, and neglect stating core Religious Zionist principles as ones eventual goals?

Also from seven years ago:

Arutz 7: Bennett: IDF Radio Misquoted Me
Bayit Yehudi chairman says he did not say he would evict people from Jewish communities. 

Arutz 7: 12/30/2012 

Sources close to Bayit Yehudi chairman Naftali Bennett told Arutz Sheva that he was misquoted Sunday by IDF Radio. The radio station's website quoted him as saying that “any IDF soldier who is given orders that are not clearly illegal and were handed down by the government… must follow those orders, and that includes Naftali Bennett.” Sources near Bennett said that the quote in IDF Radio, which included a reference to the possible eviction of Jewish communities, was false. Speaking at a political event in Herzliya Sunday, Bennett explained that some orders are obviously illegal and every soldier must decide if he will carry them out. He added that he explained his views on the matter when he was asked how he would handle such orders in the Channel 2 television interview ten days ago.

And which orders are illegal? Illegal according to whom? According to what? The Torah? State Law? International Law?

If Naftali Bennett has ever stated his belief that the Land of Israel will eventually be guided by Torah, and will include a Torah-based government, a king, a Sanhedrin, a Temple, and residence requirements, by all means, please let me know.

It seems that he still wants autonomy for some Arabs and citizenship for others.

Bennett talks about sovereignty over the West Bank, but what exactly does he mean by this? The Techya Party, a break off from the NRP and the Likud, already tried this "strategy," of ignoring Torah-based, Land of Israel residency requirements.

All any so-called religious Zionist has to do is to state that we are not fully in control of the Land of Israel. Then they would at least have support for their Land giveaways and the implementation of any number of other anti-Torah deMOCKratic principles.

But that is simply something which their egos will not allow them to do, admit that the Untied States, the European Union, and the United Nations have more control over the Land of Israel than the Jewish People themselves. יד הגויים תקיפה. Talk about a Zionist failure!

Anyway, what do these people care about citing halakha (Torah Law)?

The "real" left and has the intellectual honesty to acknowledge their goals, to be a secular democratic state like the rest of the nations of the world. The extreme Haredim have the honesty to declare their goals, to pray, to learn Torah, and to wait patiently for Mashi'ah to come and save us. They do not make any bones about it.

And so, with the revealing of the so-called "Deal of the Century," let's see if "Religious Zionist" Naftali Bennett got his wish.

Moti Alon Revisited... Unfortunately

ח' לחודש השנים עשר תשע״ט

I don't like citing Arutz 7, not in the least. Not thrilled about giving this individual the free publicity either. But, this op-ed needed a response.

Arutz 7 Op-Ed: Mario Lemieux and Bnei Akiva
Rav Chaim Drukman is under attack for helping out Rav Moti Alon. We can learn a lot from Mario Lemieux. 

Rabbi Dr. Aryeh Hirsch, 16/01/19 

It happens that Rav Chaim Drukman is under attack for helping out Rav Moti Alon. To put it mildly, I am incensed to read the attacks against Rav (Rabbi) Drukman by two fellow Jews and Bnei Akiva members, and by something called the Freidberg Foundation. To explain this, though, requires the following background information:

תלמיד חכם שסרח אין מבזין אותו- "a Torah scholar who sins is not to be shamed publicly", says Reish Lakish ( Talmud, Menachot, 99b)- " because, say the Rabbis of the Yeshivah of Rabbi Yishmael, he is sure to do Teshuvah (recreate himself via repentance- Berachot 19a). One would think this also is true of a Talmud chacham (scholar) who didn't sin, but did the right thing - he is not to be shamed. However, let's see: 

Only one figure took pity on this תלמיד חכם שסרח- Torah scholar who went wrong. Rav Chaim Drukman realized that for a Rabbi who had spent his whole life teaching, and on such a scale, to suddenly be forced to give it all up - this would destroy him. So Rav Drukman gave Rav Alon space in Ohr Etzion Yeshivah in order to give shiurim (classes).  

Rav Drukman, however, is not naïve. A longtime MK and Minister, head of the network of Bnei Akiva Yeshivot and Ulpanot, head of the government's Conversion Commission for more than a decade, Rav Drukman has a wealth of practical experience in the human sphere to accompany his scholarship and position as Rosh Yeshivah. Thus Rav Drukman put conditions on his help to Rav Alon - the primary one being, that none of the students at Ohr Etzion's two high schools were allowed to attend the shiurim (classes) given by Rav Alon. To the extent of the community of Ramat Shapira, home to Ohr Etzion, Rav Alon was supervised. 

Of course, Rav Alon had his own Yeshiva elsewhere. Rav Drukman is not the Shabak, and he's not the KGB; and unfortunately it was there that Rav Alon fell back into his old sin of sexual offense against a male student. This time, as soon as this behavior became known, Rav Drukman and others put an end to all of Rav Alon's public teaching. 

However, this appears not to be enough for several holier–than-thous in the Religious Zionist camp. One, who gives major sums to Bnei Akiva but doesn't have the courage to even say who he is, has said that he "is dismayed at (Rav) Drukman's refusal to publicly condemn (Rav) Alon"(Jerusalem Post, Friday, Jan. 11). So much for Resh Lakish's prohibition AGAINST public condemnation; given this Talmudic dictum, Mr. Anonymous won't be getting any condemnations of Rav Alon from Rav Drukman. Another, a former Bnei Akiva World Chairman, is "boycotting the upcoming world Bnei Akiva conference until he [Rav Drukman] is prepared to accept responsibility for his decision to help Rav Alon and for damages to the victims".

Rav Drukman not accepting responsibility? Who does he think he is, speaking thus to a Rav who has accepted public responsibility for the last 50 years? Rav Drukman did everything possible to police Rav Alon's activities while in Rav Drukman's jurisdiction, and pinning blame on Rav Drukman for the recent offenses is, simply, self-righteous defamation of the Rav. (cont.)

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
Sexual predators can be treated successfully. 100% of them? No idea, but probably not, even with all of the time and money necessary for proper treatment. And, in my professional opinion, the chances of successful treatment are higher if the perpetrator of such crimes actually wants help.

Besides psychotherapy, there is Sexaholics Anonymous [SA]. No. I am not promoting any particular program, nor 12-Step programs. I am simply mentioning that they are out there, and an option.

Of course, I would NEVER DREAM of calling Moti Alon a sexual predator. I am simply using this group of individuals as an example, to drive the point home.

I'm very much for "innocent until proven guilty" approach, and I do not believe that accusers should be automatically believed. I hope I do not have to tell you about all of the men who have lost their jobs, their, families, custody of their children, not to mention their reputations, due to false accusations. Such damage simply cannot be undone.

But the evidence we have heard against Moti Alon is compelling, and a beth din of Alon's mamlakhti (diehard State loyalist) peers previously ruled against him, and, for better or worse, tried to keep the incidents quiet. In my opinion, this was chance enough for Moti Alon. And so, I find this all quite disturbing.

Rabbi Chaim Druckman

But the purpose of this post is not to talk about Alon. Rather it is to respond to an op-ed. I, myself, have already written enough about Rav Druckman's involvement with Moti Alon in תשע"ג-תשע"ד/2013:

Rabbi Druckman Throws Students to the Dogs
Rabbi Druckman Makes a Terrible Situation Much Worse

First off, I will concede that  Rabbi Dr. Aryeh Hirsch may very well be correct regarding public rebuke. Maybe. A similar argument was made against attacking Shlomo Aviner publicly above and beyond the order of the Beth Din of Rabbi Mordekhai Eliyahu ztz"l (Rabbi Ya'acov Yosef ztz"l, Rabbi Dov Lior, Rabbi Zalman Nehemiyah Goldberg, Rabbi Avraham Elqanah Kahane Shapira ztz"l) to publicize its ruling that Aviner should refrain from ruling on issues of family purity. To this day, followers of Shlomo Aviner claim that the motivation to "go after him," was political.

Moti Alon cannot make this same claim.

Since I'm no fan of Rav Druckman's conversion programs anyway...

(I was on Rav Sherman's side the entire time of the conflict and I still think he was right. Every time I heard public debate on this issue, it was Rav Sherman's side providing halakhic support for his position, while Rav Druckman's surrogates engaged in name calling.

It is ridiculous that a secular court intervened. It is an embarrassment that we accepted its intervention in an halakhic matter. And it is a complete disappoint, to say the least that Rav Druckman participated in such a proceeding when most of those sitting in judgment are disqualified from sitting on a beth din.)

...the mention of Rav Druckman's conversion programs do not impress me in the least, and actually have the opposite effect on me. I would have said to boycott the world Bnei Akiva conference anyway.

Hirsch also lists Rav Drukman's various other accomplishments. He should not have bothered listing his positions in the government. Also not impressed. Rav Druckman was a member of the National Religious Party [NRP], reincarnated as The Jewish Home Party, and now transforming into who knows what. The National "Religious" Party asked Rav Mordechai Eliyahu ztz"l whether it could put women on the party list of candidates. Rav Eliyahu said "no." The NRP did it anyway, stating that it had "other rabbis," albeit as Rav Druckman was completing his tenure as a member of Knesset [MK]. Couldn't the NRP just shop around for rabbinical opinions -- not that this strategy is acceptable -- instead of embarrassing itself?

Moti Alon

Rabbi Dr. Hirsch author should also ask his fellow students at Merkaz HaRav Kook why they founded the Ariel youth group. (Hint: because they didn't want their kids going to Bnei Akiva.) מי שמבין יבין

Wait a minute! Even Bnei Akiva members are complaining about Rav Druckman! Perhaps I misjudged them. Perhaps they are waking up. Unfortunately, it has taken incidents of alleged sexual abuse to do it.

I am very disappointed to see this opinion coming out of Merkaz HaRav via one of its recent musmachim, not the opinion itself, but the reasoning used to support it.

Merkav HaRav Kook, in my opinion, truly the flagship yeshiva of [authentic] Religious Zionism, having been in the forefront of the fight against the expulsion from Azza, and whose late Rosh Yeshiva Rav Avraham Shapira ztz"l was in the forefront in the battle against the masses' confusion over the differences between Torah Law and Israeli law and which of these takes precedence.  

(Hint: There is not just one "Religious Zionist" camp. There are at least two: The camp which holds that חוקי התורה קודמין לחוקי האדם, and the camp which is misguided and confused about this.)

But, hey. Rabbis Menachem Froman and Shai Piron also learned at Merkaz HaRav Kook, so unfortunately, we shouldn't be surprised.

Regardless of the degree of Rav Druckman's responsibility for Moti Alon's destruction of the lives of several Jewish men, at the very least, he should make a public commitment to refrain from employing the same strategy over again, expecting different results when it comes to intervening with "alleged" perpetrators of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse.

Has Rav Druckman already done this? If I've missed, then by all means, please post it in the comments below.

עוד שטויות מנפתלי בנט / More Nonsense from Naftali Bennett

כ"ג לחודש העשירי תשע"ט

English follows the Hebrew.

הקול היהודי עוצמה יהודית: "אין כל חדש ב'ימין החדש'"
בעקבות הודעת בנט ושקד אמש מגיבות מפלגות האיחוד הלאומי ועוצמה יהודית: "בנט חושב שיעשה אקזיט על הגב של הציונות הדתית"

מערכת הקול-היהודי כ"ב טבת תשע"ט - 30/12/2018

בעקבות הודעתם של נפתלי בנט ואיילת שקד על הקמת מפלגה דתית-חילונית, פרסמה אמש מפלגת עוצמה יהודית קריאה לחבר הכנסת בצלאל סמוטריץ' והשר לשעבר אלי ישי לחבור לבלוק טכני שיהווה מפץ ימני שיאחד את כל המחנה הדתי לאומי למאבק על ארץ ישראל ועל זהותה היהודית של המדינה. (המשך)

עשר אגורות (2¢):

נפתלי בנט

אנשי מפלגת עוצמה יהודית מפרשים את זה חי טוב: "אין כל חדש ב'ימין החדש.'"

האסטרטגי של בנט פשוט שטות פוליטי מעוצבת כדי לקחת קולות מהליכוד. בע"ה מפלגת דתי לאומי [מפד"ל], מה שקראו לבית היהודי בעבר, סוף סוף תיקרס.

במקביל הודיעו אלי בן דהן, סגן שר הבטחון וח"כ מוטי יוגב כי ישארו במפלגת הבית היהודי שניהם אף הודיעו כי יתמודדו לראשותה של המפלגה.

ח"כ שולי "מתקיפת זכויות להורים" משולם רפאלי גם עוזבת את הבית היהודי ותצטרף ל"הימין החדש."

גורמים בעוצמה יהודית אמרו בתגובה להחטת בנט ושקד כי "נפתלי בנט איכזב בגדול והיה שותף לחוסר מעש מתמשך שכלל את הפקרת הדרום, השתלטות הבדואים על אדמות הנגב, גירוש יהודים מבתיהם בעמונה ובנתיב האבות, וההתקפלות בחאן אל אחמר חרף החלטת בג"צ כי יש לפנות את המקום". ניסיון של בנט להתנער מאחריותו לממשלה שאמרה ימין ועשתה שמאל, היא פתטית".

מנגד קרנו של ח"כי בצלאל סמוטריץ' שהודיע על התמודדות לתפקיד יו"ר האיחוד הלאומי, צפויה לעלות והוא הודיעה כי יפעל לגיבוש הציונות הדתית סביבו. 

אפשר לראות את ח"כ סמוריץ' מדבר עם נוצרים אבנג'יליקלים (בתמונה למטה). אני שלחתי הודעה למייל שלו בכנסת לשאול אותו על האירוע הזה. עד כאן. אני לא קיבלת שום תגובה. אני מקווה שחברי עוצמה יהודית יכולים לתקן את ההשקפה של סמוריץ' , או שהוא פשוט לא ירצה להצטרף איתם במפלגה שלהם.

זאב אלקין

(YNET) השר להגנת הסביבה ולענייני ירושלים זאב אלקין (הליכוד) תקף הבוקר (א') את נפתלי בנט ואיילת שקד על הקמת מפלגת "הימין החדש". בריאיון שערך באולפן ynet אמר אלקין כי המהלך מסכן את הימין ואת ניצחון הגוש. ח"כ דוד ביטן (הליכוד) התראיין אף הוא בנושא ואמר: "הם בגדו בבוחרים שלהם ובגדו בבית היהודי". 

אלקין אמר שהוא הופתע מפרישתם של שר החינוך ושרת המשפטים ממפלגת הבית היהודי, ואמר כי "זה קצת מתחיל להזכיר לי את 1992. הרבה ראשי מפלגות רצו, ובסוף הימין קיבל הרבה קולות והפסיד בבחירות". הוא דחה את הביקורת של בנט ושקד על מערכת היחסים של נתניהו עם הציונות הדתית, ואמר כי "בסופו של דבר מקימים מפלגה עם אותו ההרכב: בנט, שקד ומועלם-רפאלי. מה השוני מהבית היהודי המקורי? הם פשוט לקחו מפלגה של שמונה מנדטים וחילקו אותה לשתיים. בסופו של דבר אחד משני החלקים יכול להישאר מתחת לאחוז החסימה ולשרוף מנדטים לגוש הימין".

אז יש הבדל בין "הימין החדש" לבית היהודי?

בככל לא.

היא פשוט עוד שטויות של בנט.

המפד"ל לא היתה דתית ולא ימינית.

הבית היהודית לא בית ובכלל לא יהודית.

ועכשיו יש מפלת "הימין החדש," והיא לא ימינית וגם לחדשה בכלל.

התכנית של בנט
The Bennett Plan

The Jewish Voice: Otzmah Yehudit Party: "There is Nothing New in the 'New Right'"
Following Bennett and Shaked's announcement last night, the parties of the National Union and Jewish power react: "Bennett thinks he will make an exit on the back of religious Zionism" 

December 30, 2018 

Following a statement by Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked on the establishment of a religious-secular party, the Jewish Power Party yesterday called on MK Bezalel Smotrich and former Minister Eli Yishai to join a technical block that would constitute a right-wing blow to unite the entire national religious camp for the struggle for the Land of Israel and the Jewish identity of the state. (cont.)

Esser Agaroth (2¢):

Naftali Bennett

The Otzmah Yehudit Party says it best... "There is nothing new in the 'New Right'"

It's just some political shenanigans, design to pull votes away from the Likud. Hopefully, the National Religious Party will finally implode.

Eli Ben Dahan, Deputy Minister of Defense and MK Moti Yogev, announced that they would remain in the Jewish Home Party, and that they would both run for the party's leadership.

MK Shuli "chip away at parental rights" Meshulam Refaeli is set to join Bennett and Shaked.

Betzalel Smorich

"Sources in Otzmah Yehudit said in response to the Bennett and Shaked attack that "Naftali Bennett was a big loser and was a partner to continuous inactivity, including the abandonment of the south, the Bedouin takeover of Negev lands, the expulsion of Jews from their homes in Amona and the path of the Patriarchs, the place". Bennett's attempt to shake off his responsibility for the government that said right and did left is pathetic. 

Betzalel Smotrich announced that he is running for the chairmanship of the National Union. He also announced that he will work to consolidate religious Zionism around him.

MK Smorich can be seen here (left) speaking to Evangelical Christians. Let's hope that Otzmah Yehudit either sets him straight, or fails to recruit him.

(YNET) Meanwhile, Likud minister Ze’ev Elkin on Sunday slammed Bennett and Shaked for their decision to split, saying that it would weaken the right-wing camp.

"This moves jeopardize the right-wing bloc and an electoral win," Elkin told Ynet. "This reminds me of what happened in 1992. Many heads of parties popped up, the right gained a lot of voices, but lost in the general elections."

Elkin also rejected the claim by Bennett and Shaked that Netanyahu only appealed to the religious-Zionist bloc.

"How is this new party different from Jewish Home? They just took an eight-seat party and divided it in half," Elkin said. "One of the parties might not pass the the electoral threshold (of four seats) and squander the right-wing bloc's seats."

He added: "This is a dangerous move. Those who want a niche party, should vote for the old Jewish Home. Those who seek a party for both religious and secular rightists should vote for the Likud," he said.

How IS it different that The Jewish Home Party?

It isn't.

This is just more Bennett nonsense.

The National Religious Party was neither national nor religious.

The Jewish Home Party was neither Jewish nor a home.

And, now, the "New Right" Party is neither "new," nor "right."

Jewish Home Party/Jewish Masochist Party

ט"ז לחודש השנים עשר תשע"ד

ישראל היום: "לתת לפלשתינים זכות בחירה לכנסת"
כך מציע ח"כ כלפה מהבית היהודי • "אני בעד מדינה אחת לכולם, כך או כך היהודים יישארו הרוב"

שלמה צזנה 11.02.2014

MK Zevulun Kalfah
(Photo: Dudi Vaknin)

"יש להעניק לפלשתינים אזרחות מלאה, שוויון, השקעה בתשתיות ביישובים וזכות בחירה לכנסת", כך מציע ח"כ זבולון כלפה ממפלגת הבית היהודי. (המשך)

"We have to grant Palestinians full citizenship, equality, investment in the infrastructure of their towns and the right to vote for K'nesseth," suggests MK Zevulun Kalfan from the Jewish Home Party.

Summary from Life In Israel:
We have gone from considering as a solution to the conflict[s] - one state, two states, three states, and even four states. And now we are back down to one state.

...MK Zevulun Calfa (habayit Hayehudi) is working on proposing a law promoting a One State Solution.

...The complaint of Israel being an apartheid state or racist, would be dropped, because all residents would become equal citizens with equal rights.

Calfa is not worried about the demographic issue that is regularly raised, especially in relation to the idea of making all the Palestinians into Israeli citizens. Calfa says that the Jews will remain a majority in the State of Israel.
source: Israel Hayom

Unfortunately Calfa does not explain how that is so and how the demographics claim is either wrong or how it will be dealt with. I don't know if his say so is enough to go on. It sound smore like the classic Israeli "yehiye bseder" - it will be ok. Sometimes that works out, and sometimes it doesn't.

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
I am not sure which is more pathetic...

• that we've been there, and tried that already vis-a-vis Geulah Cohen and Hanan Porat's Techiyah Party
• that the Jewish Home Party, formerly the National Religious Party [NRP], is repeating the mistake over again, expecting different results
• that they insist on interpreting the Torah, so that it is in line with kissing non-Jewish tuchus
• that that actually believe in their Western/assimilationist, Galuth (exile)-based "interpretation"
• or that they hold deMOCKracy on equal par with their cockamamie perspective on Torah.

Take your pick.

MK Kalfa is clearly from the old school of the NRP. (How could he not be?!)

Shaul Yahalom

In fact, I once was a video of for NRP MK Shaul Yahalom, in which he was asked what would happen if the majority of the K'nesseth were eventually Arabs, and these MK's passed a law cancelling the Jewish nature of the State of Israel.

MK Yahalom replied that such a decision would have to be honored, because of democracy.

What a bozo!

במדבר לג

 נ וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, בְּעַרְבֹת מוֹאָב, עַל-יַרְדֵּן יְרֵחוֹ, לֵאמֹר. נא דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם: כִּי אַתֶּם עֹבְרִים אֶת-הַיַּרְדֵּן, אֶל-אֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן. נב וְהוֹרַשְׁתֶּם אֶת-כָּל-יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ, מִפְּנֵיכֶם, וְאִבַּדְתֶּם, אֵת כָּל-מַשְׂכִּיֹּתָם; וְאֵת כָּל-צַלְמֵי מַסֵּכֹתָם תְּאַבֵּדוּ, וְאֵת כָּל-בָּמוֹתָם תַּשְׁמִידוּ. נג וְהוֹרַשְׁתֶּם אֶת-הָאָרֶץ, וִישַׁבְתֶּם-בָּהּ: כִּי לָכֶם נָתַתִּי אֶת-הָאָרֶץ, לָרֶשֶׁת אֹתָהּ.נג וְהוֹרַשְׁתֶּם אֶת-הָאָרֶץ, וִישַׁבְתֶּם-בָּהּ: כִּי לָכֶם נָתַתִּי אֶת-הָאָרֶץ, לָרֶשֶׁת אֹתָהּ.נד וְהִתְנַחַלְתֶּם אֶת-הָאָרֶץ בְּגוֹרָל לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתֵיכֶם, לָרַב תַּרְבּוּ אֶת-נַחֲלָתוֹ וְלַמְעַט תַּמְעִיט אֶת-נַחֲלָתוֹ--אֶל אֲשֶׁר-יֵצֵא לוֹ שָׁמָּה הַגּוֹרָל, לוֹ יִהְיֶה: לְמַטּוֹת אֲבֹתֵיכֶם, תִּתְנֶחָלוּ. נה וְאִם-לֹא תוֹרִישׁוּ אֶת-יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ, מִפְּנֵיכֶם--וְהָיָה אֲשֶׁר תּוֹתִירוּ מֵהֶם, לְשִׂכִּים בְּעֵינֵיכֶם וְלִצְנִינִם בְּצִדֵּיכֶם; וְצָרְרוּ אֶתְכֶם--עַל-הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם יֹשְׁבִים בָּהּ. נו וְהָיָה, כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּמִּיתִי לַעֲשׂוֹת לָהֶם--אֶעֱשֶׂה לָכֶם.

Numbers 33 
50 And the LORD spoke unto Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying: 51 'Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 52 then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured stones, and destroy all their molten images, and demolish all their high places. And you shall drive out the inhabitants of the land, and dwell in it; for to you have I given the land to possess it. 53 And you shall drive out the inhabitants of the land, and dwell within it; for unto you have I given the land to possess it. 54 And ye shall inherit the land by lot according to your families--to the more you shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer you shall give the less inheritance; wheresoever the lot fall to any man, that shall be his; according to the tribes of your fathers shall ye inherit. 55 But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then shall those that ye let remain of them be as thorns in your eyes, and as pricks in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land in which you dwell. 56 And it shall come to pass, that as I thought to do unto them, so will I do to you.

I guess these guys prefer to have thorns in their eyes and pricks in their sides, and continual harassment, so much so, I am beginning to wonder if such clueless Jews are actually masochists.

Naftali Bennett's "Zionistic U-Turn"

כ"ח לחודש האחד עשר תשע"ד

JPost.com: Bennett: Jews living in Palestinian state is "U-turn for Zionism"
Herb Keinon, January 28, 2014

Bayit Yehudi leader says Jews would be killed in Palestinian state, Israel must preserve sovereignty.

Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett addressed a security conference in Tel Aviv hosted by the Institute for Nation Security Studies (INSS) on Tuesday.

Bennett, during his speech, stressed his disappointment in the peace process and said that Israel must not give back land to the Palestinians.

"People said that giving back land would bring security, but in the year 2000, terrorism was rampant in the streets of Haifa, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem," he said.

Jews cannot live under Palestinian sovereignty for the simple reason that if they do they will be killed, he said.

Not only did Bennett not back down from criticisms he sounded Monday against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's suggestion that the settlements may remain under Palestinian sovereignty in a future agreement, but he ratcheted up his criticism.

"It will not happen, and cannot happen," Bennett said of the idea. "You know why Jews can't live under Palestinian sovereignty? Why? Because they will kill them. How do I know, because it happened."

Bennett said it happened in 1929 in Hebron, when the ancient Jewish community there was butchered by their Arab neighbors, and it happened again in 2000 when two reservists made a wrong turn and were lynched after being taken to the Palestinian Authority police station in Ramallah.

Everyone knows, he said, that if an Arab wanders into to Herzliya he will leave safely, but that if a Jew gets lost and ends up in Jenin he will be killed.

"We all came here to the land of Israel in the name of Zionism," he declared. "The essence of Zionism is sovereignty. If there is no sovereignty there is no Zionism."

He said that placing Jews under foreign rule would be a Zionistic U-turn.

"We tried it in Europe, and it did not really work," he said, just an hour after getting back from what he said was his first trip to Poland and Auschwitz as part of a Knesset delegation.

"We were always proud that only a Jewish army will defend the Jews. What has happen too us. What is the significance of even raising this idea. What does it say about us."

Bennett said that from security and practical reasons, and first and foremost because of values of Zionism, "I suggest and demand that this idea be removed from the agenda."

Bennett called on the international community not to use Israel as an experimental lab. "People live here with dreams, families, and very difficult experience. What is the price we pay when you play with our fate. The Israeli public won't let that happen any more."

Regarding his alternative, Bennett suggested his pre-election plan to restrict the points of friction and declare Israeli sovereignty over the "Israeli parts of Judea and Samaria, where 400,000 Israelis, and only 70,000 Palestinians live." He said those Palestinians will be offered full Israeli citizenship.

In the rest of the territory he said the Palestinians would enjoy full autonomy, hold their own elections, pay and collect their own taxes, build for themselves, and create transportation continuity so there will be free movement in Judea and Samaria.

"Is this perfect? He asked. "No it is not perfect, But is it much better than the fantasy of putting in the heart of our land an enemy state? Yes." He called on everyone to "grow up" and discard the illusion that every problem has a perfect solution.

Palestinian Future Vision for Israel: Death
(May God Forbid!)

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
Minister Bennett definitely makes some excellent points, points which I would have hoped would be obvious to any and every Jew every where, certainly those in the current Israeli government...

"Israel must preserve sovereignty."

"Israel must not give back land to the Palestinians."

"We all came here to the land of Israel in the name of Zionism."

 "The essence of Zionism is sovereignty. If there is no sovereignty there is no Zionism."

But, then he says that...

"...placing Jews under foreign rule would be a Zionistic U-turn." 

What is a "Zionistic U-Turn?" It seems to me that Bennett, himself, makes a "Zionistic U-Turn..."

"He said those [70,000] Palestinians will be offered full Israeli citizenship."

"In the rest of the territory he said the Palestinians would enjoy full autonomy, hold their own elections, pay and collect their own taxes, build for themselves, and create transportation continuity so there will be free movement in Judea and Samaria."

The "Bennett Plan" vs. The "Arafat Plan"
Is there really that much of a difference?

This has always been the fundamental error of the National Religious Party, the Techiyah Party, and now, the Jewish Home Party. They have all been wishy-washy when it comes to sovereignty, all the while pretending that they are not.

במדבר לג
נב  וְהוֹרַשְׁתֶּם אֶת-כָּל-יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ, מִפְּנֵיכֶם, וְאִבַּדְתֶּם, אֵת כָּל-מַשְׂכִּיֹּתָם; וְאֵת כָּל-צַלְמֵי מַסֵּכֹתָם תְּאַבֵּדוּ, וְאֵת כָּל-בָּמוֹתָם תַּשְׁמִידוּ. נג וְהוֹרַשְׁתֶּם אֶת-הָאָרֶץ, וִישַׁבְתֶּם-בָּהּ: כִּי לָכֶם נָתַתִּי אֶת-הָאָרֶץ, לָרֶשֶׁת אֹתָהּ. נד וְהִתְנַחַלְתֶּם אֶת-הָאָרֶץ בְּגוֹרָל לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתֵיכֶם, לָרַב תַּרְבּוּ אֶת-נַחֲלָתוֹ וְלַמְעַט תַּמְעִיט אֶת-נַחֲלָתוֹ--אֶל אֲשֶׁר-יֵצֵא לוֹ שָׁמָּה הַגּוֹרָל, לוֹ יִהְיֶה: לְמַטּוֹת אֲבֹתֵיכֶם, תִּתְנֶחָלוּ. נה וְאִם-לֹא תוֹרִישׁוּ אֶת-יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ, מִפְּנֵיכֶם--וְהָיָה אֲשֶׁר תּוֹתִירוּ מֵהֶם, לְשִׂכִּים בְּעֵינֵיכֶם וְלִצְנִינִם בְּצִדֵּיכֶם; וְצָרְרוּ אֶתְכֶם--עַל-הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם יֹשְׁבִים בָּהּ. נו וְהָיָה, כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּמִּיתִי לַעֲשׂוֹת לָהֶם--אֶעֱשֶׂה לָכֶם.

Numbers 33
52 then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured stones, and destroy all their molten images, and demolish all their high places. 53 And ye shall drive out the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein; for unto you have I given the land to possess it. 54 And ye shall inherit the land by lot according to your families--to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer thou shalt give the less inheritance; wheresoever the lot falleth to any man, that shall be his; according to the tribes of your fathers shall ye inherit. 55 But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then shall those that ye let remain of them be as thorns in your eyes, and as pricks in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land wherein ye dwell. 56 And it shall come to pass, that as I thought to do unto them, so will I do unto you.

This Western/assimilationist resistance against fulfilling the misswah (Torah commandment) of possessing the Land, or conquering it, entirely and property is holding us back. Worse yet, the winning of land, such as in 1967, 1973, and 2006, and then giving it away is nothing less than a complete failure to accept the precious gifts which The Almighty has placed in our hands.

The relinquishing of Har HaBayith (the Temple Mount) in 1967 was probably the best example of our ingratitude.

And, it does not matter if man-made maps say that we have sovereignty over the Land, when we really don't. I do not believe you will be able to fool the masses with that one anymore.

Previously, I asked that the Real Naftali Bennett Please Stand Up.

"Eretz Yisrael is ours."

OR

"We will annex only part of Judea and Samaria, and grant Arabs autonomy in the rest."

I am afraid that is no longer necessary.

We already know which one he is.

Bennett concluded his conference speech with calling...

"...on everyone to "grow up" and discard the illusion that every problem has a perfect solution."

That maybe so. But, I guarantee that The Almighty's solution comes pretty close, and is only hindered by the imperfect humans who attempt to implement it.

But, you will never know, until you try. Even though we are not to be rely upon the potential of miraculous intervention, The Holy One, Blessed Be He, might just surprise you.

Naftali Bennett Misses the Boat,...Again!

י"ג לחודש העשירי תשע"ד

Arutz 7: Bennett: No to Security Arrangements from US
Economics Minister responds to reports of Abbas rejecting US proposal own rejection, citing historical evidence that US involvement fails.

Tova Dvorin, December 13, 2013

Economics Minister Naftali Bennett released a statement on his Facebook page Friday, discussing the talks which have resumed between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Bennett cites history once more in his statement, and explains the extent of the US's involvement in a possible peace deal.

"Recently we’ve been hearing a new tune: an international guarantee will 'safeguard Israel's security'," Bennett stated. "We are told that they found the answer to all of our security problems. We can evacuate Samaria, Judea and the Jordan Valley (they won’t dare speak about the Golan Heights). We can place cameras, lasers, helicopters, and especially - rely on international forces and the security guarantee of our friends."

The statement follows news that PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas rejected the US's proposal for security arrangements in the critical Jordan Valley region, which would provide a buffer zone between the two countries in the event of a two-state solution. Abbas originally made statements to that effect in a radio interview; PA officials confirmed the news to Kerry and to AFP Friday.

While AFP reports that US Secretary of State John Kerry was set to meet with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu at 6:30 am in Jerusalem for follow-up talks, no information has yet been released about that meeting - which may have been cancelled, delayed, or postponed in light of the massive snowstorm sweeping across Israel.

Bennett notes that similar security arrangements in Lebanon, Iran and Syria have actually worked against their aims.

"In 2006, at the end of the Second Lebanon War, the Security Council passed Resolution 1701, which prohibits the entry of all weapons into southern Lebanon. Result: Hezbollah has since smuggled in over 100,000 missiles into southern Lebanon."

"In 2006, the Security Council passed Resolution 1696 that determined that Iran must stop all enrichment and may not build any additional centrifuges," he continued. "Result: Since then, Iran has increased the amount of its centrifuges from only 164 to 18,500."

"Over a year ago, the President of the United States determined if Syria will use chemical weapons against its people that this would be crossing a red line which would lead to military action. Result: Syria has killed hundreds of residents with chemical weapons (no one is disputing that), and military action did not happen."

"This has happened dozens of times around the world. Guarantees are words, they are not actions," he concluded. "We will continue to defend ourselves, by ourselves. It has worked not badly at all for the last 65 years."

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
True. U. S. involvement has never worked for us. Actually, total dependence on human powers have never worked for us.

True. The world needed reminding that that Hezbollan, Iran and Syria have, in their own language "violated their agreements."  But, since when has the international community either believed us 100 percent, or ever lifted a finger to do anything about such violations, save for a slap on the wrist?

True. Guarantees are words, and not actions. But, once again, why the dependence on human powers?

Historical snowstorm in Israel as coincidence? And on the very days commemorating the Nebuhatnetzar's siege on Jerusalem? I think not.

It maybe by mere chance that a ship goes down with all her contents,...or a roof goes down on all those within; but it is not due to chance, according to our view, that in the one instance the men went into the ship, or remained in the house in the other instance: it is due to the will of God, and is in accordance with the justice of His judgments, the method of which our mind is incapable of understanding.
Ramba"m, The Guide to the Perplexed, 111:17

Naftali Bennett
Jewish Home Party Chief and Cabinet Minister

Naftali Bennett misses the boat,...yet again.

The only claim the Jewish People has to the Land of Israel is that The Almighty has granted it to us. He took it away from us,...twice. He gave some of it back to us in 1948/תש"ח, and more of it in 1967/תשכ"ז, not mention some extra in 1973/תשל"ד, and the northern parts of Asher and Naftali's territories in 2006/תשס"ו.

Again and again, we gave much of this land away. Now, Bennett appears to be on the side of giving away even more.

How many more times will The Almighty tolerate our dependence on the Arabs to save us from ourselves by refusing the various "brokered deals."

Since Naftali Bennett is the head of the Jewish Home Party (formerly the National "Religious" Party), it behooves him to mention The Almighty and His Torah,...at least once in a while, if not hold by them.

The borders of Eretz Yisra'el have already been established.

For now...

For later...

"In that day the Lord made a covenant with Avram, saying: 'To your seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates.' the Kenite, and the Kenizzite, and the Kadmonite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Rephaim, and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Girgashite, and the Jebusite.'"
- Genesis 15:18-21

Not these...

Naftali Bennett's "Plan" vs. Arafat's

So, why doesn't Naftali Bennett stand up and say so already?

Did the Jewish Home Party get a Slap in the Face from this Rabbi?

ג' לחודש השמיני תשע"ד

אתמול קיבלנו ברכה מהרבנית צביה אליהו והיום הרב שמואל אליהו שליט"א שלח לנו מכתב תמיכה. אנחנו מודים על התמיכה ומבטיחים לייהד את ירושלים!

ירושלים מאוחדת בראשות שמואל שקדי ואריה קינג 

Yesterday, we received a blessing from Rabbanit Tzviah Eliyahu, and today from Rabbi Shmu'el Eliyahu shlit"a sent us a letter of support. We are thankful for the support, and promise to keep Jerusalem Jewish!  

- Unified Jerusalem Party - led by Shmu'el Shaqedi and Aryeh King

(Tip Credit: Shuqi)

כיפה: הרב אליהו: מצווה מיוחדת לחזק את בניין ירושלים

במטה "ירושלים מאוחדת" מציגים מכתב תמיכה ששיגר הרב שמואל אליהו לאריה קינג, בו הוא מחזק אותו על פעילותו "בנושא יישוב עיר הקודש ירושלים על ידי יהודים" - יונתן אוריך, כ"ח תשרי תשע"ד (ללחוץ כטן להמשך בעברית)

Translation:

Rabbi Shmu'el Eliyahu

Kippah: Rabbi Eliyahu - It is a special misswah to strengthen the building of Jerusalem
At the Unified Jerusalem Party Headquarters a letter of support sent by Rabbi Shmu'el Eliyahu to Aryeh King, in which he bolsters his activities, under the heading of the Jewish settlement of the Holy City of Jerusalem.

Yonatan Orich, 28 Tishrei 5774/October 2, 2013

At the headquarters of the Unified Jerusalem Party, contending against the Jewish Home Party in the Jerusalem municipal elections, on display today was Rabbi Shmu'el Eliyahu's letter which had been sent about two months ago to Aryeh King, in which he blesses him over his public operations in the capital.

Shmuel Shaqedi

"I want to thank you for your work on the issue of Jewish settlement in the Holy City of Jerusalem," writes Rabbi Eliyahu in the letter to King, "Previously, we needed a decision from the government that Jerusalem be unified and Jewish. Today we need to turn all of our prayers for generations into fact and reality with another house, with another garden, with another neighborhood, with another family."

"The continued building of the city needs a special kind of strength," writes Rabbi Eliyahu, "Our enemies are trying to curb our efforts. The nations which represent themselves as friends also cry out each time we approve a new building project in Jerusalem, and the Israeli government becomes terrified, and operates by limping along. Therefore, today it is a special misswah to strengthen the building of Jerusalem. So, I applaud you and your efforts in the building of the city, and very much hope for your success."

Aryeh King

In the meantime, yesterday the heads of the party met with the widow of the late Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu ztz"l, in the Qiriyath Moshe neighborhood of Jerusalem. The Rabbanit, who hosted Shmu'el Shaqedi, Aryeh King, Haggit Moshe, and Tzviqah Yungreis, said that the United Jerusalem list must fight for its principles over the treatment of the neighborhoods [bordering Arab neighborhoods], and the struggle to keep Jerusalem Jewish.

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
Shuqi asked me if I thought that this was a slap in the face to the Jewish Home Party.

Naftali Bennett
Jewish Home Party
National Chairperson

I would have to say that my answer is a definitive "Yes."

Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu ztz"l was one of the Jewish Home Party's primary rabbis from whom it would receive answers to its questions of halakhah (Torah Law). In fact, when the Jewish Home Party was still the National Religious Party [NRP], it approached Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu to ask him if they could put a woman on its list of candidates for the 2003 Parliamentary Elections. Rabbi Eliyahu said, "No." Yet, the NRP did so anyway, using the justification that they "have other rabbis."

Well, apparently, now Mordechai Eliyahu's widow, and his son, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu appear to have "other" political parties.

Yep! This was definitely a slap in the face.

Mayor Zevulun Orlev? God Help Us!

ג' לחודש החמישי תשע"ג

Arutz 7: Zevulun Orlev May Run for Jerusalem Mayor

July 9, 2013

Former MK Zevulun Orlev was approached recently by Jewish Home supporters requesting he lead the party list in the upcoming municipal Jerusalem elections, and run for Mayor. They said he had the best chance of uniting religious Zionism in the capital, leading them to victory. Orlev said he wasn't personally planning to run, but would consider it if granted the widest support possible.

Jewish Home Chairman Naftali Bennett and Housing Minister Uri Ariel have also expressed their support of the candidacy.

Zevulun Orlev apparently looking backwards at a sign."Mafdal: The National Religious Party"
The National Religious Party is neither national, religious, nor a party. Discuss amongst yourselves!

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
"Approached?" Oh, I'll just bet he was approached!

This smells of the aftermath of some kind of deal. Orlev must have some kind of remnant of a power base, which he is holding over the heads of those currently in charge, Bennett and Ariel.

As National Religious Party Chair, he refused to leave the Sharon government until the last minute, and then just sat there while 10,000 Jews were kicked out of their homes in Azza, and their land handed over to hostile, enemy Yishma'elim (Arabs),...and in collaboration with none other than the YeSh"A (Judea, Samaria, and Gaza) Council. See the must-see, 40 minute film "Meraglim" ("Spies"), to learn exactly how the council members collaborated.

Orlev then lost the party leadership to Daniel "let's sit on a roundtable discussion with Arabs" Hershkovitz, ran for it again, and lost again to current "Jewish Home Party" Chair Naftali Bennett.

While former City Council Member Aryeh King (NRP-Otzmah) goes out into the field and busts his tuchus to protect Jerusalem lands from Arab squatters and illegal builders,...

While former City Council Member Mina Fenton (NRP) does the same to protect the residents of Jerusalem and elsewhere from Christian missionaries and other assorted sneakiness,..

While Rabbis Yisra'el Ariel (Temple Institute), Yosef Elboim (Belz), and Baruch Kahane risk much personally for the sake of Har HaBayith (Temple Mount),...

What does Zevulun Orlev do?

Politics and power playing intrigues behind the scenes.

Hmm... It looks like I may even be tempted to vote for a non-religious, mayoral candidate this time around.

Tempted.

MK Naftali Bennet: "No Palestinian State." I'll believe it when I see it.

י' לחודש הרביעי תשע"ג

Arutz 7: Bennett: Palestinian State? Get Over It

Minister Naftali Bennet

Bayit Yehudi head, Economics Minister Naftali Bennett, said Monday that the idea of establishing a Palestinian state has reached a dead end and should be forsaken.

"Never in the history of Israel has so much energy been invested in something so pointless,” Bennett said at a conference on the Jewish settlers in Judea and Samaria and their depiction in the media.

Regarding the idea of a Palestinian state, he said, "We need to go from a situation in which we try to convince people that it is a bad idea, to one in which this idea is behind us. Anyone who travels around Judea and Samaria knows that what they say in the hallways of Oslo and Annapolis is detached from reality.”

"There are 400,000 Israeli residents of Judea and Samaria, and another 250,000 in eastern Jerusalem,” he noted. “More than 10% of the residents of Israel live in what is called the Green Line. The attempt to establish a Palestinian state inside our land is over.”

(Tip Credit: Tomer Devorah)

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
"The idea of establishing a Palestinian state has reached a dead end and should be forsaken."

Oh, really?

What the above Arutz 7 report does not mention is that these statements of Minister Bennett were made at today's YeSh"A Leadership Conference.

What was also not reported was the following additional statement made by Minister Bennett. Fortunately, our man Yosef Stein was there to report on it:

If you were hit with shrapnel, and it was embedded inside you, and you had two choices for treatment, to risk having it removed, with only ??% chance of success of surviving the surgery, or leaving it inside of you, but not being 100%, which would you choose? (translated from Hebrew and paraphrased)

In other words, from what I gather, we have two choices, attempt to remove the Arabs (shrapnel) from our body (Judea and Samaria, Israel) with less than 100% chance of success, or to leave the Arabs where they are, and just deal with them being there.

Apparently, Bennett received criticism for using this metaphor. However, since Arabs have been described previously by some politicians as a "cancer needing to be excised," I have no doubt that Bennett will survive.

So, Minister Bennett simultaneously sees that the last chance for a Pseudostinian State has passed, yet also seems to believe in the virtual impossibility of removing the shrapnel (Arabs),...even though the shrapnel is not just sitting their but 

That is a concession he is willing to accept? Or, he believes that his plan to annex parts of Yehudah and the Shomron (Judea and Samaria) grant citizenship to those Arabs residing in those parts.

Bennett's Plan vs. Arafat's Plan
I don't see much of a difference. Do you?

Well, I guess he certainly not concerned with accusations from the "international community" that Israel is an apartheid state. Well, neither am I. But, somehow, I think that the Bennett is concerned about such things.


Been there, done that. 

It was the proposal of the Techiyah Party, which included MK's formerly of the Likud and National Religious Parties, such as Geulah Cohen, Hanan Porat, and Yuval Neiman.

The Techiyah Party also happened to be the primary force behind the banning of Rabbi Me'ir Kahane hy"d, and his Kakh Party from the K'nesseth.

But, I digress....

Minister. Bennett, pray tell, what is this?

Set aside for a moment, only a moment, that the Bennett Plan looks suspiciously like the Arafat Plan, and let us point out a few things about Yishma'elim (Arabs), which Bennett has failed to consider:

1. The Bennett Plan will create a defacto Pseudostinian State, which he himself, claims that the creation of which has missed its window of opportunity.

2. Bennett also appears to have forgotten his history lessons, both modern and ancient. The
Yishma'elim will undoubtedly scream and yell about quite probably picking up on the "apartheid" buzz word which has been circulating around for years now. Yet, in private, the Bennett autonomy plan will be hailed as a victory.

Many of them are patient, and are quite willing to accept such apparently small victories, "chipping away" Israeli control, a little bit at a time.

PA "President" Mahmud Abbas (Abu Mazen) and his vision of "Palestine"

The Yishma'elim operate by saying one thing to us, another to the UN, and all the while secretly discussing what they really believe and desire amongst themselves. It used to be in English vs. Arabic. But, they have become so brazen, having successfully pulled the wool over the eyes of the West, including many Jews, that they need not concern themselves with what gets publicized, and what does not.

It is still much clearer to us what the Yishma'elim want, than it is to the rest of the world as to what Jews want. What have will be doing to demonstrate our desires for maintaining sovereignty over our Homeland? Giving pieces of it away? Allowing outside forces determine how and when we should (or should not) defend it?

That does not sound in the least bit logical to me. In fact, it sounds quite insane, not to mention self-destructive.

I am ALL for talking about, and responding to, the "reality on the ground." However, what I am unwilling to do, what I refuse to do, is to stop talking about the ideal and correct situation in which Jews should exist, whether we are currently capable of achieving it or not.

Some Jews sit around and talking about waiting for Mashi'ah to come, and take care of everything for us, including bringing of all Jews back to Israel, their (our) only true Homeland, rebuilding of the Miqdash (Temple), reestablishing the Sanhedrin, and, of course, ascending the throne, and defeating our enemies,... once and for all.

But, even these Jews never cease talking about the ideal, how things SHOULD be, in other words, the leKhathillah manner in which Jews are supposed to live.

Galuth (exile), physical AND spiritual galuth, is the bedi'avad manner in which most Jews currently exist, and which is not our natural state of existence.

Minister Bennett is free to be a realist. He is free to play politics, in his attempts to "get the best deal he can" for us.

Who is "occupying" whom?
(Click to Enlarge)

Yet, there is no excuse for ceasing discussion about what is supposed to be, that Eretz Yisra'el, ALL of Eretz Yisra'el, belongs to us, AND only those non-Jews permitted to live here al pi halakhah,...are permitted to live here.

Perhaps he believes that such discussion, such talk, would hinder his efforts to "get the best deal he can" for us.

That does not sound terribly "Religious Zionist" to me. Actually, it sounds like hoser emunah (lack of faith).

If that is what "being realistic" means, then I do not want to have any part of it.

Rabbi Meir Kahane would tell us to say the truth, and to do the truth, which is Torah, and whatever happens as a result was min HaShamayim (Heavenly Will).

And for beliefs like these, he was branded an "extremist."

Well, then, if believing that the Torah is an integral part of EVERY aspect of a Jew's life, and not just "shabbos and kashrus shailos," if believing that following this very Torah takes precedence over following those laws of the State of Israel which are in conflict with the Torah, then I plead guilty.

Of course, I prefer the term "Real Religious Zionist."

What Naftali Bennett prefers, I am still trying to figure out.

But, so far, and especially after his speech today, I am not optimistic.