Peace Now. Giving the Land away

Part I

Translated by Rabbi Binyamin Schlanger

These people bring down terrible danger onto Jews and onto the Land. These people are the ‘demolishers and destroyers’ from amongst the Jewish people and of the land of Israel. Yet they shout “peace now.” There is nothing greater than peace, but G-d says, “The wicked have no peace [to offer]!”

Israeli government police on blindfolded horses attacking crowd of unarmed Jewish teens

GIVING THE LAND AWAY

The [Torah] tells the story of the spies from which we learn a real message for our times. 

By way of introduction: The story of the spies took place whilst the Jewish People were not in Israel, but in the desert where they were not short of anything. They ate manna, a food without any waste. They drank water from the well of Miriam and benefited from the Clouds of Glory which destroyed the snakes and scorpions, straightened their way forward and un-soiled their clothes.

When they stood on the thresh-hold of entering and conquering the Land, they sent out spies to investigate. Upon their return the spies recommended that it is better to remain where they are with all the benefits and not to endanger themselves by entering the Land, because, the nations there are powerful, and the land devours its inhabitants.

The intention of the spies was to prevent the people from being endangered.

In reality however, the very opposite took place. It was the spies who endangered the Jewish People! The message for our times is simple. In those times, the Jewish people were still in the desert where they had all the benefits, so the spies argued to remain there.

In contrast today, G-d has (again) handed to the Jewish People the Land of Israel. [Not however ‘independent’, since never has there been such a dependence on the gentiles as there is now. Yet, in a spiritual sense the Jewish People are the masters [with some control in material matters]].

Now there arrive some Jews who scream “peace now!” They are joined by the communists and Arabs who demand that Israel must hand over portions of the Land of Israel from the sovereignty of Israel. They do not say “be passive”, as the spies argued to remain in the desert. Instead they argue to actually give away sovereignty of the land of Israel!

The argument of the Peace Now – (as is the argument of the communists and Arabs), is based exactly on the thinking of the spies in their time: “The nation inhabiting the land is too powerful for us to overwhelm”. Do not conquer and put down roots in the land of Israel! Since there dwell in Jerusalem 60,000 Arabs [As was when this sicha was said in 1980], they are far more powerful than the Jewish people living there, quoting the spies – “they are stronger than us”. Therefore Jews must not be allowed to live in the Old City [of Jerusalem]. If Jewish people already live there, they should be evicted by all means available. The Old City must be given away, including the Temple Mount and the spot of the holy of Holies – to the Arabs.

They raise the same argument about Hebron. Since living there are 50,000 Arabs [As was in 1980], they are stronger than the Jews who live there. And they (the peacemakers) raise further arguments in favor of the Arabs – that they are descendents of Abraham the patriarch who is buried in the Cave of Machpela in Hebron. Therefore, we must not allow Jews to live there, and those that are there already must be thrown out!

They argue further that any lands that the Arabs demand must be handed over to them, since they are more powerful than ourselves! The spies argued: “All the peoples whom we saw there are giants who fell from the skies – one is a giant murderer, the second is a giant in armed robbery, the third is a giant thief, the fourth a great diplomat, one knows many languages”, and more.

And on top of all these arguments they (the present day spies) announce ‘Peace Now!’ In addition to all their arguments they offer peace, and the peace will be NOW – peace unto Israel! And more! They argue that giving away the lands to the Arabs is “human justice”! Thereby danger to the Jewish People will be averted since it is a land which devours its inhabitants. If we annoy the Arabs and not give in to them their demands - they will eat us alive. And if we do give in to them, giving the land away, there will be peace NOW!

Who argues this? Jews and Jewish communists. These people bring down terrible danger onto Jews and onto the Land. These people are the ‘demolishers and destroyers’ from amongst the Jewish people and of the land of Israel. Yet they shout “Peace Now”.

There is nothing greater than peace, however G-d says [Isaiah 39.17] ‘, The wicked have no peace [to offer!]’. 

From the farbrengen of Shabbos Parshas Shelach, 1980

Translated By Rabbi Binyomin Schlanger