Printer Friendly

THE LAND OF ISRAEL AS A VALUE

This is not a political commentary column. It is according to my editor’s instructions a column about Judaism, the faith and its rituals, history and worldview. I am therefore writing about the Land of Israel as a religious value of Judaism and not as a nation state or political entity.

Judaism on the surface may appear to be a collection of rules, commandments and strictures. However upon a closer and more sophisticated study Judaism is really a set of values in life that determine the application of all of these laws and rules. The halachic process is really an attempt to reconcile or decide which values in Judaism reign supreme over other such values when they seemingly conflict.

For example, human life and its preservation is a supreme value that outweighs the great value of Shabat and other such mitzvoth. Shabat on the other hand is a value that takes precedence over the value of productive labor and otherwise necessary work.

On the scale of Jewish values, the Land of Israel ranks very high as an absolute value. It is a religious and faith value and not merely the product of nationalistic fervor or patriotic feeling. Therefore the Land of Israel is incorporated in the daily prayers of Jews the world over as are Torah, repentance and praise of the Creator.

The Land of Israel is thereby transformed from being a place and location on the face of the globe to being a spiritual challenge and a supreme matter of faith and belief. One cannot appreciate Judaism and Jews without understanding this fact and appreciate its importance in Jewish thought and history.

Zionism was built upon this religious idea and basic value of Jewish faith, though in its secular form it stripped the Land of Israel from its core religious value and transformed it into a nationalistic endeavor.

Zionism encouraged manual labor, farming as an expression of personal achievement and enhancement, and the belief that the “Jewish problem” and anti-Semitism would disappear with the establishment of an independent Jewish state. It did not see the Land of Israel as a matter of religion or as a faith value.

It took a more “practical” approach to the issue and saw it as being purely a means of creating a viable Jewish society, secure and progressive and a respected member of the family of nations.

The Talmud saw the Land of Israel as a supreme religious value that under certain circumstances allowed Jews to reacquire and purchase land in the Land of Israel from non-Jews even on the Shabat. It promoted the concept of “yishuv Eretz Yisrael” – the settlement and upbuilding of the Land of Israel as a religious obligation and a supreme value in Judaism and Jewish life.

Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel was immaterial in relation to the value of the Land of Israel itself. The fierce opposition to Zionism by many sectors of the Jewish religious society was based on the Zionist substitution of Jewish nationalism for the religious value of the Land of Israel.

The struggle – ideological and faith-based – over the place of the Land of Israel in Jewish life and its true definition has remained current. It lies at the heart of much of the political debate that swirls around us today. Territory, security, demographic effects, all are certainly an important part of the political and diplomatic debate. But deep, deep down, the issue remains one of faith and values.

Disassociating the religious value of the Land of Israel from the policies and plans of the government of the State of Israel creates a dysfunctional internal situation in Jewish society. The differing viewpoints regarding the government policies of disengagement, unilateral withdrawals, peace processes, etc. all are based on the question of how strong and governing the value of the Land of Israel is in practical terms.

Skirting this issue, ignoring its presence – something which seems to be the norm here in our country – only increases the tensions and inner divisions within our society. What is missing in our national debate is an understanding of the Land of Israel, apart from our national state, as a value in Jewish life.

Once that value is appreciated and understood, recognized and acknowledged, I feel that the current acrimony regarding the debate on the government’s policies will diminish. It may not make us wiser in our decisions but it will help pave the way to a more harmonious consensus and national will.

Shabat shalom.

Berel Wein