Anyone for a Godly Israel?

An excerpt by one of my favorite writers, Dr. Paul Eidelberg:

To be for a safe or a strong Israel is certainly meritorious, so long as it does not obscure the dire need of Jews to be, above all, for a Godly Israel, for only a Godly Israel can be truly safe and truly strong. Thus we read in the prophet Zechariah (4:5):

“Not by armed might, nor by power, but by My spirit, says the Lord of Hosts.” Let us try to understand this verse by means of Israel’s most sacred symbol, the Menorah. The light of the Menorah symbolizes knowledge, precisely spiritual enlightenment. The source of spiritual enlightenment is, of course, God. This enlightenment is manifested in the words of the Torah. As King David has written (Psalms 119:105): “The written word of God is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Or as his son King Solomon has written (Proverbs 6:23): “For the Commandment is a lamp and the Teaching a light.”

Israel will be safe and strong only if its prime ministers are men of Torah. Only if they imbue every heart and home with the light of Torah will Israel enjoy peace. “For instruction shall go forth from Me and I will create a quiet abode for My {People} so that I may shine upon the nations (Isaiah 51:4). “O House of Jacob, come let us walk in the light of God”(Isaiah: 2:5). When Israel suffers murder and misery, it is because “they rebel against the light, do not recognize the ways of God and never seek serenity {or peace} in His paths.” (Job 24:13).

But merely to critically analyze the suicidal folly and mendacity of Israel’s political entities will have no impact on their behavior, since such knowledge is not linked to the spirit of God. This is why Isaiah says that God “confirms the words of His servant and fulfills the counsel of His messengers” (44:26). Which means that it is not enough for critics to expose the lies and lethal nature of the Oslovian peace process. Their words must be motivated by the desire to sanctify the Name of God. God’s Name must be in their hearts and on their lips…

Hence I say, all honor to those who are for a safe and strong Israel. But now I ask: Anyone for a Godly Israel?

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