Reply To: Hakaras Hatov for Israeli Soldiers (IDF)

Hakatan- i know you think you are trying to say the whole truth – but you are clearly lacking in basic history and the Piskei Halacha of the entire gamut of Gedolei Yisrael on the isssue of whether or not Israel’s creation was against the Torah. Let me summarize your position and then break it down for you. According to you – based on the shalosh shvuos(3 oaths given to Klal Yisrael) in Meseches Kesubos – it would be assur to allow the creation of a state before mashiach comes even if would be 100% glatt frum. The oaths that are listed include not going up to Eretz Yisrael en masse ( Yaalu Bi’choma) and not for the Jews to rebel against the nations. This oath would prohibit the creation of a state- This is the opinion of the Satmar Rav, R’ Elchanon Wasserman, Rav Aharon Kotler and others ( see the rabbinic journal hapardes 1937 on the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah of Agudas Yisrael’s discussion on this issue). However what you do not realize is that many other Gedolim disagreed with them and said that the creation of a jewish state prior to mashiach would not constitute a problem as long as the borders of EY were not compromised and that the state would be frum. Furthermore, even though the state ultimately became predominately non religious this did not effect it’s legitamacy based on the shalosh shvuos. You see these Gedolim felt that if we are to go up to Eretz Yisrael Bi’shalom and with reshus it would be allowed to create a state before mashiach comes. See Rashi who explains the oath of not going to EY bichoma – as meaning – “bi’yad chazaka” with force- but with permission it would be allowed. This was the position of the Meshech Chochma( R”Meir Simcha MDvinsk), Rav Sorotzkin and the majority vote and conclusion in the MOeztes Gedolei Hatorah’s decsion in 1937 to vote in favor of Israel’s creation with the conditions mentioned above. Furthermore-I personally heard from Hagoan R” Elya Weintraub tzkl (considered one of the greatest mekubalim of our generation)that while the Satmar Rav did not allow it – Rav Moshe held it was not a problem per se. When I questioned how he knew this- he replied -I asked Rav Moshe myself. Furthermore, you will probably say- well the arabs didn’t like it so it was not with permission- but this does not matter- because in 1948 the British controlled the land of Israel and passed it on to the UN to decide – they did by majority rule vote in favor of a Jewish state -which all UN affiliate Nations must accept to be binding – just as any law passed must be accepted by all nations- in the UN charter they agreed to this. You then will say fine- but there was a war the day after the state of Israel declared independence – so you see there was force right- wrong!- because they declared the state with UN permission first and then a day later fought a defensive war agaisnt the arabs who tried to kill them all – that was a milchemes mitzvah by the way. Lastly , even the Brisker Rav who felt like that of Satmar, and others- said that because the MOetezes Gedolei Hatorah of the Agudah( in 1937 pre war europe) is like the Beis DIn of klal yisrael – the hashgacha will be that the state will come about -as it surely did 11yrs later. — SO you see the majority Gedolim vote and others- held no problem to create Jewish state – and although they want it to be frum- that still remains the goal in pre -mashiach times. (R’ AYF)