The Medina controversy

I see on this forum a large number of individuals who apparently dislike the idea of ‘Medinat Israel’, and as such denounce it on the basis of “Many Rabbonim disliked it in the ’20s and ’30s.”

I must say I disagree. Read the book HaTorah Vehamedinah and the book Hatkufa Hagdola by Harav Menachem Mendel Kasher. The aforementioned Rabbonim disagreed with secular Zionism, not with the idea of Zionism as a whole. As secular as the medina is nowadays, it is impossible to say it does not support religious Yidden (funding for Yeshivos, etc.), and that we have no foothold. It can be improved in many ways, as a settler I can tell you such from firsthand experience (discrimination by police, expulsion of Yidden, no access to Har Habayis), but calling it a ‘maase satan’ is a terrible overstatement and a Chillul Hashem. Saying we disturbed the “natives” (We are the natives!) gets us back to the Gemara about the Shlosha Shvuos, which has been explained in a detailed and convincing fashion by those greater than I in Torah and in Mitzvos (I can explain if need-be, people generally quote that Gemara without looking at authorities on this). So please quit the overstatements. If you disagree you disagree, but ‘maase satan’ is too much.

Regards and a Yom Tov to all, Dovid