Author Topic: Secular "Jewish" nationalism is meaningless  (Read 1191 times)

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Offline IsraeliGovtAreKapos

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Secular "Jewish" nationalism is meaningless
« on: June 24, 2011, 10:49:09 AM »
A Tale Of Two Letters - 1976  

Written by Rabbi Meir Kahane

the magazine of the authentic Jewish Idea

September 1976 – Elul 5736

Two letters arrived for me within a few days of each other.  Together they tell an important tale.  It is a tale of the distortion and the misshaping of the authentic Jewish Idea and it is a tale that every Jew should hear and understand.

This first letter came from a Jew – a religious Jew – a Jew whose home is in the State of Illinois.  The relevant parts of this letter read as follows: 

“Sometimes when we become firmly convinced of something, we tend to state it to others with a certain degree of fanaticism.  Of course, you are right that the Jews of the entire world should make Aliyah to Israel.  But let us consider some practical aspects … are all of us going to be able to support ourselves as well as our families in Israel?  Are we headed for an “Auschwitz” America?  I hope and pray it does not happen and I do not think it will.  But if it does, that will mean that America has turned full tilt against Israel and Jews will be no safer than in America.  Prayfully, one day, my family and I will gather enough faith and courage to make Aliyah. But until we do, if we do, we do not require constant harping on this subject.  What we do need now is your spiritual leadership in becoming better Jews where we are.  Prophesize to our brethren in Israel.  Bring them back to Torah.  Prepare the land and the people for us?”

The other letter comes from an Israeli.  A student who lives in Jerusalem and who studies at Hebrew University.  He is not religious, but a firm nationalist.  The relevant parts of his letter are:

“I do not write this letter in my name alone but in the name of many tens of students who agree with all of your main points… The thing that leads to a parting of the ways is “your fanatical religion” as they call it.  Most of the students are irreligious.  Know that many, many would like to see themselves in your camp, but they totally reject Rabbi Kahane because of their fear of “fanatical religion.”  With all due respect, I suggest that you only emphasize the major issue that is common to all including the irreligious.”

Two letters.  Each in their own way showing the schizophrenia that has seized the Jewish people and that has misshapen and deformed the authentic Jewish Idea.  Two letters from two-Jews, each of whom has forgotten a different side of Judaism.  One, a “religious” Jew who forgets that without the nation there is nothing.  The other, a “nationalist” Jew who does not know that without religion, the Jew is meaningless.  And how important it is for us to understand the totality and truth of the Jew as a RELIGIO-NATION.  For if we do, we suddenly understand the reality of the Jewish Idea; we begin to grasp the truth that will lead to the final redemption.  And if we do not, we continue our descent to tragedy. 

You see, my secular nationalist friend, unlike you, I see nothing at all very special or logical about nationalism, per se.  I see nothing very rational about setting up boundaries and a barrier, separate governments, armies, parliaments, economics, exchange rates and languages.  If anything, nationalism is a barrier to world brotherhood and one of the major fomenters of conflict and war. If I were a secular nationalist I would be hard put to explain why Jews should remain separate and not assimilate and I would struggle for a rational explanation of Jewish behavior – stubborn and obstinate – over two millennia of exile as they suffered every conceivable manner of persecution and yet, refused to disappear.

There is only one reason why Jews should be different, and that is the very special difference, the uniqueness that makes them separate and different from all other peoples.  ONLY the election of Israel, only the concept of a Chosen people, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation; only the “Ata b’chartanu, You have chosen us from all the nations”: only the “hamavdil beyn kodesh l’chol, He who differentiates between and separates between holy and profane, between Israel and the nations”; only the need to be different, apart and separate NOT BECAUSE OF SOME VAGUE LANGUAGE OR HISTORICAL DIFFERNCE but because of the distinct uniqueness of Torah and the commandments as a DIVINE decree – only this gives any validity to the Jew remaining alive as a distinct entity.

There is nothing special about a Jewish tank or jet plane, nothing special about an independent state of your own with a Parliament, Prime Minister, national airline and social-economic-political problems, all nations have them.  There is nothing special about a scientific institute, universities and lawyers, physicians and sanitation men; all nations have them.  But no nation has Torah except the Jewish people, and that is the difference.  The only one.

And so, when I helped to found the JDL and called to people to love Jews so much that they should be prepared to climb barricades for them, fight physically for them, perhaps sit in jail for them, why in the world did I care about some Jew in Leningrad or Damascus more than some Zulu in South Africa?  Only because Ahavat Yisroel follows directly from the special quality of the Jewish people – the DIVINE nation – each of whose members partakes of that divine quality and is my brother MORE than other peoples.  Without my belief in the Jews as the Chosen People of G-d, there would be not the slightest interest for me in them more than in other people.

And if you wonder why secular Jewish nationalism, that which we call Zionism, has proven to be such a disastrous failure among our youth in Israel; and if it bothers you that the youth questions the basic axioms that, to you are truth incarnate, going so far as to dispute the right of the Jews to Israel and even joining an Arab spy ring; and if you are disturbed at the fact that most Israelis have little ties to world Jewry, and so many would like very much to leave the country and make a great deal of money elsewhere; and if the Jew in Israel looks more and more like any other people and feels nothing special about himself and his state – learn an important lesson.

Secular Jewish nationalism – no more than any other kind – can give no rational reason to a sensitive and intelligent young person to see anything special about his people or his state – especially when that state is faced with constant crisis, hardships and sacrifice.   There are those secular Jewish nationalists who remember either the anti-Semitism of the Exile or the nostalgia of Judaism.  Most Israelis know neither and they ask logical questions and demand answers that the letter writer, a secular nationalist, cannot really give him 

As for me, without religion there are NO Jewish people worth fighting for and worth dying for.  There is no Jewish state worth sacrificing so much for and crying out “not one inch.”  Everything that the nationalist writer sees in me as “nationalist” is instead RELIGIO-NATIONALIST, or the authentic Jewish Idea.  Failing to see religion and G-d at the heart of Jewishness; failing to see G-d at the center of Jewish destiny, as the G-d of History; failing to understand that without a return to Torah, nothing will help us – the secular nationalist understands nothing.

And he is joined by the “religious” Jew form Illinois.  A Jew who can say such “practical” things as “are all of us able to support ourselves in Israel?; as “I do not think” an Auschwitz can happen in America; as if America “turns full tilt” against Jews then Israel is also doomed; as advice to stop harping on Aliyah and instead try to make us “better Jews where we are.”

The one writer puts religion on the shelf and thinks that he is a complete Jew, while the other ignores nationalism and prides himself on his being able to be a true Jew.  Both are wrong.  Both are cripples, the one limping on the right foot and the other on the left.

The religious Jew asks that I try to make Jews better “where they are.”  That is exactly what I do when I “harp” on the fundamental mitzvah of Aliyah.  I am desperately attempting to reach the Jew “where he is” in the Exile and make him a better Jew by telling him to fulfill the mitzvah of settling the land.  I reach out to him and try to make him a better Jew who will stop being so casual about a mitzvah that the rabbis tell us is equal to all the commandments of the Torah; who will realize that the rabbis call him, the dweller in Exile, a man who is as one without a G-d; who is called a worshipper of idol impurity; who is promised that in the Exile he will “find no rest for the sole of his foot.”

He wishes me to make Jews better than they are?  Every article I write concerning the immutable place of the nation and the state of Judaism does just that.  Every criticism of religious Jews for failing to understand that there can be no authentic complete Judaism without the Land of Israel is that.   Every time I attempt to teach the lesson of the State of Israel as being the beginning of the redemption and the beginning of the era of Kiddush Hashem is that.

 The religious Jew who does not perceive that the Exile is Hillul Hashem, the desecration of G-d’s name is one who does not understand Jewish history and the Jewish destiny.  If he does not understand that his remaining in the Exile desecrates G-d’s name, guarantees a terrible Holocaust and impedes the swift final redemption – then shout to him the truth over and over again no matter how annoyed he is, or rather precisely because he is annoyed. The Jew who remains in Exile and refuses to live in Israel is NOT a good a Jew as he should be.  The Jew who can fail to understand that the Exile is a curse that is guaranteed to end in Auschwitz, and who can lay aside a mitzvah because “how will we support ourselves” (meaning, in the manner to which we have become accustomed), and who can think that the destiny of Israel lies in the hands of America – is a Jew who badly needs help.  He is as “irreligious” in his way as the secular nationalist in his.

The question of Aliyah is not a peripheral or tangential one.  It is at the heart of the Jewish future and destiny.  And it will be shouted forth so that, in the words of the Book of Ezekiel “whether they listen or cease to listen, but let them know that there was a spokesman among them.”

Somewhere in the Exile, the authentic Jewish Idea became misshapen and deformed.  On the one hand there were those who forgot that the Jew is a religion. On the other hand, there were those who forgot that we are a nation.  Both are helping to bring tragedy upon us.  Until we return to the authentic Jewish concept of a RELIGO-NATION I will continue to receive letters from people who do not understand.  Somehow they must be made to understand and that is why I write.

Offline Secularbeliever

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Re: Secular "Jewish" nationalism is meaningless
« Reply #1 on: June 24, 2011, 01:41:12 PM »
No doubt being Jewish without Judaism is missing something.  However, what do you do about the majority of Jews who are secular, just write them off?
We all need to pray for Barack Obama, may the Lord provide him a safe move back to Chicago in January 2,013.

Offline muman613

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Re: Secular "Jewish" nationalism is meaningless
« Reply #2 on: June 24, 2011, 03:17:22 PM »
No doubt being Jewish without Judaism is missing something.  However, what do you do about the majority of Jews who are secular, just write them off?

Well, we hold out hope that they will eventually make Teshuva... But a time will come when they will not be able to do so... Some Rabbis suggest that we will once again lose a large number of Jews like we did when the plague of darkness was upon Egypt. We should do our best to get as many Jews to return to Jewish beliefs before they are completely lost...

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline Yaakov Mendel

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Re: Secular "Jewish" nationalism is meaningless
« Reply #3 on: June 24, 2011, 03:40:51 PM »
This text is brilliant and should be read by every Jew. Rabbi Kahane's Judaism is pure Judaism, true Judaism.

But it is cruel for those of us who are lame ducks and black sheep and who are essentially not responsible for their condition. Individual circumstances are sometimes complicated and not chosen. Some of us are prisoners of their past. As far as I am concerned, I grew up in the Exile in an assimilated, secular, liberal family. I wasn't taught Judaism. I wasn't given the chance to understand where I come from and what my roots are. I was exposed to and shaped by non-Jewish concepts.  As a result, I married a wonderful but non-Jewish woman, and at the time it didn't bother me in the least that she was non-Jewish. Still, my Jewish soul never totally abandoned me because I returned to Judaism in my early thirties, that is a few years ago. Now I would love to make aliyah and I am well aware of the fundamental importance of that mitzva. But my wife, who is not Jewish, does not want to. What should I do ? Leave her ? Easy to say, when you have children, when you love your wife and when you respect the bond of marriage. I feel stuck. If it was just about money or about finding a job, I wouldn't hesitate to pack my things and take the next plane to Israel. But I am faced with a bigger obstacle.
This is one more illustration of the fact that assimilation in the Exile is an even more lethal weapon against the Jewish people than all the Jew haters of the world, because it is a soft, "nice" poison - life is happy in the free and rich Western countries where Jews are granted full rights, and it is a poison that is imposed upon you by your assimilated parents. Now I am doing everything I can so that my children will be Jews, as I have painfully experienced for myself the consequences of being stolen one's heritage. But, as you can imagine, it's not easy in an intermarried home...

Sorry for talking about myself like that but I thought I might be a relevant example in this context and, to me, JTFers are friends, not just anonymous bloggers...

Offline muman613

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Re: Secular "Jewish" nationalism is meaningless
« Reply #4 on: June 24, 2011, 03:56:53 PM »
This text is brilliant and should be read by every Jew. Rabbi Kahane's Judaism is pure Judaism, true Judaism.

But it is cruel for those of us who are lame ducks and black sheep and who are essentially not responsible for their condition. Individual circumstances are sometimes complicated and not chosen. Some of us are prisoners of their past. As far as I am concerned, I grew up in the Exile in an assimilated, secular, liberal family. I wasn't taught Judaism. I wasn't given the chance to understand where I come from and what my roots are. I was exposed to and shaped by non-Jewish concepts.  As a result, I married a wonderful but non-Jewish woman, and at the time it didn't bother me in the least that she was non-Jewish. Still, my Jewish soul never totally abandoned me because I returned to Judaism in my early thirties, that is a few years ago. Now I would love to make aliyah and I am well aware of the fundamental importance of that mitzva. But my wife, who is not Jewish, does not want to. What should I do ? Leave her ? Easy to say, when you have children, when you love your wife and when you respect the bond of marriage. I feel stuck. If it was just about money or about finding a job, I wouldn't hesitate to pack my things and take the next plane to Israel. But I am faced with a bigger obstacle.
This is one more illustration of the fact that assimilation in the Exile is an even more lethal weapon against the Jewish people than all the Jew haters of the world, because it is a soft, "nice" poison - life is happy in the free and rich Western countries where Jews are granted full rights, and it is a poison that is imposed upon you by your assimilated parents. Now I am doing everything I can so that my children will be Jews, as I have painfully experienced for myself the consequences of being stolen one's heritage. But, as you can imagine, it's not easy in an intermarried home...

Sorry for talking about myself like that but I thought I might be a relevant example in this context and, to me, JTFers are friends, not just anonymous bloggers...

I fully understand... As I stated in another thread about my personal circumstances. I agree that we, who are Jews brought up in a secular-Jewish home, have a great challenge. I am somewhat consoled that I did not have children in the marriage I had {to a non-Jew} because I would have had many more problems {as you seem to have}.

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline Yaakov Mendel

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Re: Secular "Jewish" nationalism is meaningless
« Reply #5 on: June 24, 2011, 04:13:32 PM »
I am somewhat consoled that I did not have children in the marriage I had {to a non-Jew} because I would have had many more problems {as you seem to have}.

Indeed it creates a lot of problems, especially when it comes to things like Kosher food or Shabbat. It also creates regular tensions in your marriage. My wife comes from a Christian family but she is very secular and she is worried about my much more religious way of life today. She even views me as an "orthodox" Jew, which is funny because I am not ! What can I say, I can't blame her, when we met I was as secular as her... She didn't marry me because she wanted to live with a religious Jew !
As for my 7-year old daughter, it seems that Hashem is hearing my prayers because she is fascinated by everything that relates to Judaism and completely identifies as a Jew and I am so happy about that ! I would hate myself so much if she grew up indifferent of Judaism as I did. But it's basically an everyday fight with my environment - not only my wife, but my former friends and colleagues, etc.

Let's take up the challenge !

Offline Muck DeFuslims

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Re: Secular "Jewish" nationalism is meaningless
« Reply #6 on: June 24, 2011, 05:21:25 PM »
Let us be careful not to put words into the Rav's mouth.

I do not believe the Rav intended to convey the message that secular nationalism is 'meaningless' anymore than he intended to convey the message that being observant in exile is 'meaningless'.

Clearly, the Rav viewed both as crippled, misshapened, distortions of the authentic Jewish idea, but I don't think it's accurate to say he thought being observant in the exile or that secular nationalism were entirely 'meaningless'.

Surely, his desire was to see all Jews become Torah observant and to live in and defend Israel.

But I don't think it's accurate to say he dismissed anything less as being entirely 'meaningless'.

Me ? I'm in deep trouble. I'm secular and in exile.


Offline Yaakov Mendel

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Re: Secular "Jewish" nationalism is meaningless
« Reply #7 on: June 24, 2011, 05:50:42 PM »

Me ? I'm in deep trouble. I'm secular and in exile.


Funny but, seriously, judging by the way you strongly defend Israel in your posts, I don't think you're in such trouble, you've got to be at least on an ascending trend...

Offline Meerkat

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Re: Secular "Jewish" nationalism is meaningless
« Reply #8 on: June 24, 2011, 05:52:21 PM »

Me ? I'm in deep trouble. I'm secular and in exile.


at least for now, you're not alone

Offline Zelhar

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Re: Secular "Jewish" nationalism is meaningless
« Reply #9 on: June 25, 2011, 01:39:15 PM »
It is very good to hold to high ideals as long as you remember to operate in a practical and meaningful way. Rabbi Kahane had never compromised his ideals and yet his actions where very practical. The JDL's first purpose was to empower the Jews in America so they could stand up to bullies and Nazis in the American exile. And then there was the campaign to free soviet Jewry which was mainly an American Jewish operation. Only then did the Rabbi made Aliyah to Israel.

The fact is that Israel is too tiny and it is decreasing in size thanks to the leftists government. It is already over populated as it is and we have a natural growth rate that is high relatively to a developed nation. I wish Israel had less population, especially less erev rav not to mention the muslims.

Offline Kahane-Was-Right BT

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Re: Secular "Jewish" nationalism is meaningless
« Reply #10 on: June 26, 2011, 12:52:56 AM »
The point here is not to disparage someone who is secular and nationalistic.  The point is to show what fatal flaw exists in a secular brand of "Jewish nationalism" and why it doesn't help us.  The Rav always explained that, and we see it with our own eyes with the dreadful LIKUD party which began as something with potential (originally as herut actually) but which menachem begin and then the true secular nationalists (since begin really can't be called secular) who followed him, used to lead us to our destruction.   Menachem Begin sadly began this destructive path, but the Likud party and all it exemplifies fulfill exactly what Rabbi Kahane spoke about when he criticized 'secular jewish nationalism.'

Offline edu

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Re: Secular "Jewish" nationalism is meaningless
« Reply #11 on: June 26, 2011, 02:02:12 AM »
Yaacov Mendel wrote:
Quote
Now I would love to make aliyah and I am well aware of the fundamental importance of that mitzva. But my wife, who is not Jewish, does not want to. What should I do ? Leave her ? Easy to say, when you have children, when you love your wife and when you respect the bond of marriage. I feel stuck. If it was just about money or about finding a job, I wouldn't hesitate to pack my things and take the next plane to Israel. But I am faced with a bigger obstacle.
This is one more illustration of the fact that assimilation in the Exile is an even more lethal weapon against the Jewish people than all the Jew haters of the world, because it is a soft, "nice" poison - life is happy in the free and rich Western countries where Jews are granted full rights, and it is a poison that is imposed upon you by your assimilated parents. Now I am doing everything I can so that my children will be Jews, as I have painfully experienced for myself the consequences of being stolen one's heritage. But, as you can imagine, it's not easy in an intermarried home...
The first part of the solution is being aware there is a problem, and I see you have reached this first stage. I don't have experience finding good solutions for these type of problems, but I suggest you at least try contacting some of the Baalei Teshuva Yeshivas that do have experience. Maybe they can help you find a solution that you can live with.

Offline Zelhar

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Re: Secular "Jewish" nationalism is meaningless
« Reply #12 on: June 26, 2011, 03:38:12 AM »
The point here is not to disparage someone who is secular and nationalistic.  The point is to show what fatal flaw exists in a secular brand of "Jewish nationalism" and why it doesn't help us.  The Rav always explained that, and we see it with our own eyes with the dreadful LIKUD party which began as something with potential (originally as herut actually) but which menachem begin and then the true secular nationalists (since begin really can't be called secular) who followed him, used to lead us to our destruction.   Menachem Begin sadly began this destructive path, but the Likud party and all it exemplifies fulfill exactly what Rabbi Kahane spoke about when he criticized 'secular jewish nationalism.'
It's true that secular nationalist have ultimately shown to have no backbone, but basically the religious-nationalists (mafdal, Yesha council) and Charedim have failed miserably as well. Jewish politics is one big story of incompetence.

Offline Kahane-Was-Right BT

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Re: Secular "Jewish" nationalism is meaningless
« Reply #13 on: June 27, 2011, 12:48:09 AM »
It's true that secular nationalist have ultimately shown to have no backbone, but basically the religious-nationalists (mafdal, Yesha council) and Charedim have failed miserably as well. Jewish politics is one big story of incompetence.

True, but at the risk of employing a no-true-scotsman fallacy, the Charedim are NOT nationalists, and the yesha council have always been agents of the state who support the brand of secular "likud whine and compromise nationalism" that leads it.   Similarly with mafdal, they only see themselves as being legitimized by the power structure already in place, looking for praise in the Likud's eyes, instead of fighting for what is right.  They never had a meaningful course of action other than supporting the "more rightwing" version of Israeli politics (likud over labor) as an overlord above them.   And then expecting the handouts from the big brother of course.