Am I a Fanatic? Yes, a Fanatic for the ‘Rule of Law’
I’m hoping that I am one of a silent majority that believes that we ALL need to abide by the law, even those laws we personally disagree with. We are entitled to petition our government and even protest (peacefully). But we are not entitled to riot, disobey police, loot and burn other’s property, or obstruct traffic which not only inconveniences thousands but also is a “safek pikuach nefesh” (threat to life) when ambulances can’t get to their destinations.
I really don’t care who you are or what your “justification” is:
The secular left whose demonstrations closed down highways and supplied fodder to Hamas when they saw the discord they were able to sow in the name preserving democracy or saving the hostages. The reality was they just wanted to bring down Netanyahu.
The religious Zionist community that physically goes into Arab towns and causes destruction. It does not change the facts on the ground nor support their cause. Nor does disobeying the Army and crossing into Lebanon to plant trees (or Syria)! They just give fodder to the Europeans and the left to criticize Israel further and to increase support for sanctions against Israel. They also put the soldiers on the border at risk.
The Arab Israeli community that blames the police for the terrible crime rate in their community when for years they did not cooperate with police to identify criminals.
Finally, the Charedi community whose behavior I find totally disgraceful, especially some of the reported statements of its leadership! Rabbi Chanina, the assistant head of the priests, said in Ethics of our Fathers (III, 2) that if not for fear of the government, people would swallow his neighbor alive! Obviously, there is no fear or respect of the Israeli government when they proclaim that officials of the government who arrest draft dodgers may be subject to divine retribution or excommunication. Then they proclaim that no chareidi person can serve in the army! The students themselves are a chillul Hashem when they demonstrate, riot, attack officers, and generally act as hooligans, especially when they are supposedly spending their entire lives dedicated to Torah learning. Where do they find this behavior in the Torah?
I do appreciate Torah study and agree that those that work as hard in the Beit Midrash as a business owner works on his own livelihood should be considered contributing to the country’s survival. There are many, however, who aren’t so fully committed to learning and use the Yeshiva just to get their deferral while they spend their time working. Additionally, there are thousands who have been brainwashed that if they go to the Army, even the special religious units designed for the chareidi, they will give up their religiosity. The leadership doesn’t realize that it is not the Army that makes them less religious. It is an education system that does not imbue them with a love of God and does not allow them to find their place in the “70 faces to the Torah”.
Rabbi Elazar said in the name of Rabbi Chanina Torah scholars increase peace in the world (Brachot 64) . Since I believe the Talmud and since the self-righteous proclamations by the leaders of the Israeli Chareidi community only bring divisiveness, I must conclude that these are not true leaders of Torah and their opinions are not valid.
Finally, every community needs to remember that we are all part of this small country and unless we work together cohesively, we are tearing the country apart. And that applies to every group that feels they are above the law.
