A Government Just Like Us

A recent poll showed that most Orthodox Jews in Israel are afraid of this new “change” government. Granted what Rabbi Ovadia Yosef zt”l said years ago in a Kikar Shabbat  website (Hebrew) * about  “Bayit  Yehudi  – The Jewish Home” which morphed into what is now “Yamina – The New Right,” headed by now Prime Minister Naftali Bennet – there is plenty of reason for anyone who loves Torah, Hashem, and truth to be afraid. [NOTE: A translation of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef’s very important words is included at the bottom of this article.]

All those years ago, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef received more than his fair share of heckling after those comments he made in his weekly class. People asked “How could you say such things?” and much worse. Suddenly, everyone is amazed – his words read like a prophesy. He could have given that class last week, and the examples he gave would be exactly the same, exactly what this government signed coalition agreements about! 

We have to learn a very important lesson from this very painful example – the tzaddikim, the righteous Rabbis, the special and unique ones of the generation – they can see what we cannot and they know what we don’t! AND WE MUST LISTEN EVEN IF WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND! 

Everyone is asking each other now, “How did we get so duped? This is a coup! Bennet took our votes and turned against us!” but Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, who was not just an outstanding codifier of Jewish law but also a true tzaddik – saw through the mask. And we did not listen! 

And now that we see just how true his words were – it’s already too late. 

Now, let’s learn from this disastrous mistake, and start listening now to the tzaddikim! For instance, Rabbi Arush warned us strongly on Sunday (Questions and Answers) that if we just go back to routine and forget what happened in Meron, G-d forbid for the next kick Hashem will give us to wake us back up! Tell me – who among us wants to wait around and find out what exactly he is talking about?!  

I say, “Heck no, not me!” and if you agree, then watch that video or read Rabbi Arush’s warning to us: Don’t Fall Back Asleep, and join the thousands who have already signed up! 

We didn’t listen to the tzaddik, so now we have a government who won’t listen to us, and is hell bent on uprooting the most fundamental tenants of Judaism such as proper conversion, children’s Torah education, and public Shabbat observance. 

A Government Formed on Hatred 

There is another aspect in which this new Israeli government mimics the internal reality of the Jewish people, and that is hatred.  

The entire government was formed on the hatred of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the desire to end his reign of power as Prime Minister. It’s about the only thing that unites this fractured coalition that was cobbled together of totally disparate parties with radically different ideologies, including even an Arab party who displayed solidarity with Hamas during the last Gaza War! 

Let’s face it – Bennet has lost almost all of the public backing of those who voted for him. If new elections are called, there is no way for his party to earn any seats, unless it’s by backing of totally different left-wing voters, rather than the original right-wing voters who put him in power. He could very well pull “hell or high water” to stay in power, because this could very well be his last hurrah. 

Hashem is trying to show us just how dangerous hatred can be. When we are divided, we open the door for our enemies to become united in order to defeat us! Everyone was so busy squabbling over Bibi that the door was opened to a very dangerous and unstable government.  

If we can’t learn to love each other, even with our differences, then our enemies will learn to overcome their differences in order to destroy us! 

Let’s bring this home. I heard first hand from a hidden tzaddik, who recently mentioned in private that he had tried unsuccessfully to organize a meeting of various Rabbanim which would have been very beneficial to the Jewish people and would have been a big step towards the Redemption with mercy. It just wasn’t possible because this Rav wouldn’t come if the other one was there, and another Rav wouldn’t come if this different Rav was there. So it was simply impossible to get them all together in one room! Why? Because of the sinat chinam – they all hate each other for no good reason! 

The similarities and the message is clear: Divide and conquer! We are so divided by hatred! 

Again, Hashem throws our hatred back in our face! He is saying to us (so to speak): I give you commandments to love each other, honor and respect each other – and these commandments are the basis of the Torah, the entire point of the Torah. If you hate each other so much, then what’s the point of the Torah? Why should you be able to keep Torah easily in your land? You are trampling the Torah spiritually by digging under its foundation with your hatred – I’ll send you a government that will dig under the Torah’s foundations physically as well! 

Rabbi Arush explains in his article Emuna is not Enough that without loving each other and properly fulfilling the commandments between man and fellow man, the angels go back to the Creator and say, “For what reason should they still have the Torah? The entire purpose of the Torah are these commandments, and here, look they are trampling them!” It’s a terrible, terrible accusation against us, G-d have mercy! 

Therefore, if you care about protecting Judaism inside of the Land of Israel and outside as well, and if you too are afraid of the devastating and far-reaching consequences that could be, G-d forbid, as a result of the policies of “change” that this government espouses – then you have to fight back! But you can’t “bite the stick” – it won’t help to attempt to fight the government or burn trash in a big protest. You have to fight the problem at its root.  

By joining Rabbi Arush’s campaign to pray for the Jewish people every day – you kill two birds with one stone! Now, you’re listening to the tzaddik and joining with him, and you are increasing love within the Jewish people in order to combat sinat chinam which is the root of all our troubles, suffering and pain, of which this new government is just a part. 

This is the real war and together, we can win it! 

I hope you’ll join us today! Take upon yourself to pray for the Jewish people every day as Rabbi Arush explains!  

Now that you’ve taken that upon yourself, email yael@breslev.co.il  with your name and mother’s name, and she’ll forward your name for Rabbi Arush to pray for you!  

*** 

Rachel Avrahami grew up in Los Angeles, CA, USA in a far-off valley where she was one of only a handful of Jews in a public high school of thousands. She found Hashem in the urban jungle of university. Rachel was privileged to read one of the first copies of The Garden of Emuna in English, and the rest, as they say, is history. She made Aliyah and immediately began working at Breslev Israel.  
 

Rachel is now the Editor of Breslev Israel’s English website. She welcomes questions, comments,  articles, and personal stories to her email: rachel.avrahami@breslev.co.il.