What Israel must do to defend herself against increasingly vociferous attacks

Recent US administration verbal attacks on Israel and counter-criticism of the administration

Verbal Attacks
Vice President Biden, State Department Hillary Clinton, David Axelrod have all jumped on Israel.  During recent trip to Israel VP Biden stated:

"I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem.  The substance and timing of the announcement, particularly with the launching of proximity talks, is precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now....."

(Only last week, the US State Department criticized Israel for planning to teach Jews about Rachel’s Tomb and the Cave of the Patriarchs - their heritage.)
Counter-criticism

• National Council of Young Israel ‘condemns’ Vice President Biden's condemnation:

"We strongly 'condemn' Vice President Biden's statements and respectfully urge him to rescind his incendiary remarks about Jerusalem.  The reality is that there is no such entity as 'East Jerusalem,' there is only Jerusalem, which is the united capital of Israel.” 
[See the Young Israel’s Full statement.]

• Wall street Journal article defending Israel (Full article).
• The OU recently rejected the US State Departments criticism of Israel’s heritage plan.
• Criticism of the White House by members of congress including democrats.

Interview: Yisroel Danziger of Mishmeret Yesha

• Rapid Response Team training of Mishmeret Yesha
• Hezbollah's flourishing business supplying drugs to Israeli Jewish youth.
• Training Jewish youth in Israel to be productive
• Many other interesting topics

"As the navel is set in the centre of the human body, so is the land of Israel the navel of the world, situated in the centre of the world, and Jerusalem in the centre of the land of Israel, and the sanctuary in the centre of Jerusalem, and the holy place in the centre of the sanctuary, and the ark in the centre of the holy place, and the foundation stone before the holy place, because from it the world was founded." [ Midrash Tanchuma, Kedoshim]

• The upcoming Har Habayith/Temple Mount Awareness Day, March 16, 2010
• Israel’s decision to declare Meorat hamachpela (Cave of the Patriarchs) and Kever Rachel (Rachel’s tomb) as archeological and Jewish heritage sites.
• The U.S. and United Nation’s criticism of Israel for these designations.
• Arab riots on the Har Habayit and in Hevron
  [Link 1,  Link 2,  Link 3]

Purim and Activism

"And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them" [Exodus 25:8]

• Dvar Torah – Terumah
  The command to build the Beit Hamikdash - The Holy Temple
• Netanyahu goes to Russia to ask for sanctions against Iran for building nuclear weapons:
  Where are we heading with the situation in Iran?

We mourn the passing of Rabbi Dr. Bernard Lander of blessed memory, founder of Touro College

• In memoriam of Dr. Lander we will discuss his tremendous achievements, which included providing the means for an education to so many Yeshiva students both men and women. Link
• We discuss an urgent request for clemency for Martin Grossman, a death-row inmate scheduled for execution next Tuesday from Gov. Crist of Florida.
  The Governor’s e-mail address: Charlie.Crist@eog.myflorida.com; Phone number: (850) 488-7146; Fax: 850-487-0801 Link 1 Link 2
• The upcoming race for the 44 City Council District seat of Simcha Felder slated for March 23

"That thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what I have wrought upon Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them; that ye may know that I am the LORD." [Exodus 10:2]

• The purpose of the plagues: To make an example of Egypt to show us and to show the world that G-d DOES punish the wicked and DOES actively control the world.
• Israel setting up field hospitals for victims in Haiti - Aish hatorah has a nice article and videos

Israel advocacy - Strong Arguments vs. commonly employed weak arguments

Bereshith -- In the beginning. Rabbi Isaac said: ... (Psalm 111:6) "He declared to his people the strength of his works (i.e. He gave an account of the work of creation) in order that he might give them the heritage of the nations." For should the peoples of the world say to Israel, "You are robbers, because you took by force the lands of the seven nations of Canaan," Israel may reply to them, "All the earth belongs to the Holy One, blessed be He; He created it and gave it to whom he pleased. When he willed He gave it to them, and when He willed He took it from them and gave it to us." (Yalk. Exod. 12:2). [http://www.bible-researcher.com/rashi.html#comment]

1. The whole of Israel belongs to the Jewish People
2. A gift from G-d over 3,000 years ago
3. We have been living there with a government up until 1,940 years ago
4. We were forced off our land by the Romans against our will
5. Our land remained largely empty throughout the years with but a few Arab nomads amongst other trespassers
6. The Arabs have no claim to Israel whatsoever
7. The term 'Palestinian' is a misnomer; there is no Palestinian people - only an Arab people. Those in Israel are the same Arab people as those who live in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, Syria and the other Arab countries - they all speak Arabic and consider themselves Arab. [See 'Palestinian' covenant Article 12-15 ]

1. We are 'reasonable' - we are willing to compromise and divide the land but they are unwilling to bend; they demand all of Israel and claim it is all theirs - therefore sympathize with us, as we are 'reasonable' while they are 'unreasonable.'
2. The Arabs indiscriminately target civilians, women and children whereas we do not - therefore be sympathetic to our side.
3. We need a place for Jews to flee to and to live without pogroms and holocausts; therefore sympathize with us.

Israel, US and the Stinking Fish - 1976

(The stinking fish is an old Talmudic parable - read the article referenced below for details)

Historical and current facts to consider vis-a-vis Israel and her enemies

(Reference links provided with more information.)

• Mufti of Jerusalem with Hitler in the 1940's and before link 1 link 2 link 3
• Arafat a Nazi sympathizer click
• Picture of today's 'Palestinian' salute click
• Abbas, the 'moderate' PA leader is a holocaust denier link 1
link 2
• Mein Kampf - a best seller in the Arab territories click
• Israel does not exist on PA maps link 1 link 2 link 3
• Palestinian Authority's current charter, adopted in 1968, states: The term 'Palestinian' is a temporary facade and a means to an end. They are in reality part of the 'Arab Nation' [Articles 12-15].
  Israel must be destroyed and replaced with an Arab state [Articles 21-23]. click
• Arabs left Israel in 1948 at the request of their Arab brethren in order to allow the invading armies to attack Israel link 1 link 2 link 3 link 4 link 5 link 6

Headlines coming out of Israel over the last week:

what we learn from Hanukkah

• We must take action
  
  
• When it says that Hashem does miracles it means through our actions
  
  
• It is wrong to say that Hashem will take care of what is necessary while we sit idly by
  
  
• When we act and with G-d's help are successful it is a sanctification of G-d's name
  
  
• Terrible tragedies can occur as a result of our inaction

• To fear the sanctuary [Rambam Sefer hamitvoth Mitzvah 21: one example given is "Do not enter the Temple Mount with a staff, your shoes etc..."
  
  "Even though the Mikdash today is destroyed due to our sins, a person is obligated to fear it (today) the same as is done when it is built: one should only enter the places that is permitted, one may not sit in the Temple's courtyard (the Azarah), one should not be frivolous opposite the Eastern Gate etc ... even though it is destroyed it remains in its holiness." [Rambam, Laws of the Sanctuary 7:6-7]



• To pray in the sanctuary [Rambam Sefer hamitvoth Mitzvah 5: " 'Serve Him in his Mikdash' in other words attempt to pray there"]



• To build the Sanctuary [Rambam Sefer hamitvoth Mitzvah 20]



• To blow both the shofar and trumpets on the Temple Mount when there is a danger to israel as a nation.



• To cry out in prayer to the almighty for a private individual problem such as over a sickness affecting a family member, someone who is withheld from having children, a woman who has difficulty giving birth or any other personal problem.

1. Teshuvas RaDVaZ, Chelek 2 (Second volume) Teshuvah 691 - The RadVaZ, who was Rov of Jerusalem about 500 years ago and whose Perush is printed on the side of the RaMBaM, rules that it is permitted to go to within a short distance of the Dome of the Rock - the place of the Holy of Holies.



2. "Beit Hashem Neileich: Praying in the courtyard of the House of the Lord; Going up to the Temple Mount and the commandments that apply to it nowadays" by Rav Yisrael Ariel



3. "Sefer Torat Habayit: Concerning the building the Holy Temple and the offering of the sacrifices nowadays" by Rav Avigdor Elboim (three volumes)

• Rav Moshe Feinstein's Teshuvah (Responsa) stating that it is permitted to ascend the Har Habayith (Temple Mount) [Igroth Moshe ORECH CHAIM II 113]
• Video of Rabbi Moshe Tendler, Rav Moshe Feinstein's son in law, ascending the Har Habayith
  
• Rav Tendler interviewed on Arutz 7 (excerpts to be played on the JAN radio)
• Video of Rabbi Elboim on the Temple Mount
  
• Rambam Yad Hachazakah, Beit HaBachira Chapter 7:15(16) and Biat Mikdash 3:4 states that a Tamei Meis (impure from a dead body) is permitted to go up to the Temple Mount and that even the dead body itself may enter.
• Letter from the Rambam declaring the day that he was able to ascend the Temple Mount a personal holiday
• The Temple Institute - for more information