Israeli State and Zionism in Modern Orthodoxy
This is an article I found very interesting and translated for you. It really helps disspelling the modern Orthodox = Dati leumi myth. Author is a Modern Orthodox (in the Hirschian sense, not the typical French sense) boy.
Israeli State and Zionism in Modern Orthodoxy
Given the topic is still fresh and interesting to many, I found useful to write an article on the MO conceptions of Zionism.
Of course the goal of this article is only to show and discuss the thought of great visionaries. A thought that often had influence on Judaism (especially Rav Kook) and Israeli soecity (Leibowitz). Don't hesitate to comment, isn't it said 2 Jews 3 opinions?
We will analyze the opinions of three big characters of XXth century Judaism: Rav Kook, Rav Soloveitchik and Yeshayahu Leibowitz. We will also study the abuses that sometimes came from these thoughts, the goal being of course not criticism (abuses don't come from the thinker but from the bad understanding of some students) but honesty and objectivity.
RAV KOOK OR SANCTIFICATION OF THE PROFANE
While not being an expert on the writings of Rav Kook, I will try to give the big lines of his vision of the Jewish state:
a) sacred can come from profane, holy prophecies of return to Zion can come for the most atheist ideology. He said the builders of the temple were workers from all types of backgrounds maybe even some goyim and still were allowed to build the temple and go on the temple mount for building. The same way the laic Zionist pionneers can participate.
b) many fear the new. The Hatam Sofer (from a Gemara but out of context...) said the new is forbidden by the Torah (kovetz Tchouvot, 56). Rav Kooek say "old gets new and new gets holy". In Israel it means the old yishuv gets new again and the new one becomes holy.
c) Israel as the beginning of the delivery and even the "basis of the divine throne on Earth" (orot israel, 6, 7)
It is a Zionism 100% based in religion, Zionism being a pillar of religious life like (if I dare) shabbat or kashrut.
This Zionism being totally religious, disciples of Rav Kook will have a tendancy to consider a non Zionist/not as Zionist Jew, even ultra Orthodox, as not fulfilling his religious duty.
Rav Kook affiliated centers: most Yeshivot hesder, Yeshiva Merkaz Harav (he founded), Yeshiva Har Hamor...
Abuses: some have been pushes to an undeniable fanatism, willing to dwell everywhere at any cost, and any territorial concession is violently refused even if it would bring security.
LEIBOWITZ: RELIGIOUS, YES! RELIGIOUS ZIONIST, NO!
Contrary to Rav Kook, Professor Leibowitz always campaigned for a full separation of state and religion. Very Zionist and fervently religious, he refused to mix sacred and laic.
Rav Meir Simcha Hacohen, author of Meshekh Khokhma, explains that nothing is saint except G-d, no element except G-d possesses sanctity per se. The holy people, land, rabbis... possess a sanctity coming from G-d only. If you use something to serve G-d then it is holy, if not then not. If the Israeli use the holy land to do mitsvos it is holy. If not...
Israel has been founded for laic reasons by laic people, so it can't be called holy.
Leibowitz's Zionism is fully laic. For him, Zionism is Jews wanting to live together, autonomously, as any people would want. Not to be submitted to the will of the nations. The state is a way of being independent.
You can be Zionist and religious, says Leibowitz, but not Zionist-religious! Provocatively he says that the terme Zionist-religious is an aberration like national socialist!
abuses: they are evident: on the long term they can lead to a total abandonment of Zionism since it's not a value per se. Avraham Burg, ex Knesset President, goes as far as asking the suppressing of the idea of Jewish state and annulation of return law.
RAV SOLOVEITCHIK: BETWEEN RELIGION AND MODERNITY
Rav Soloveichik's Zionism could be called religious-pragmatic. To him the state is not a goal per se but a way to strenghten your Jewish identity. In his book "kol dodi dofek" he says the state of Israel born after the Shoah is the biggest Kiddush Hashem making up for the Chillul Hashem of the Shoah. Like a gift from G-d to his people, the birth of a Jewish state. He calls the Jews to not miss the opportunity.
In six points
- the agreement of the international powers are a proof of divine intervention
-same for the crazy victories of the Jewish army
-destruction of Christian theology saying the Jews would have to wander forever
-Israel strengthens our links to Judaism as now Jews have to define themselves through it, be they for, against... they can't forget it.
-Jewish blood isn't spillt in vain anymore. Jews can finally defend and even revenge themselves.
-a Jew always has where to go
He compares the anti Zionist rabbis to Joseph's brothers. They will finally realize they were wrong.
But the rav never made alia (don't tell the Jewish agency!). Asked about it, he said his status of teacher didn't allow him to abandon the American Jews selfishly.
He encouraged his pupils to join Mizrahi but he stayed pragmatic and stayed away from Gush Emunim or Rav Zvi yehuda Kook that he found fanatic. He denied the "beginning of the delivery" and mocked the "Yom Hatzmaut rite" introduced by some in the tefila.
Centers affiliated: In USA, Yeshiva university, Yeshiva Rabeinu Isaac Elhanan that he directed, Yeshiva Choveivei Torah founded by some of his students. In Israel Yeshiva Har Ezion, the "Gush", most Zionist American seminaries and yeshovt. The most modern midrashot often refer to him, mainly Midrasha Migdal oz directed by his granddaughter.
Abuses: no real ones except "caring from afar", helping Israel politically and financially but refusing adamantly to go or send your children.
Israeli State and Zionism in Modern Orthodoxy
Given the topic is still fresh and interesting to many, I found useful to write an article on the MO conceptions of Zionism.
Of course the goal of this article is only to show and discuss the thought of great visionaries. A thought that often had influence on Judaism (especially Rav Kook) and Israeli soecity (Leibowitz). Don't hesitate to comment, isn't it said 2 Jews 3 opinions?
We will analyze the opinions of three big characters of XXth century Judaism: Rav Kook, Rav Soloveitchik and Yeshayahu Leibowitz. We will also study the abuses that sometimes came from these thoughts, the goal being of course not criticism (abuses don't come from the thinker but from the bad understanding of some students) but honesty and objectivity.
RAV KOOK OR SANCTIFICATION OF THE PROFANE
While not being an expert on the writings of Rav Kook, I will try to give the big lines of his vision of the Jewish state:
a) sacred can come from profane, holy prophecies of return to Zion can come for the most atheist ideology. He said the builders of the temple were workers from all types of backgrounds maybe even some goyim and still were allowed to build the temple and go on the temple mount for building. The same way the laic Zionist pionneers can participate.
b) many fear the new. The Hatam Sofer (from a Gemara but out of context...) said the new is forbidden by the Torah (kovetz Tchouvot, 56). Rav Kooek say "old gets new and new gets holy". In Israel it means the old yishuv gets new again and the new one becomes holy.
c) Israel as the beginning of the delivery and even the "basis of the divine throne on Earth" (orot israel, 6, 7)
It is a Zionism 100% based in religion, Zionism being a pillar of religious life like (if I dare) shabbat or kashrut.
This Zionism being totally religious, disciples of Rav Kook will have a tendancy to consider a non Zionist/not as Zionist Jew, even ultra Orthodox, as not fulfilling his religious duty.
Rav Kook affiliated centers: most Yeshivot hesder, Yeshiva Merkaz Harav (he founded), Yeshiva Har Hamor...
Abuses: some have been pushes to an undeniable fanatism, willing to dwell everywhere at any cost, and any territorial concession is violently refused even if it would bring security.
LEIBOWITZ: RELIGIOUS, YES! RELIGIOUS ZIONIST, NO!
Contrary to Rav Kook, Professor Leibowitz always campaigned for a full separation of state and religion. Very Zionist and fervently religious, he refused to mix sacred and laic.
Rav Meir Simcha Hacohen, author of Meshekh Khokhma, explains that nothing is saint except G-d, no element except G-d possesses sanctity per se. The holy people, land, rabbis... possess a sanctity coming from G-d only. If you use something to serve G-d then it is holy, if not then not. If the Israeli use the holy land to do mitsvos it is holy. If not...
Israel has been founded for laic reasons by laic people, so it can't be called holy.
Leibowitz's Zionism is fully laic. For him, Zionism is Jews wanting to live together, autonomously, as any people would want. Not to be submitted to the will of the nations. The state is a way of being independent.
You can be Zionist and religious, says Leibowitz, but not Zionist-religious! Provocatively he says that the terme Zionist-religious is an aberration like national socialist!
abuses: they are evident: on the long term they can lead to a total abandonment of Zionism since it's not a value per se. Avraham Burg, ex Knesset President, goes as far as asking the suppressing of the idea of Jewish state and annulation of return law.
RAV SOLOVEITCHIK: BETWEEN RELIGION AND MODERNITY
Rav Soloveichik's Zionism could be called religious-pragmatic. To him the state is not a goal per se but a way to strenghten your Jewish identity. In his book "kol dodi dofek" he says the state of Israel born after the Shoah is the biggest Kiddush Hashem making up for the Chillul Hashem of the Shoah. Like a gift from G-d to his people, the birth of a Jewish state. He calls the Jews to not miss the opportunity.
In six points
- the agreement of the international powers are a proof of divine intervention
-same for the crazy victories of the Jewish army
-destruction of Christian theology saying the Jews would have to wander forever
-Israel strengthens our links to Judaism as now Jews have to define themselves through it, be they for, against... they can't forget it.
-Jewish blood isn't spillt in vain anymore. Jews can finally defend and even revenge themselves.
-a Jew always has where to go
He compares the anti Zionist rabbis to Joseph's brothers. They will finally realize they were wrong.
But the rav never made alia (don't tell the Jewish agency!). Asked about it, he said his status of teacher didn't allow him to abandon the American Jews selfishly.
He encouraged his pupils to join Mizrahi but he stayed pragmatic and stayed away from Gush Emunim or Rav Zvi yehuda Kook that he found fanatic. He denied the "beginning of the delivery" and mocked the "Yom Hatzmaut rite" introduced by some in the tefila.
Centers affiliated: In USA, Yeshiva university, Yeshiva Rabeinu Isaac Elhanan that he directed, Yeshiva Choveivei Torah founded by some of his students. In Israel Yeshiva Har Ezion, the "Gush", most Zionist American seminaries and yeshovt. The most modern midrashot often refer to him, mainly Midrasha Migdal oz directed by his granddaughter.
Abuses: no real ones except "caring from afar", helping Israel politically and financially but refusing adamantly to go or send your children.