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22 Shevat 5768, 29 January 08 04:58
by Moshe Feiglin
(IsraelNN.com)
Amalek is Israel’s quintessential Biblical enemy.
Amalek is not just another conventionally cruel nation. Amalek is the essence of
evil. The Torah clearly teaches that there is no room for Amalekism in G-d’s
world.
Amalekism is Social Darwinism; the survival of the
fittest as a moral imperative. This is actually the basis of Nazism and, while
it is not politically correct to say so, it is also the basis of Islam. It is no
coincidence that Mein Kampf has remained a best-seller in Islamic
countries.
With the appearance of Amalek on the Biblical
stage, we are introduced to another concept, as well: vulnerability. Amalek
attacks the freshly-liberated Israelites from the rear, concentrating on the
vulnerable Jews. Amalek is actually the world’s first terrorist. He doesn’t face
off with his enemy in battle. Instead, he attacks the vulnerable civilian
stragglers, the weak sectors of society that are lagging behind.
Terrorists, unfortunately, abound in the world.
But they will only strike where they identify vulnerability. In other words, it
is vulnerability that empowers terror.
My little son once showed me a fascinating
National Geographic photo. It was an aerial shot of a huge herd of
buffaloes, their menacing horns glimmering in the sun, running for their lives
from two or three lions. It was an unbelievable sight. If the buffaloes would
have turned around to face their attackers, then they could have crushed them
with no further ado. But instead, they all turned their backs and fled, likely
leaving a vulnerable buffalo or two - possibly small or wounded - straggling
behind to be eaten by the lions. When the unpleasant affair is finished, all the
buffaloes return to their routine.
We do not interfere with buffaloes and lions. But
the continuous rocket attacks on Sderot and the apathy in Tel Aviv are
disconcertingly similar to the above description, and most certainly warrant our
attention. In other words, the fact that our society allows for the
vulnerability - currently in Sderot - brings the terror attacks upon us. The
lions do not chase the buffaloes away. Rather, the buffaloes’ lack of mutual
responsibility abandons the vulnerable members of their herd and creates the
opening into which the Amalek terror will inevitably enter.
The Torah promises us that when we are blessed,
just a small number of Jews will triumph over multitudes of enemies, and vice
versa. We all remember Israel’s victory in the Six Day War and how Israel’s army
struck fear in the hearts of the vast Arab armies. But today, we are
experiencing the opposite side of the coin.
In general, the “religious” answer to this
situation is that when we observe the commandments we win and when we don’t, we
lose. Observance of the commandments of the Torah is essential, but the
religious explanation is a bit lacking. The Jewish nation did not observe more
commandments before the Six Day War than it does today. So why did we merit the
blessing then? And why do we hysterically flee our enemies today? (How many
tanks are in the Hamas arsenal? How many planes are in the Hizbullah’s fleet?)
The factor through which G-d blesses us with the
power of deterrence or curses us with trepidation in the face of our enemies is
mutual responsibility. Simply put, if we have it, we are united and win. If we
don’t, we create vulnerability and lose.
In 1967, the factor that united Israel was
Zionism. Then, that was enough to unite the nation and to empower it with the
blessing of deterrence. But today, Zionism no longer unites Israel. We have
become a herd of individuals - buffaloes fleeing every lurking danger.
The only factor that can unite our nation once
again is our Jewish identity, the most basic, foundational ethos of at least 80%
of Israel’s Jews. If we will reunite around our Jewish identity, our mutual
responsibility will be reawakened and the phenomenon of vulnerability will
disappear. It is only then that we will merit the blessing of peace in the Land
of Israel.
Moshe Feiglin
is head of the
Manhigut Yehudit [Jewish Leadership]
faction in the Likud party and a former prime ministerial candidate in the Likud
primaries.
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