And Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph, does
my father still live?" And the brothers could not answer him because
they were afraid of him. (From this week's Torah portion,
Vayigash, Genesis 45:3)
When Joseph asks if his father is still alive, he is obviously not
seeking information. His brothers have mentioned their father
numerous times and he knows that he is alive. When Joseph asks if
his father is alive, he is asking if his family still lives. Is the
message heralded by Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – the message of
perfection of the world under G-d's kingdom that will be brought to
the world by the Nation of Israel – is that message still alive
within the family, or is it only my role to keep that spark alive?
The dreams of Joseph's youth were not just meaningless distractions.
His father took them to heart. When the brothers threw Joseph into
the pit, it was clear that they were no longer brothers and that the
family unit had been sundered. And when Joseph rose to greatness in
Egypt, he could easily have concluded that he was the sole bearer of
the message of his forefathers.
This explains why Joseph did not send messengers to inform his
father that he was alive immediately upon attaining his lofty
status. Joseph understood that he had to complete the realization of
his dream and to bring his father and all his brothers to Egypt. He
understood that the next stage in the history of the future Jewish
Nation would unfold in the Land of the Nile. He also understood that
his family remained united to herald the message of the Forefathers
– forever.
Since the Six Day War, Israel has been trying to solve its identity
crisis through its neighbors. "We will make peace and then
everything will work out here." But more and more, the realization
that the solution to the challenges facing us must come from within
our family and within our Land is becoming crystal clear.
Shabbat Shalom,
Moshe Feiglin
The
Feiglin Platform (Part 3) : By Moshe Feiglin
Israel's largest newspaper, Yediot Achronot, recently asked
Moshe Feiglin to write his manifesto for the State of Israel for the
next
four years. Read Parts I and 2
here .
Gaza: Revoke the Oslo Accords
There is no solution for Gaza if we do not understand that we are not
colonialists and that Israel is our Land. I oppose endangering our
soldiers in a ground assault on Gaza if we intend to subsequently exit
the area. The fact that Israel continues to provide electricity and cash
to those who target its citizens is completely unreasonable. Israel must
engage in a Defensive Shield type of operation in Gaza (editor: in which
Israeli forces re-captured areas of Judea and Samaria from which Oslo
had dictated that they retreat) destroy the Hamas, restore security to
southern Israel and return to the infinitely better situation that we
had there prior to the Oslo Accords. Ultimately, Israel must relate to
Gaza as it does to Judea and Samaria.
The Arabs of Judea, Samaria and Gaza: Permanent Residency
The Land of Israel is our Land and we will never leave it. Israel must
declare sovereignty over all parts of the Land that are in our hands, as
the Likud Charter requires. Israel's Arabs enjoy all rights – even more
than Israel's Jewish citizens. The Arabs living in Judea, Samaria and
Gaza can be offered permanent residency status. This status will afford
them full human rights and most of the services that the State of Israel
gives its citizens. It will be forbidden to do to them what we did to
our own brothers in Gush Katif. Israeli citizenship will be granted to
those non-Jews who have tied their fate to Israel and who have proven
their loyalty to the State. Those Arabs of Judea, Samaria and Gaza who
insist on voting for a parliament may do so in any one of the 22 amazing
democracies that the Arab Nation has established since World War I.
The Iranian Threat: No Foreign Involvement
One lesson of the Holocaust is that negation of the victims' legitimacy
precedes actual physical destruction. The Holocaust of the Jews of
Europe did not begin in 1939 when the war broke out. It began in 1933
when Hitler became chancellor of Germany and, as head of state, began to
espouse his threats to destroy the Jews. When the war broke out, a
question mark already hovered over the right of the Jews to exist.
When the leader of a sovereign nation prepares to destroy Israel and
publicly declares his intentions, he negates our legitimacy. This is the
correspondence that we see between Ahmadinijad's hate speeches and the
accelerating process of de-legitimization of Israel in the Western
world.
It is a fatal mistake to involve the world in the Iranian issue. If the
world solves the problem, Israel will always be forced to pay for the
right to breathe air on the face of the earth. He who threatens to
destroy us loses his own right to exist. Think of how many lives would
have been saved if the free world had understood this and killed Hitler
before he embarked on World War II.
America: No Foreign Aid
Israel should have foregone American foreign aid long ago. The foreign
aid that Israel receives from America amounts to 4% of its GNP. Israel
exports to America approximately one third more than it imports.
When America carries a debt of 16 trillion dollars, it is not reasonable
that a much better-off country like Israel should expect donations.
Israel's relationship with the US should be based on common interests
and values between strategic partners.
Israel must demand the release of Jonathan Pollard and expel the US
spies who fill our country.
We Still Have a Long Way to Go
My election to the Knesset is an important stage in the journey that
began with the establishment of Zo Artzeinu and continued with the
establishment of Manhigut Yehudit and our integration into the Likud. I
do not know what role the Prime Minister will offer me. I am
particularly interested in a position of influence in education, housing
or security. But any position that will foster my efforts to advance the
liberty, Jewish identity and meaning of the Jewish State are relevant.
My insistence on advancing my agenda from within the national ruling
party was not the easy route to the Knesset. I could have been a Knesset
Member long ago with a sectoral party that has no influence. In the face
of the relentless zigzagging of Israeli politics and the embarrassing
paucity of ideas in the ideological marketplace, my political opponents
can also benefit from the contrast that my ideology provides.
I intend to help the Likud, the government and the Prime Minister – who
I greatly respect - as much as possible. When the time comes to elect a
new leader for the Likud, I plan to run once again in order to advance
the Jewish liberty alternative for leadership of Israel.
The Slippery Slope Into Totalitarianism: By Moshe Feiglin
8 Tevet, 5773
Dec. 21, '12
The distance
between the average American and Newtown, Connecticut is much greater
than the distance between the average Israeli and the place where
approximately 200 people are slaughtered every day: Syria. Nevertheless,
the slaughter perpetrated in Syria (and other places in the world) by
people who are legally armed by their state doesn't really interest
anybody. What shocks the enlightened world, including Israel, is not the
millions slaughtered by states, but rather, those exceptions to the rule
in which individuals - not regimes – perpetrate the slaughter.
The authors of the American constitution wrote a document about as close
to perfection as is humanly possible. They understood well that the
first stop on the path to slavery is to rescind the citizen's right to
defend himself, leaving him alone, helpless and vulnerable to the
'kindness' of the regime. Wherever a regime has become totalitarian, its
first step is to disarm its citizens.
We automatically assume that the state is a responsible power acting,
first and foremost, for the benefit of its citizens. We feel good
thinking that there is a big brother out there with whom we can deposit
the responsibility for our fate. When a shocking shooting spree like
Sandy Hook takes place, nobody seriously checks what violent films
children are watching. Nobody talks about training armed citizens to
prevent more of these insane shootings. The easy solution – the solution
that does not require taking responsibility – is to deposit arms and
responsibility in the hands of the state.
In Israel, the gun licensing procedure is more logical than its American
counterpart. Nevertheless, the state tends to prevent its citizens from
carrying arms. This is another expression of the ongoing erosion of
human rights that began with the Oslo Accords and intensified with the
expulsion of Jews from Gush Katif.
It is easy to slide down the slippery slope of totalitarianism. The loss
of the ability to protect oneself is the loss of liberty.
Letter: Likud or Jewish Home? By Shmuel Sackett
Dear Shmuel,
What you YOU done to stop the expulsion from Ulpana? Nothing. What have
you done to get the Levy Report translated to English and adopted by
Likud? Nothing.
You have been in Likud for many years and the world STILL thinks we are
illegal occupiers. Hopefully Beit Yehudi will change this because Likud
HASN'T.
L
Dear L.,
It is important to understand that Moshe Feiglin and I did not start
"Manhigut Yehudit" to stop the expulsion from Ulpana, adopt the Levy
report or even to build more houses in Jerusalem.
We did not begin this major undertaking to stop the settlement freeze,
help Migron or even end the dream of a Palestinian state.
We started this in order to grab the reigns of leadership away from
those who think that Israel is a Hebrew speaking Singapore.
Unlike others who are constantly running to extinguish one fire after
another, Manhigut Yehudit is there to ACT and not REACT!
Yes, it is a slow process but one that – eventually – will insure that
Israel will become a strong and proud Jewish state.
When that happens, questions like the Ulpana and the Levy Report will be
ridiculous.
Please do not misunderstand me; It is also important to fight for the
issues I stated above and we praise – and even help – those
organizations who fight those battles.
It is just that I must state loud and clear that this is not OUR focus.
Never was, never will be.
Our focus is taking away the control of leadership from those who are
guiding Israel on the wrong path – which ultimately leads us to the
problems you stated.
Our plan is to cure the disease at the SOURCE and not just the SYMPTOM.
I hope this is clear.
Thank you for your question.
-Shmuel Sackett
Co-founder and International Director
Manhigut Yehudit
Jabotinsky, Feiglin
This caricature was penned by talented cartoonist Shai Charka after
Moshe Feiglin was elected to the Likud roster. It appeared in the
Makor Rishon newspaper. The man in the picture frame is Jabotinsky,
founder of the Herut (Liberty) part that eventually became the
Likud. After decades, the Likud finally has a strong advocate of Jewish
liberty, following in Jabotinsky's political footsteps. Jabotinsky would
have been proud.
Register for the Likud
There's a lot of enthusiasm after
the Likud primaries, and people throughout Israel want to sign up for
the Likud and be part of the faith-based revolution. If you have not yet
registered for the Likud, now is the time to do so. Remember, it takes
16 months from the time your application is processed until you can
actually vote in Likud elections. So the time to register is now, when
there are no Likud elections coming up. Click here
to fill out an online registration form.
Click here
for a form that you can print out and fax or mail to Likud headquarters.
Spread the word: Print out extra forms and get your family, friends and
co-workers to register for the Likud. It's an easy and focused way to
positively impact Israel's future.
