Neo-Zionism: Israel, Return to Your G-d

A cri d’coeur - to win or to whine, a letter from PLO terrorist-turned-Christian Zionist Walid Shoebat has instigated yet another interesting discussion over at Israpundit. Shoebat's vitriolic criticism can be summed up in one simple phrase: Israel (meaning the Jewish people at large) get off your collective ass and defend yourself, already! [Strictly my words.] A brilliant and much needed statement, indeed, but one that is unique in that it is fueled by very Biblical motivations. Shoebat points out how the Jewish people, by and large, want nothing to do with the very scriptures upon which our nation and peoplehood are built.

Why are Arab Christians having to tell us this?

I'll admit that I, too, cringed when reading Shoebat's statement, "If I was a Jew I would be ashamed to call myself one." We are a "proud and stiff-necked people" and I am no exception; my first reaction was a mental "Shove it up your ass." While I don't think his tone does anything to help his position (as Farah's does not in his similar complaints-- since when should we care that an Arab of any faith is giving up on us? yet, ironically enough, we do) I can see where he is coming from. Shoebat expresses a frustration commonly held by the vast minority of us who do understand the simple fact that UNTIL WE, AS A PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION, FALL TO OUR KNEES AS A NATION AND BEG HASHEM FOR MERCY, UNTIL WE AS A PEOPLE MAKE A TESHUVA TO OUR COVENANT WITH HIM, WE WILL NOT SURVIVE.

Duh.

Instead of rendering my arguments in frustration and anger, I choose to think positively. Why? Here's a multiple choice question for you:

The Israelites did what was evil in the sight of HaShem so He delivered them into the hands of their enemies. After many years, the people of Israel cried out to their G-d, and Adonai heard their cries and became concerned. So, He chose a leader from among the people of Israel through which He would save His people from destruction and death. The name of G-d's chosen leader was:

A. Othniel

B. Ehud

C. D'vorah

D. Gid'on

E. All of the above.

We may fail at keeping up our end of the bargain, but HaShem does not. He will never forget us and He will save us BUT WE HAVE TO ASK FIRST. Our G-d is a G-d of free will; until we freely choose to come to Him for salvation, we will remain cursed according to the covenant we made with HaShem. (I once had a Jewish man tell me that he didn't like it when people claimed that Israel would be "cursed" if they disobeyed Torah, because that was an argument frequently used by anti-Semites to blame Israel for her own destruction. "Cursed" didn't start with the KKK-- it's a Biblical word, straight from G-d's mouth to Moshe's ears. What was that Shoebat said about Jews not wanting to face Torah?)

HaShem (being omniscient and all that) knew from the beginning that we would fail, therefore His plan for salvation was clear from the beginning because He has plans for us, plans for good and not for evil, for a future and a hope. But WE MUST LAY CLAIM TO THIS PROMISE THROUGH OBEDIENCE TO TORAH WITH ALL OUR HEARTS if we are to see its fulfillment!

Israel continues to be barraged by rocket attacks from the Palestinian-occupied Gush Katif. In fact, a particularly vicious attack occurred only days ago. However, as Arutz Sheva's own Michael Freund points out, "...those students in Sderot yesterday were saved because they had been saying their prayers and learning G-d’s Torah." A classroom full of yeshiva high school students could have been murdered, but they were not, because they happened to be studying Torah at the time. This is a very real example of HaShem's principles at work. Freund punctuates his blog entry with, "However terrifying it may have been for them, for the rest of us it should serve as a timely reminder of the power of prayer – not only to change our lives, but to save them, too."

HaShem has given us the choice between life or death, blessing or curse; it is time for the people of the House of Israel to choose life.

"Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, "Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it." Deuteronomy 30:11-14

Tags: Israel Judaism Jewish Torah teshuva Shoebat