"Colonialism I feel is defined as the expansion of certain countries mainly from the West into already developed countries in Africa or elsewhere that did in turn create some benefit mainly religious or economic to either one party or both parties involved ." (Karl Malchut)
I feel that Karl's definition is too narrow. And in being so it misses how in fact Ancient Israel was indeed engaging in Colonialism when the Israelites conquered Canaan.
"It seems to me that the original establishment of Ancient Israel and the areas later it expanded were not done as much to force culture but more to help the local cultures remember " (Karl Malachut)
Throughout the Conquering and Establishment of the Land we read Torah passage after Torah passage about how the Israelites are commanded to war on the non-Israelites in the areas they passed through and into. And G!D is happily helping them out, cheering them on (Numbers 21:35 etc.). And that is only in the Initial Phases of the Establishment. Later one we have the spiritual genocide of the peoples in the areas (on top of the regular genocide) - and for what? To establish a nation in an area that was not by any right theirs (except G!D said so). That is not helping - any more than the xians who went to Africa to 'save the heathen' - that IS the very definition of colonialism - that is exactly how colonization is done.
Yes, it is PAINFUL to see and admit that MY people was founded on genocide, oppression, subjugation through rape, taking and making of slaves, violence and and bloodshed. In my opinion it is supposed to be painful, because if it is not we cannot learn how not to do that again, as a People and as individuals.
From my POV Colonialism is so much more than "the expansion of certain countries mainly from the West into already developed countries in Africa or elsewhere that did in turn create some benefit mainly religious or economic to either one party or both parties involved ." It is done not just to countries and their peoples (as in the case with Ancient Israel and Canaan), it is done every time one party injects itself into another to somehow impose their values, ideas, culture, language, behavior, on another party, regardless of intentions, moral or ethical base-values.
The forcing of democracy on various national entities is one such imposition, that is definitely colonialism - another is when a majority group (ethnic, abled, straight, cis-gendered etc) demand compliance with their concept of normality.
"It doesn't seem so much he is talking about colonialism but I think maybe his proposal is a colonialism of the heart which I did not think happened in the past when it came to colonialism. Maybe this "colonialism of the heart" is what Torah is all about ."
Yes, and as what Rabbi Knobel talks about is a positive "colonialism of the heart" we should strive for (sounds very much like what Torah calls "circumcision of the heart) - there is a negative "colonialism of the heart" (that did happen in the past) - that we need to recognize: what happens to the minds of the people subjected to colonialism as I defined it above? How are they impacted, emotionally, spiritually, physically by being subjugated?