Biblical source texts for "Zionism"?
(3) then your God יהוה will restore your fortunes[God] will bring you together again from all the peoples where your God יהוה has scattered you. (4) Even if your outcasts are at the ends of the world, from there your God יהוה will gather you, from there [God] will fetch you. (5) And your God יהוה will bring you to the land that your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and [God] will make you more prosperous and more numerous than your ancestors.
Biblical source texts for "non Zionism?"
(23) But the land must not be sold beyond reclaim, for the land is Mine; you are but strangers resident with Me. (24) Throughout the land that you hold, you must provide for the redemption of the land. (25) If one of your kin is in straits and has to sell part of a holding, the nearest redeemer shall come and redeem what that relative has sold. (26) If any party has no one to be redeemer but prospers and acquires enough to redeem with, (27) the years since its sale shall be computed and the difference shall be refunded to the party to whom it was sold, so that the person returns to that holding.
Rabbinic texts for "Zionism"??
(א) בראשית. אמר רבי יצחק לא היה צריך להתחיל [את] התורה אלא (שמות יב ב) מהחודש הזה לכם, שהיא מצוה ראשונה שנצטוו [בה] ישראל, ומה טעם פתח בבראשית, משום כח מעשיו הגיד לעמו לתת להם נחלת גוים (תהלים קיא ו), שאם יאמרו אמות העולם לישראל לסטים אתם, שכבשתם ארצות שבעה גוים, הם אומרים להם כל הארץ של הקדוש ברוך הוא היא, הוא בראה ונתנה לאשר ישר בעיניו, ברצונו נתנה להם וברצונו נטלה מהם ונתנה לנו:
Rabbi Yitzchak said: "The Torah could have started from, 'This month shall be to you the first of months' (Exodus 12:2), which is the first mitzvah which Israel was commanded. So what is the reason that it opened with with 'In the beginning'?
Because of [the idea expressed in the verse]: '[God] has declared to His people the power of His works, in order to give them the inheritance of the nations.' (Psalms 111:6). Thus, should the nations of the world say to Israel: 'You are robbers, having conquered the lands of the seven [Canaanite] nations [by force],' [Israel] can say to them: 'The whole earth belongs to the Holy Blessed One; He created it and gave it to whomever He saw fit. By His will He gave it to them, and by His will He took it from them and gave it to us.''
2. It is proper for a person to live in Eretz Yisrael even in a city where most [of the inhabitants] are idolators and not outside Eretz Yisrael even in a city where everyone is Jewish. This teaches that living in Eretz Yisrael is equal to all the mitzvot in the Torah. And the one buried in Eretz Yisrael, it is as if he is buried under the altar [in the Temple]. A person should not go outside of Eretz Yisrael unless wheat is two se’ahs for a sela. Rabbi Shimon said, under what circumstances? In a time when can find [wheat] to purchase even a se’ah for a sela, he does not go out. And so Rabbi Shimon said, Elimelekh was among the great ones of his generation and among the ones who sustained the public. And because he went outside Eretz Yisrael, he and his sons died in a famine.
But all of Israel was able to survive on their land as it says, “The whole city buzzed over them” (Ruth 1:19). This teaches that all the city survives when he and his sons died in famine. Indeed it says, “And I return in peace to my father’s house” (Gen 28:21), and the scripture does not say, “Then the Lord will be my God” (Gen 28:21). And it says, “[I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt] to give to you the land of Canaan and to be to you God” (Lev 25:38). For all the time you are in the land of Canaan, indeed I am your god. If you are not in the land of Canaan, I am not your god.
And thus it says, “About forty thousand shock troops [went across at the instance of the Lord, to the steppes of Jericho for battle]” (Josh 4:13). And it says, “[See, the Lord your God is with you, and He will give you rest on every side,] for He delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand [so that the land lies conquered before the Lord and His people” (I Chron 22:18). Would it come up in your mind that Israel would subdue the land before ha-maqom? Rather: all the time that they are on it, it is [as if it is] subdued. If they are not on it, it is [as if it is] not subdued. And thus David said, “For they have driven me out today so that I cannot have a share in the Lord’s possession” (I Sam 26:19). Would it come up in your mind that David the king worshipped idols? Rather David interpreted and said, whoever leaves Eretz Yisrael behind in a time of peace and goes out it is as if he worshipped idols, as it says, “I will plant them faithfully in this land” (Jer 32:41). If they are not upon it, they are not planted before me in faith “with all my heart and all my soul” (Jer 32:41). Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says, A Jew that is outside the land is an idol worshipper in purity. Howso? An idolator who made a banquet for his son and invited all the Jews in his town, even though they eat their own [food] and drink their own [drinks] and their server stands over them, even still they worship idolatry as it says, “And invite you and you will eat of their sacrifices” (Ex 34:15).
"That the commandment of possessing the Land only applied during the periods of Moshe, Yehoshua and David and all of the time that they were not exiled from their Land, but after they were exiled from their Land, this commandment does not apply during the subsequent generations until the coming of the Messiah, since, on the contrary, we were commanded according to what our Sages stated at the end of Ketubot that we should not rebel against the Nations to go and conquer the Land by force, and they prove it from the verse (Shir Ha-Shirim 2:7, 3:5, 8:4), 'I made you swear, daughters of Jerusalem, do nor stir nor awake the love until I desire' and they explain from it that we should not ascend like a wall. And that which the Ramban said that the Sages stated that the conquering of the Land is an obligatory war, this is when we are not subjugated by the Nations."
Dr. Joshua Kulp, Rosh Yeshiva of the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem
A dialogue now begins over how each sage interprets the verse the other sage used. R. Zera says that the verse from Song of Songs does not imply that individual Jews may not move to Israel. It means only that Jews should not go up as a “wall.” While the meaning of this term is not entirely clear, it is usually understood to mean that Jews should not move to Israel en masse. This midrash was often the source of modern religious anti-Zionist rhetoric. The Zionist movement broke with tradition by moving up to Israel “as a wall.”
Judah responds that the rule that Jews cannot move to Israel “as a wall” comes from the second appearance of this verse in Song of Songs (the same verse appears again in 3:5).
Zera notes that the verse actually appears three times (2:7, 3:5 and 8:4). Why repeat the same verse three times? Once for each of three oaths. The first is the prohibition of going up as a wall. The second is God’s making Israel swear that they will not rebel against the nations of the world. They will accept their subjugation among them. The third oath is that the nations may not oppress Israel “too much.” The Zionist counterclaim was that in the Holocaust the non-Jews broke their oath, and therefore the Jews were released from their oaths. This was offered as the religious justification of their participation in the Zionist movement, i.e. the breaking of one of the oaths.
Kuntres She-Lo Ya'alu Ke-Homah
Do Not Ascend Like A Wall
by Rabbi Shlomo Aviner
Rabbi of Beit El and Rosh Yeshiva of Ateret Cohanim, Yerushalayim
spiritual leader of the religious zionist movement
translated by Rabbi Mordechai Friedfertig
printed with permission
Clarifications of the Issue of "Do Not Ascend Like a Wall"
In the Talmud in Ketubot (111a), according to Rabbi Zeira there are Three Oaths[1] [or Six Oaths(2)] and among them is "Do not ascend in a wall" [another version - like a wall] (i.e. Do not return to the Land of Israel en masse).
Based on this, the great authority, Rabbi Yitzchak Leon,[3] wrote: "That the commandment of possessing the Land only applied during the periods of Moshe, Yehoshua and David and all of the time that they were not exiled from their Land, but after they were exiled from their Land, this commandment does not apply during the subsequent generations until the coming of the Messiah, since, on the contrary, we were commanded according to what our Sages stated at the end of Ketubot that we should not rebel against the Nations to go and conquer the Land by force, and they prove it from the verse (Shir Ha-Shirim 2:7, 3:5, 8:4), 'I made you swear, daughters of Jerusalem, do nor stir nor awake the love until I desire' and they explain from it that we should not ascend like a wall. And that which the Ramban said that the Sages stated that the conquering of the Land is an obligatory war, this is when we are not subjugated by the Nations."
On the relationship between the oath not to ascend like a wall and our activities toward the revival of our Land and our Nation through the wonders of Hashem, there are thirteen answers:
1. The wall fell by the permit of the Nations of the World.
2. At the time of a Divine remembrance, the wall is nullified:
A. Permit of the Nations of the World is the remembrance.
B. The awakening of the Nation is the remembrance.
C. The appearance of the Revealed End of Days is the remembrance.
D. The horrors of the Exile are the remembrance.
E. The appearance of the Gra.
3. Violation of the Nations of the World of their oath, nullified all of the Oaths.
4. Ascending in stages is not like a wall.
5. The wall only surrounds Babylonia.
6. The wall stands for only a thousand years.
7. The oath is ascending to build the Temple.
8. When there is power and courage, there is no wall.
9. The issue of the wall remains as a dispute in the Talmud.
10. The teacher of the Oaths, Rabbi Zeira, retracted them.
11. The halachic authorities disagree with the author of the Megillat Esther not to ascend like a wall.
12. The wall is a homiletic (aggadic) and not a legal (halachic) issue.
13. The Oaths are Divine decrees and not a prohibition.
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The People of Israel oppose the so-called "State of Israel" for four reasons:
FIRST -- The so-called "State of Israel" is diametrically opposed and completely contradictory to the true essence and foundation of the People of Israel, as is explained above. The only time that the People of Israel were permitted to have a state was two thousand years ago when the glory of the creator was upon us, and likewise in the future when the glory of the creator will once more be revealed, and the whole world will serve Him, then He Himself (without any human effort or force of arms) will grant us a kingdom founded on Divine Service. However, a worldly state, like those possessed by other peoples, is contradictory to the true essence of the People of Israel. Whoever calls this the salvation of Israel shows that he denies the essence of the People of Israel, and substitutes another nature, a worldly materialistic nature, and therefore sets before them, a worldly materialistic "salvation," and the means of achieving this "salvation" is also worldly and materialistic i.e. to organize a land and army. However, the true salvation of the People of Israel is to draw close to the Creator. This is not done by organization and force of arms. Rather it is done by occupation to Torah and good deeds.
SECOND -- Because of all of this and other reasons the Torah forbids us to end the exile and establish a state and army until the Holy One, blessed He, in His Glory and Essence will redeem us. This is forbidden even if the state is conducted according to the law of the Torah because arising from the exile itself is forbidden, and we are required to remain under the rule of the nations of the world, as is explained in the book VAYOEL MOSHE. If we transgress this injunction, He will bring upon us (may we be spared) terrible punishment.
THIRD -- Aside from arising from exile, all the deeds of the Zionists are diametrically opposed to the Faith and the Torah. Because the foundation of the Faith and Torah of Israel is that the Torah was revealed from heaven, and there is reward for those who obey it and punishment for those who transgress it. The entire People of Israel is required to obey the Torah, and whoever doesn't want to, ceases to be part of the congregation of Israel.
FOURTH -- Aside from the fact that they themselves do not obey the Torah they do everything they can to prevent anyone they get under their power from fulfilling the commands of the Torah, the claims to freedom of religion are lies. They fight with all of their strength to destroy the Faith of Israel.
Meir ben Baruch of Rothenburg (Maharam) was a German talmudist and liturgist, and one of the important Ba'alei HaTosafot. He also authored many responsa. His practices were carefully noted by his many disciples and had an unparalleled formative impact on subsequent Ashkenazic practice. Toward the end of his life, he was captured and held by German Christian authorities. His disciples raised the huge ransom demanded, but he refused to allow its payment, aware of the precedent it could set. He died in prison and was ransomed years later for Jewish burial. His most prominent disciple, Asher ben Yechiel (the Rosh), fled to Spain in the wake of what befell his teacher.
Q: What constitutes the merit of emigrating to the Holy Land?
A: My knowledge on this subject is limited to the talmudic statement (Ket. 111a) that a person who emigrates to the Holy Land is absolved from sin. This applies to a person who commits no sins in the Holy Land proper, and who fulfills all the commandments appertaining to the Holy Land. However, the punishment for a sin committed there is more severe than that for a sin committed elsewhere; for the Lord watches over the Holy Land more diligently, and the land itself can bear no sinners. For this reason, the Holy Land is now desolate and contains no walled cities. Therefore, it is to those who go to the Holy Land and intend to be reckless in their behavior and particularly to quarrel there that the verse applies: "But when you entered you defiled my land (Jer. 2:7)." When, however, a person emigrates to the Holy Land with sincere intentions and conducts himself there in piety and saintliness, his reward is unlimited; provided of course, that he possesses sufficient means of support there.
Q: Does a person buried in the Holy Land escape the hibbut hakever (agonies of the grave)?
A: I do not know.
Q: Why did the Amoraim fail to move to the Holy Land?
A. Such an act would have seriously interfered with their studies, since in the Holy Land they would have to spend much time in finding means of support. A person is permitted to leave the Holy Land in order to study with his teacher (Eruvin 47a); therefore, one is surely not enjoined to break off his uninterrupted studies in the Diaspora and emigrate to the Holy Land where he would find his means of support with great difficulty.
Excerpt from: The Land of Israel (1910-1930)
Eretz Yisrael is not something apart from the soul of the Jewish people; it is no mere national possession serving as a means of unifying our people
and buttressing its material, or even its spiritual, survival. Eretz Yisra'd is part of the very essence of our nationhood; it is bound organically to its very life and inner being. Human reason, even at its most sublime, cannot begin to understand the unique holiness of Eretz Yisrael; it cannot stir the depths of love for the land that are dormant within our people What Eretz Yisrael means to the Jew can be felt only through the Spirit of the Lord which is in our people as a whole, through the spiritual cast of the Jewish soul, which radiates its characteristic influence to every healthy emotion. This higher light shines forth to the degree that the spirit of divine holiness fills the hearts of the saints and scholars of Israel with heavenly life and bliss.
To regard Eretz Yisrael as merely a tool for establishing our national unity-or even for sustaining our religion in the Diaspora by preserving its proper character and its faith, piety, and observances- is a sterile notion; it is unworthy of the holiness of Eretz Yisrael. A valid strengthening of Judaism in the Diaspora can come only from a deepened attachment to Eretz Yisrael. The hope for the return to the Holy Land is the continuing source of the distinctive nature of Judaism. The hope for the Redemption is the force that sustains Judaism in the Diaspora; the Judaism of Eretz Visrael is the very Redemption.
Excerpt from: Auschwitz or Sinai (1982)
One of the fundamental issues facing the new spirit of maturity in Israel is: Should Auschwitz or Sinai be the orienting category shaping our understanding of the rebirth of the State of Israel?...
Israel is not only a response to modern antisemitism, but is above all a modern expression of the eternal Sinai covenant that has shaped Jewish consciousness throughout the millennia. It was not Hitler who brought us back to Zion, but rather belief in the eternal validity of the Sinai covenant.... It is dangerous to our growth as a healthy people if the memory of Auschwitz becomes a substitute for Sinai.
The model of Sinai awakens the Jewish people to the awesome responsibility of becoming a holy people. At Sinai, we discover the absolute demand of God; we discover who we are by what we do. Sinai calls us to action, to moral awakening, to living constantly with challenges of building a moral and just society which mirrors the kingdom of God in history.
Sinai creates humility and openness to the demands of self-transcendence.
In this respect, it is the antithesis of the moral narcissism that can result from suffering and from viewing oneself as a victim...
Sinai requires that the Jew believe in the possibility of integrating the moral seriousness of the prophet with the realism and political judgment of the statesman. Politics and morality were united when Israel was born as a nation at Sinai. Sinai prohibits the Jewish people from ever abandoning the effort of creating a shared moral language with the nations of the world.
The rebirth of Israel can be viewed as a return to the fullness of the Sinai covenant—to Judaism as a way of life. The moral and spiritual aspirations of the Jewish tradition were not meant to be realized in Sabbath sermons or by messianic dreamers who wait passively on the margins of society for redemption to break miraculously into history. Torah study is not a substitute for actual life, nor are prayer and the synagogue escapes from the ambiguities and complexities of political life.
The Jewish world will have to learn that the synagogue is no longer the exclusive defining framework for Jewish communal life. Moral seriousness and political maturity and wisdom must come to our nation if we are to be judged by the way we struggle to integrate the Sinai covenant with the complexities of political realities...