The Law of the Land part 8

The Rav Kook communities, especially in the settlements, see violating Israeli Civil law as tantamount to rebellion against G-d Himself. Rabbi Melamed's daughter in law was running an unofficial (unlicensed, off the books) daycare center from her home. It didn't take long for neighbors to report her to the police. But isn't this the great sin of Mesirah (reporting a fellow Jew to the Civil Authorities)? No. She was acting against the government "the first flowering of our redemption", and, by extension, against G-d Himself, as well as against the collective body of the Jewish people. When we got firebombed on the way to Jerusalem (half an hour away), the response of the government was to give us stronger windshields. When attacks stopped being sporadic, but virtually constant, the government built a bypass road, so we didn't need to drive through El Birah and Ramallah. The Arabs now needed to go out of their way to shoot us and throw firebombs. A segment of the population called for protests. I attended one such protest, across the street from the Knesset. There was ice cream. Various political hacks made dull speeches, with no one listening. It was essentially a picnic. I listened a little. They were all saying words of praise for the government and its leaders. I asked for an explanation. "We want to show the government that we are behind them, so they will feel freer to act in a more determined manner." Having been active in my day in Vietnam era anti-war protests, I knew that this was a meaningless performance. Several others agreed with me. But the community heads told me that what I was speaking was blasphemy. The government heads are guided by G-d. This is all a test of our faith. One community leader, who was soon to lose his wife and a son in an ambush on their car, actually laughed at me. "G-d is playing, twisting everyone on His little finger. We only need to be silent until this passes. You have failed". Another rabbi in Beit El, Shlomo Aviner, was asked if the new situation is war. He replied "No. Although individuals are in danger, the society is not". A week later his brother-in-law was murdered by a terrorist in his Jerusalem plant nursery. Soon, it was obvious that neighbors were reporting the words of other neighbors to the police. People were getting arrested, The police were asking us about statements that we had made in private. We knew to whom we had said these things. Soon, no one trusted anyone. Those like me, who were more outspoken, were soon rumored to be Shabak (secret police) provocateurs, attempting to ensnare others into speaking ill of the government. (That sort of thing was frequent) During the 1992 elections, between Rabin and Shamir, the Likkud's ad campaign focused on Rabin's alcohol issues, rather than on the fact that he had fired upon and killed 17 Jews during his attack on the Altalena (I have written about that elsewhere). Rabin's ads were focused on Shamir's ineptness, rather than on the fact that he had murdered his comrade in arms of the Lehi freedom fighters, Eliyahu Giladi, in 1943. Both actions are well known and well documented. I said to my neighbors "I can't imagine another country where the two candidates for leadership killed people, and never stood trial." Again, community leaders reminded me that this is G-d's government. The killings were like the rabbinic martyrs under Roman oppression. They were of G-d, and we may not question. Yes, the teachings of Rav Kook are in some ways beautiful, but in other ways, they brought about repression and an unheard-of cult of government. Yes, I believe that a Jewish government should follow the Torah. But party politics, including religious parties, can easily be corrupted. I agree with Jefferson: "A people afraid of its government is tyranny, a government afraid of its people is liberty". We respect just and rightful authority. Worshiping that authority is another matter. Let all nations take heed."The Law of the Land"? Yes. "Royal robbery" and tyranny? No.