Rashi’s very first comment on sefer Bereishis is famous — and its message is being tragically ignored and shunned by the State of Israel its cultural spokesmen and most importantly those entrusted with the task of presenting Israel’s case to the world.
Yes I have written about this before. But the absurd aspect of this tragedy has come into sharper focus since Obama took office. As he expressed it (I didn’t hear him say it but various news outlets claim he did) Israel is like a pebble in his shoe. Such remarks and even more so actions and pressures in a similar vein have served to deepen the impression in a hostile world that the Jewish People have no legitimate right to Eretz Yisrael and the voices calling for the State to be dismantled are growing louder. Israel is on the defensive with its back to the wall trying to survive as a Jewish state while being beaten up in the name of “making peace within a year ” as the American steamroller moves ahead relentlessly demanding concession after concession after concession.
From the point of view of the enlightened world brainwashed as it is by Palestinian propaganda claiming that this land has been home to Arabs for thousands of years our attackers seem to be correct. Every vehicle of propaganda in the world be it the international media national leaders or the intellectuals who dictate public opinion are forwarding the claim that Rashi suggests they would. Let’s look at Rashi’s exact words: “Why does the Torah begin with the word Bereishis? Because of the verse (Tehillim 11:6) ‘The strength of His works He related to His people to give them the inheritance of the nations’ – so that when the nations of the world will say to Israel ‘You are robbers for you took over the lands of the seven nations of Canaan by force!’ they can reply ‘The whole world belongs to HaKadosh Baruch Hu. He created it and gave to whom He saw fit. It was His will to give it to them and His will to take it from them and give it to us.’”
Note the precision of Rashi’s choice of words. Rashi spells out explicitly how our answer to the nations should be phrased: “It was G-d’s will to give it to us.” And this answer is good for all generations for every occasion when the nations of the world will charge us with unfairly seizing Eretz Yisrael. It should therefore be good for our generation as well. If these words were said loud and clear the world which for the most part accepts the authority of the Bible would accept it. Even our most sworn enemies would understand our position. But what has happened in our times? The wheel has turned and world opinion is against us because this answer is not voiced clearly with faith and a sense of inner conviction.
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