QUESTION:
1) There has always been a burning issue regarding who was in Eretz Yisrael first, the Jews or the Arabs. What are the sources about this matter?
ANSWER:
See Rashi to Beraishis 1:1: “Why did the Torah begin with the creation of the world? So that if the nations of the world will say to the Jews, “You are robbers, for you conquered the land of Eretz Yisrael from the seven nations who were living there”, the Jews can reply to the nations, “The land belongs to HaKadosh Baruch Hu, He created it and gave it to as He saw fit, and with His will He took it from them and gave it to us.”
QUESTION
2) Does the Rav think that anything can be done to make peace with the Arabs? Or do we need to wait for Mashiach who will come and make peace in the world?
ANSWER
It is the galus of being amongst Yishmael (the Arabs) and we can only go out from it through Mashiach. Right now there are ups and downs to it, and the most we can achieve with them is only a partial level of calmness.
QUESTION
3) Is the Torah’s view that we need to stand up to claim our inherited land even if that will cause tension with the Arabs?
ANSWER
The issue has an external and internal layer to it. On the external level, part of standing up against the Arabs is just to protect the country from terrorism, but part of the standoff is just to put more pressure on them. At the inner level, though, it is about the Jewish people returning to Eretz Yisrael through the “light” of the Geulah, and this is a part of a long, drawn-out process of the light becoming revealed. Especially since the year 1840, when the gates of wisdom opened up [as is known] it was like when Noach turned 600 years of age, which was when the windows of Heaven opened up (causing the Flood to descend), which also is a hint to the end of the 6th century when the gates of wisdom and inner dimension of the Torah will open up. That is all with regards to the light of the Redemption, but with regards to the “vessel” that holds this light, the Erev Rav rules over Eretz Yisrael and therefore we have no part in this at all. The entire return to Eretz Yisrael has happened in a manner of government control, as opposed to the way that the talmidim of the Baal Shem Tov and the talmidim of the Gra came to Eretz Yisrael. It is not Hashem’s will, it is the control of the Erev Rav.
QUESTION
2) Does the Rav think that anything can be done to make peace with the Arabs? Or do we need to wait for Mashiach who will come and make peace in the world?
ANSWER
It is the galus of being amongst Yishmael (the Arabs) and we can only go out from it through Mashiach. Right now there are ups and downs to it, and the most we can achieve with them is only a partial level of calmness.
QUESTION
3) Is the Torah’s view that we need to stand up to claim our inherited land even if that will cause tension with the Arabs?
ANSWER
The issue has an external and internal layer to it. On the external level, part of standing up against the Arabs is just to protect the country from terrorism, but part of the standoff is just to put more pressure on them. At the inner level, though, it is about the Jewish people returning to Eretz Yisrael through the “light” of the Geulah, and this is a part of a long, drawn-out process of the light becoming revealed. Especially since the year 1840, when the gates of wisdom opened up [as is known] it was like when Noach turned 600 years of age, which was when the windows of Heaven opened up (causing the Flood to descend), which also is a hint to the end of the 6th century when the gates of wisdom and inner dimension of the Torah will open up. That is all with regards to the light of the Redemption, but with regards to the “vessel” that holds this light, the Erev Rav rules over Eretz Yisrael and therefore we have no part in this at all. The entire return to Eretz Yisrael has happened in a manner of government control, as opposed to the way that the talmidim of the Baal Shem Tov and the talmidim of the Gra came to Eretz Yisrael. It is not Hashem’s will, it is the control of the Erev Rav.
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