The Religious Roots of Violence: Judaism II

Papa Kook

(Previously on the LHG)

Remember that Native Americans were wiped out by European settlers who saw Indians as Cannanites, Indian land as the equivalent of Canaan and themselves as God's chosen people. You make think that times have changed, that these ancient texts no longer have real relevance. You would be wrong.

In the 1967 "Six day war" Israel defeats Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, takes the West Bank of the Jordan River from Jordan, the Golan Heights from Syria, the Gaza Strip from Egypt and completes control over Jerusalem. The frontiers of the territories controlled by the state of Israel now more or less coincided with those of the biblical Promised Land. It's impossible to exaggerate the impact this event had on religious Jews.

One group took this incredible sign and turned it into a model of action. These were the disciples of Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak Hacohen Kook and his son Rabbi Tzvi Yehudah Kook. They understood 20^th century events - events such as the Balfour declaration and the growing Zionist enterprise in Palestine - as steps toward Israel's redemption. Now came a victory that was seen as a pure miracle. Israel's decisive victory and rapid occupation were read as the expression of a divine plan to make the state of Israel conform more closely to the Biblical promise land. Kook's followers formed Gush Emunim or "Bloc of the Faithful." The group’s immediate goal was to establish Jewish settlements in the territories occupied by Israel in 1967, making Jewish possession of the occupied territories an established fact. Its members also pressured the Israeli government to undertake a policy of re-judaization of the region, first through the formal annexation of the occupied territories and then by establishing a new state governed by Jewish law. They believe that this process will gradually lead to the coming of the messiah and redemption.

According to the members of Gush Emunim, every grain of the Land of Israel is holy. God gave this land to Abraham and his descendents, God gave it to the Jews. While God was directing history, His believers could help it in the right direction. Since the Jewish conquest of the Land of Israel was a step toward redemption, the believer's task was to take possession of the newly conquered land by settling it.

(To be Continued)