Korach, the Spies and the American Aid Myth

For G-d will not forsake His people for His great name's sake; because it has pleased G-d to make you a people unto Himself. (From this week's reading of the Prophets, Samuel I Chapt. 12:22).

In last week's Torah portion, we agonized through the tragically relevant story of the spies and their rejection of the Land of Israel. In this week's Torah portion, Korach, we endure another tragic story; the rejection of the leadership that is ordained to bring the Children of Israel to the Promised Land. The sins of both the spies and Korach revolved around their desire for power. In both cases they rejected the Land of Israel as a stepping stone in their quest to rule.

The sin of the spies, the relentless drive to detach the Nation of Israel form its land, is alive and well in Israel today. There is almost no political commentator, broadcaster, major journalist or public opinion guru who will not repeat the mantra that he hopes that America will prevent us from inheriting our land and will force us to surrender it to others. All the media sewer covers have been opened wide; the wailing and lamenting of the journalists has seeped into every open space in our collective mentality.

True, Israel's foreign relations are important. But the modern-day spies have turned the picture upside down. The way they see it, it is not Israel's foreign relations that must serve the welfare of the state, but rather the state that must serve the welfare of the foreign relations. After all, they reason, if the state is not going to help us flee our Jewish identity into some sort of slick assimilation - "normalcy" they call it; if we are not dependant on America – then what do we need a state for?

When the government of Israel was determined to drive the Jews out of Gush Katif, it spent ten times the amount of the annual American "aid" to accomplish its goal. It is quite clear, then, that when we want to do without this "aid," we certainly can. The Americans became our "allies" and began to sell us armaments after Israel miraculously conquered Biblical Israel in the Six Day War. The Americans are retreating from their "alliance" with us in tandem with our retreat from our Land. (Click here for Moshe Feiglin's article, The American Aid Myth).

So how will we manage without the Americans? First of all, let us adopt a bit of the faith that Ben Gurion had when he declared Israel a state despite the threat of war and the American embargo. Let us remember PM Levi Eshkol, who started the Six Day War despite warnings by the Johnson administration not to do so and despite its arms embargo. Let us remember that when Israel stood its ground, the US and the rest of the world learned to accept the facts.

Most of all, let us remember the words of the prophet, Samuel from this week's haftarah: For G-d will not forsake His people for His great name's sake; because it has pleased G-d to make you a people unto Himself.

Shabbat Shalom,

Moshe Feiglin