Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, the rabbi of Safed and one of the most prominent rabbis in religious Zionism, calls on the State of Israel to strongly condemn the bloodshed that is taking place in Ukraine, even if it harms various interests.
"In the vision of the end times, the role of the people of Israel is presented as one who is obliged to ensure that a gentile does not carry a gentile to a sword," Rabbi Eliyahu clarifies his position.
"We have a responsibility to prevent this and we have a responsibility to judge peoples and lead to a reality in which 'their class swords into shovels and their spears into pruning shears'"
The people of Israel must carry the banner of anti-war in the world.
The fact that there is a struggle between peoples does not allow them to go to war, but rather there is an obligation for a large tribunal to resolve the dispute in hearings and with a clear clarification of the truth.
Against the background of this position with Israel should and must join the Western countries' condemnation of Russia, our condemnation should not be because we have interests in the West or for other considerations but because it is the truth, the State of Israel can not see another bloody country for no reason and will not specialize For that, "says Rabbi Eliyahu.
Rabbi Yaakov Ariel also believes that violence should be condemned, but done in a highly diplomatic manner.
"The very concept of war is wrong, the Bible and the prophets read and say 'and his class swords to shovels and their spears to shears'.
That is why bloodshed should be protested over war. "
"However, we must also be careful in the mental supervision of Jews and the people of Israel. We have the Russians in the Middle East who can influence what is happening in the north of the country, we have Iran and we need Russia for many reasons. There is also a very large Jewish community in Russia "The line of fire. That is why Israel really needs to protest against violence, against the war, but to do so while walking between the drops and not stand out too much."
Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, Photo: Gideon Markowitz
"Against the background of this tectonic clash, the State of Israel must first remind itself of its place," says Rabbi Yuval Sherlow.
"With all the respect we attribute to ourselves we are a small country, which has not yet completed its establishment. All this should lead first and foremost to humility: we do not run the world, but if we are still fighting for our very existence. The prophets of Israel all along In world wars. "
Rabbi Sherlow mentions that the history of the people of Israel with Ukraine is very difficult, and includes anti-Semitism and murder, but at the same time we must not ignore the moral aspects of reality.
As a nation and religion whose apocalyptic vision includes 'a gentile will not carry a gentile to a sword and will not learn another war' we can not but be a part, small as aforesaid, of any move based on this trend of war, even if its eclipses are still numerous.
The State of Israel should therefore be on the margins of this great conflict, and not push itself to participate in it, but also from there express such a position.
"Even if there is a certain price for this position - the price of ignoring the moral aspect also includes a great price."
Waiting for the Russians, Photo: EPA
"Our stand with the world that is struggling with bombing, destruction, the creation of masses of refugees, pollution and violence should be reflected in the proper proportions of our existence. This is a huge opportunity that will allow the State of Israel to do the right thing," says Rabbi Sherlow.
The fact that both Russia and Ukraine severely harmed the Jews, leads Rabbi Shlomo Aviner to believe that we should remain silent and not publicly refer to the war at all.
"A permissible war is just a defensive war so ostensibly this should have been our policy here and we should have joined the global protest against Russia. But the reality here is complex both in terms of both sides' claims, and in terms of our history with both sides. The last few years have not been good for the people of Israel and the Ukrainians have also enthusiastically helped Hitler and before that persecuted Jews.
"Millions of Jews were massacred in Ukraine and they never apologized or prosecuted a murderer criminal. This is not the case, so it is up to Israel to manage on its own, "concludes Rabbi Aviner.
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