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Monday, April 30, 2012

CONDOLENCES TO P.M. NETANYAHU.

AND LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM ARIK SHARON

On Yom Shayni this week a great leader of Israel -- the father of PM Netanyahu -- transcended into the Olam HaBah.  Benzion Netanyahu left us at age 102 to bring to us future blessings directly MinHaShemayim.  Today is Yom Gevurah Sh'b'Netzach 5772.

Sincerest of condolences to the Netanyahu family and to Bibi in particular, who as PM shoulders the safety of Israel, and who must do so now without his living father at his side.  Baruch HaShem, the legacy of Benzion Netanyahu is strong, present, and sustainable into the future.

Two quotes from Barry Goldwater (of blessed memory) come to mind from 1964 a propos of this day:  "Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice... moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue..." and, "There are no old, bold pilots."  Extreme, bold love unmoderated is what is called for right now in Israel.

We must remind ourselves that it is only as a widower that Arik Sharon caved before the chicanery of Ehud Olmert leading to the giveaway of Gaza.  The consequences of this surrender led to the infested control of Gaza by Hamas and of Lebanon by Hezbullah; to the displacement of thousands of families Jewish and Arab; to the incessant rain of Qassam rockets into southern Israel from Gaza; to the kidnappings of Gilad Shalit, Ehud Goldwasser, and Eldad Regev; to the 2006 Israel-Lebanon War; to the so-called "Freedom Flotillas" including the incident of the Mavi Mamara; to the necessary Israeli incursions into Gaza in 2008 and 2009; and to more than one "partridge in a pear tree...."

Now,  Israel is surrounded by massive generational tumult in every Arab nation.  It is called the "Arab Spring" and is a spring that has sprung for more than a year now with questionable historical direction.  May it yet bring the world Good and not Evil.

Also now, without respect even to Shiva Week for his father, PM Netanyahu is being blasted from Israel's Left with vulgar attacks upon his quality, credibility, and capability as PM.

This Blog calls for Israel's beloved PM Netanyahu not to cave before those, who would cease upon this moment, the death of his father, to politic and to undermine the Government of Israel.

This Blog further calls on PM Netanyahu to fully observe the Shiva Week, Shloshim, and first Year of the passing of his father and to not be distracted away from full observance by his detractors and the enemies of Israel.  That observance should include a firm, stealthy, quieter strategy towards Iran.  It should also include a firm and quiet strategy to detain, contain, and restrain Israel's Left from any gains it may seek via the technical process of elections.  Such Observance may be made manifest, if it is motivated, engaged, and brought forth in a spirit of intelligent love, be it Ahavas Yisrael or Ahavas Goyim.  And Ahavas practiced with Gevurah (if and only when appropriate and in appropriate measure) will and shall succeed.

The Nation of Israel should view the passing of Benzion Netanyahu in a proper and holy way:  not as an open window of opportunity for the destruction of PM Netanyahu and of the Government of Israel; but, as a closed casket of national heartbreak requiring a year of subdued national grief and unity.

Israel should also continue to pray for the recovery of Arik Sharon from his coma, even and especially now after all this time since his stroke in 2006.

Shalom v'Ahavas l'Mishpachah Netanyahu!


Tuesday, April 10, 2012

PURIM AND PESACH 5772: POLLARD, SHALIT, AND IRAN...

...AND SYRIA, IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN, KASHMIR, SIANKIANG, NORTH KOREA, CHINA, AND TIBET.

PESACH is now here and Purim is come and gone a month ago. We look now for revelations (or at least hints) of the hidden miracles that HaShem has set in motion for imminent realization.

And so, listening to the news from Israel today, there is talk in the air once again that JONATHAN POLLARD may be freed; it is said that both Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Peres are communicating with President Obama on this subject. If and only if Pollard's treason was unforgivable should Pollard remain locked away; otherwise, Pollard should have been on a plane for Israel long ago. Anything less is cruel. President Obama will be accused of political dealing, regardless of any decision to free or not free Pollard. So, President Obama should take a deep breath, hold his nose, and just do the right thing: he should free Pollard immediately, and he should do so without thought to political gain.

GILAD SHALIT has been free now for approximately six months. He has put on some healthy weight and there is now a soft, humble, welcome smile to his face. May he go from strength to strength, and may Jonathan Pollard and wife be in Israel together and be imminently blessed to join Gilad Shalit at a Pesach table before Pesach concludes this Shabbos.

IRAN and SYRIA are on everyone's mind. May the Assad regime disappear quickly from Syria. May the increasing pressure that the USA applies to Iran cause Iran's present political tyranny to implode. Without any nuclear accidents nor incidents nor war, may there be a yield in Iran of a new, democratic, rights- respecting regime. May such a new regime be bold and immediately set a precedent for other Islamic nations by recognizing Israel.

May IRAQ and AFGHANISTAN follow suit.

May KASHMIR become free of terror.

May CHINA be wise and end it's occupations of SIANKIANG and TIBET.

May China never come to occupy AFGHANISTAN and therefore the waters of Central Asia.

May China end it's occupation of Siankiang and thus ease the tensions to violence in Afghanistan.

May China end it's occupation of Tibet and thus ease the tensions to violence along the Himalyas into Pakistan, Kashmir, India, and Southeast Asia.

May China end it's occupation of Tibet and return the physical, political, and spiritual security of the headwaters of the nations of Pakistan, India, Southeast Asia, and China into the safe, respectful, loving robes of Buddhist Tibet.

China has nothing to prove to the world militarily and should free it's mind of dull, deadly, provocative military devotion to it's own military expansion and that of it's proxies (e.g. North Korea, Iran). In the great traditions of Lao Tzu and Confucious, China honor it's Ancestors and inspire the world in unexpected, non-violent, spiritual ways.