From Tapuach West to Possible Expulsion;
   "Surely this thing is known."

By Moshe Burt

Last year, as we learned Parsha Shemos, we were witnessing the run-up to the cruel and brutal destruction of the Shul in Tapuach West by the Sharon government.

And because we didn't then heed the lessons of Parsha Shemos and continued in our collective divisive ways rather than uniting, the Sharon government announced, on the heels of Tapuach West, its intent to expel Jews from parts of Eretz Yisrael; from Gaza and parts of the Shomron.

As we open to Shemos this year, we face the run-up to the attempt, slated for this summer by an allegedly "Jewish Government", to expel Jews from Jewish Land.

As we watch the Sharon government and its evil preparations for the attempted uprooting and separation of Jews from their legally titled homes, neighborhoods and shuls on Jewwish Land in Eretz Yisrael, we heard Ehud Olmert, Sharon's designated trial balloonist, pronounce his boss's true intentions and policy -- substantial uprooting and expulsion of Jews from Yesha is on the way.

As if this should be any surprise or new revelation to any of us, for we have heard versions of this in many other forms and pronouncements over the past couple of years, even from Arik Sharon himself. 

And so, we surmise, as Gaza goes, so goes Yesha, Jerusalem, Chevron, the Mor'at HaMachpela, Kever Rochel, etc., the entirety of Eretz Yisrael.  And so, Jewish land is slated to be given away by a purported "Jewish government", with the Jewish people being ripped away from Jewish land due to its collective senseless hatred for each other, lack of unity, lack of Ahavas Yisrael.  "Surely this thing is known." (Parsha Shemos, Perek 2, posuk 14)

"At the beginning of the Parsha, we are told that when Moshe grew up, he went out to see his brethren ... their ways and behavior.  When he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, and there was no one else in sight, i.e., no other Hebrew ... willing to defend the man ... being beaten, he assumed that was because their slavery had destroyed their will to struggle.  On the second day, though when he saw two Hebrews fighting one another and one said to him,  'as you killed the Egyptian,' he saw that this man believed that Moshe's actions on the previous day had been wrong.  Moshe responded, 'Surely this thing is known' -- it is not their slavery nor their lack of strength to fight back that is causing them not to resist the Egyptians, because they are perfectly willing to fight one another.  What is evidently missing is a sense of justice, of mutual support, of helping the weak, and that is the reason why the redemption had not yet come.  'Surely, this thing is known' -- now I understand the matter." (Torah Gems, by Aharon Yaakov Greenberg on Parsha Shemos, page 20 quoting Bina Le Itim)

We gleaned from last week's Parsha Vayechi that B'nai Yisrael grew attached to the land of  Egypt.  R' Shimshon Rafael Hirsch, as quoted in the Sefer "Torah Gems" (by Aharon Yaakov Greenberg, pages 338-339), writes that Yaakov saw during his final years how his children and grandchildren cleaved to Egypt, taking it as their land and how they would eventually forget their own land, Eretz Yisrael which was promised them by Hashem. 

In our generation, it's not that we are weak and can't fight, having pride in our Jewishness is just not politically correct among those who are assimilated, who seek to be as the goyim, who seek "a state of all of it's people" and who are totally devoid of Torah. You see, in our generations, we've collectively cleaved to mortal, political leaders, taking them and forgetting Torah, forgetting Hashem.   And so, divisiveness and Chillul Hashem abounds and collectively, we are afraid to assert Jewish possession of Eretz Yisrael.

When does B'nai Yisrael come to our collective senses, see the imminent and imperative dangers, both from within and without, and act with unity of national purpose, Jewish self-pride, courage, and emunah in Hashem to defeat them?  May we not lose further valuable Jewish neshamot to the machinations and chesbonot of the anti-Torah politically self-interested. 

May it be in this year that our brethren in Gush Katif as well as our dear brother, Jonathan Pollard and our brethren currently subject to police harrassment, political interrogation and political persecution be central in our thoughts, prayers and actions. 

In the merit of our collective unity, emunah and actions, may the Gezeirot Rah end, the Socialists evaporate and may we be zocha the moment when Jonathan Pollard is finally home among his brethren who care deeply about him.

May we be zocha to compell Hashem to do what he want's to do, to bring us Moshiach, the Geula Shlaima, "Yom Hashem Al Kol HaGoyim", an end to low, dirty politics, political equivocation, perfidy and false cheshbonot.  May we see the Ultimate Redemption, "bimhayro b'yameinu -- speedily, in our time", -- Immediately; Achshav, Chik Chuk, Meiyad, Etmol!!!
 
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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network .  He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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