We are living in a special, very sensitive time when the course of events is quickly accelerating and several directions of development open up before us. It is obvious that the nation of Israel is a factor that may guide humanity in one direction or another; moreover, these vectors have a life-changing significance for both the nation itself and the world as a whole.
Everything the sages have written has come true over the course of history until the present day—it happens in its own time and in a specific order. And today, the nation of Israel must fulfill its purpose according to the principle of the three lines. On one hand, it advances by using the egoistic desire that every person has, but on the other hand, it realizes the altruistic desire. This way it combines the egoism, which all of us have plenty of, with the call for mutual help, which has always been inherent to it. When these two aspirations are applied correctly, the nation will unite into a “middle line,” in the middle. Then it will establish the right kind of mutual relations in its own environment, and is able to refer properly to the world.
Today, regrettably, the nation of Israel is not very close to the realization of this special path. However, making changes rests specifically on it. If it will really act this way and hand this method of mutual interaction to the entire world, it will become the so-called “light for the nations,” and then everyone will necessarily feel that there is a wonderful way to come out of the crisis and ascend. A prophet has written: “Everyone will know Me, from the small to the big.” In other words, the upper Force, the one that is good and does good, will be revealed in our world.
Naturally, “Torah will come out of Zion, and the Creator’s word from Jerusalem.” However, it is also necessary to consider the role of large foreign communities that influence the state of Israel and its government. Frankly, I think that the nation of Israel would be interested in a strong increase in this influence and of it becoming closer and more mutual.
Today we cannot feel it much. Naturally, Jews from France or the US are concerned for Israel and help it a lot, however, they are not represented enough in the country, they do not have a strong enough connection with the nation for it to really feel their presence. Their articles and appeals are not published in the newspapers, and even though people know that they exist and that they come for urgent actions and gatherings, they act against assimilation and anti-Semitism for the benefit of the people, in social, women’s, and youth organizations, and the people still do not feel that they are among them. And the problem is not their physical presence, but the perception, which is transmitted through mass media, the current events.
This is very important. I assume that this connection needs to be strengthened and maintained. Separation really weakens the Jewish people; after all, it was created out of love. Its foundation was laid by Abraham, literally “the father of the people” (Ab ha-am), who has laid the foundation of love, mercy, and mutual unity for it. When the people fail to maintain this connection, they lose their strength, they become so weak that anything can be done to them. And on the contrary, examples from history, such as the war of the Maccabees, show that by uniting, the nation attains true success, no matter what problems it is facing.
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From the Introductory Lecture 6/5/12, “The Influence of the Media”
Related Material:
A Rhetorical Question: “Whose Fault Is It?”
To Be A Model For The Nations
It Is Our Job
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If one wants to change, he has to be placed into a society that has the power to change him. A person has to “surrender” to this environment. To the extent that he submits himself to the new environment, there will be changes.
