Which came first, secular Zionism or religious Zionism? Rav Tzvi Hirsch Kalischer's Zionism of the late 19^th century paved the way for the modern secular movement.

Many of the disagreements in Israeli society begin and end with this question: Why and for what are we here? Are we running from pogroms and the Holocaust, or are we striving for Redemption? Was it secular Jews who initiated the establishment of the State in order to build a Western capitalist democracy with Jewish trappings, or did Torah-observant Jews lead the way in their striving to actualize the dreams of generations to return to Zion?

The historic truth that some try to blur is this: Those who initiated the Jewish settlement entity that became the State of Israel were righteous Torah scholars, and they did not lay the ideological and practical infrastructures for the State because they sought to escape anti-Semitism, but to bring about national Redemption.

Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook, son of the late first Chief Rabbi, HaRav Avraham Yitzchak Kook, was asked how and when our period of Redemption began. He wrote: "It was Rabbis Kalischer and Gutmacher, students of the famed Gaon Rav Akiva Eger, who aroused and inspired the nation to make Aliyah and to found the agricultural yishuv (settlement enterprise) in the Land of Israel."  

The occasion of discussing this important issue is the 150th anniversary, this week, of the passing of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Kalischer, a leading Torah scholar active in 19^th-century Poland. His book Drishat Tzion, published in 1862, was groundbreaking in its time in its refutation of the prevalent perception that the Messiah would come from Heaven with no need for action on our part in returning to the Land. Citing many Rabbinic Torah sources, he showed that the Redemption is to come in stages, after the Nation of Israel on its own returns to its Land. Rav Kalischer therefore called for Aliyah, renewed settlement, and even for a renewal of the sacrificial services. His influence among the Jewish communities was notable, as he was very admired throughout the Jewish world, and especially in eastern Europe.

Rav Shmuel Mohilever, some 30 years younger, one of the leaders of the Hibat Tzion (also known as Hovevei Tzion) movement, adopted Rav Kalischer's ideas and similarly called for Aliyah and Jewish agriculture in the Holy Land. The First Aliyah (1882-1891), which was inspired by these and other rabbis, was mostly of religious Jews, and it served as the basis for all the subsequent Aliyot.

There is much more to say about Rav Kalischer in honor of his 150^th yahrtzeit. Because he learned from the Ramban (Nachmanides) that the Redemption and return to Eretz Yisrael must come about with the permission of the nations, and not as an act of rebellion against the international community, he insisted that all efforts be made to obtain such a license for the establishment of a State. The "spring of nations" of the mid-19^th century inspired him to exhort his brethren to exhibit mesirut nefesh, devotion and self-sacrifice, for the Jewish national revival. This was a novel concept in the Jewish world, which for centuries of difficult Exile had largely forgotten it.

But though other national movements were being jump-started at this period in history, it was not as simple for the Jewish Nation. For one thing, we are warned not to rebel against the nations. Rabbi Kalischer therefore made a particularly bold proposal to activate the enormous economic power held by the Rothschild and Montefiore families. In his opinion, it was the hand of Divine providence that their influence was so great within many of the important nations, and they could help attain the needed political support. Rabbi Kalischer even spoke about establishing a Jewish army, calculating that the entire religious Bible-believing world, Muslims and Christians, would help fulfill the prophecies of the return to Zion.

This later became partially true – with regard to Christians: The support of English Prime Minister Lloyd George for the Balfour Declaration stemmed from his Christian faith and reading of the Scriptures.

Rav Kalischer wrote to Anshel Rothschild and asked him to offer to purchase the Land of Israel from the Ottoman Turks, or at least parts of Jerusalem – or at least the Temple Mount. His goals, of course, were large-scale Jewish settlement in the Land, and also so that sacrifices could be offered. In addition, he met with Sir Moshe Montefiore, who in turn met with Muhammad Ali [whose Egyptian empire had conquered the Holy Land from the Ottomans] and asked to lease plots in the Land – but Ali turned him down.

However, Rav Kalischer was able to persuade Rothschild to build Mikveh Yisrael, an agricultural school that would teach Jewish children to work the land. Rav Kalischer was even invited to serve on its Board of Directors. Mikveh Yisrael did ground-breaking work in the areas of settlement, absorption of new immigrants, and military efforts. Ben-Gurion said: "If Mikveh Yisrael had not been established, it is doubtful whether the State of Israel would have been established."

Rav Kalischer's writings served to introduce the Jews of his times to the notion that Redemption was a realistic possibility – even a necessity – even then, and that it could come naturally, not miraculously. Many historians often credit Rav Kalischer and his colleagues with "heralding Zionism" – but in fact, as Rav Kook writes, these early rabbis were more than town criers: They were actually the primary and original Zionists, upon which secular Zionism was built. However, the latter then tried to sway the movement in secular directions, which Rav Kook and many others tried desperately to counteract. However, he did this with love; even though he said that the secular Zionists should engage only in building the physical aspects of the Land of Israel, he added that "our job is not to fight them, but to uplift them."

In recent years, Rabbi Kalischer's ideology has been making a comeback. It is not only prominent in the Torah-Zionist sector, but even haredi elements, who are generally unwilling to connect with secular Zionism, see Rav Kalischer as their guide as they engage in the "Redemption of Zion in purity." Restoring our national revival to its original path and source is in fact the mission of our lives, for the success of the State in all areas.

Translated by Hillel Fendel