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Like as slaves in Egypt, for two thousand years in exile, Jews became experts in navigating bad systems. When the law belonged to hostile rulers, you survived by finding loopholes, intermediaries, and quiet understandings. Chazal themselves recognize this reality: "Dina d'Malchuta Dina" (obligation to follow the law of the land) only applies when the law is applied fairly and serves the public good (Ran, Nedarim 28a). When it doesn’t, Jews learned how to live around the law, not through it. This wasn’t corruption — it was self-defense. In galut, the tax collector and regulations were anti-Semitic, and the army was often a weapon pointed straight at you.
Now that we have a State, we must change our mindset, and run it as an Or LaGoyim, with rules and regulations, and no longer as a shtetl. We have recently seen the price of not instituting legal guidelines at day "care" centers in Haredi and Arab neighborhoods, or if people think that for "my cause" it's legit to stop-up highways and lie down before buses. If building permits are not necessary in Haredi and Arab neighborhoods, and taxes are not collected there (just as they don't get an equal share of the tax budget), then we shouldn't be surprised that Arabs are "allowed" to kill each other on a daily basis, as if we were a Banana Republic. Refusing to obey orders in the IDF cannot be seen forgivingly if it comes from the "correct" side, and the Supreme Court and legal advisors can't change their mind to apply different laws of protests, depending upon whose ox is being gored - one law for leftists, a different one for rightists, a third for Haredim and a 4th law for Arabs.
If political leaders liken a law for equal army service to Hitler and Yellow badges, and accordingly, demonstrations yell "we'll die rather than serve", we shouldn't be surprised if 14 year olds demonstrate with no guidelines from their rabbis, and think it's an ideal to actually give their lives, like in their slogan, NOT to serve in the army, rather than the mitzvah of serving.
Shtetl logic ends the moment we Jews have sovereignty. The Torah repeats "משפט אחד יהיה לכם", there must be one just law for all (Vayikra 24, 21). The Rambam rules (M'lachim 4, 10): "The role of the king is to fill the WORLD with justice", an exemplary government as an example for all countries. A system based on PROTEKTZIA, winks, and "don’t worry, it’ll be fine" is not Jewish leadership; it is exactly what the Torah warns against when it forbids "You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show favoritism" (Devarim 16, 19), even toward righteous people (see Hil. De'ot 2, 6). A state that enforces law selectively is not compassionate; it is lawless. This is the same irresponsibility that caused 45 fatalities and 102 wounded in the trampling 5 years ago in Meiron on Lag BaOmer.
Chazal put it bluntly: "אלמלא מוראה של מלכות, איש את רעהו חיים בלעו" (אבות ג, ב). Without fear of the law, society collapses. In exile, we feared the government; in Israel, the government is ours, and we must see the ideal in implementing equal and fair laws for everyone. Otherwise, we haven’t ended galut — we’ve just translated it into Hebrew. Haredim who don't want a Jewish State before Mashiach, perhaps want this galut-type of shtetl to continue, but that doesn't mean it's good for them, or for anyone. A Jewish state cannot be built on clever loopholes or tricky coalition agreements; it must be built on what the Torah demands from judges, leaders, and citizens alike: דין אמת לאמיתו — real justice, applied equally, even when it’s inconvenient (Tosafot, Shabbat 10a), even when it applies to me
Christianity teaches "Give to Caesar that which is Caesar's and to G-d that which is His". Rav Kook stresses that Torah contrarily says that EVERY TOPIC, including GOVERNING, belongs to G-d and His Torah, which is precisely a Kiddush Hashem. "And David reigned over ALL Israel; and David administered JUSTICE AND CHARITY for ALL his people" (Shmuel ii 8, 15). David Melech Yisrael is meant to run an ideal Jewish State (Orot HaKodesh, p. 488), not an outdated Jewish shtetl. Shabbat Shalom! Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)
Rabbi Ari Shvat
Lectures at various yeshivot, michlalot and midrashot. Has published many books & Torani articles and is in charge of Rav Kook’s archives.
Ein Aya Complete G-dliness Doesn't Weaken But Enhances Natural Drives
Ein Aya Shabat Chapter B Paragraph 50
Rabbis in Midrash
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The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
Chukat "HOW ENTEBBE STOLE THE BICENTENNIAL
The Difference Between Historic & Eternal"
As we approach America's 250th birthday, it's worth remembering her 200th Bicentennial birthday, on Jul. 4th 1976, when Israel "stole the show" by shocking the world & miraculously saving 101 hostages in a foreign continent. As Pres. As Pres. Trump decides which countries get priority in his new Middle-East, it's worth reminding him of the difference between historic events and eternally historic ones. This obviously connects with this week's parsha, as well!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 6 - The Parable of the King of India
The advantages of testimony over circumstantial evidence or philosophical speculation.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
