The Sword Upon our Neck

In the final hours before the Israeli Government decides the fate of the shuls and yeshivot (Sunday Morning), I'm masochistically reminded of the gemara in Shabbat that discusses the melacha of "סותר על מנת לבנות" -- that you are only guilty of the primary melacha of destroying on shabbat, if the reason behind the destruction is rebuilding. Since the total destruction of the shuls in Gush Katif by the Israeli government is not for the intent of rebuilding, but rather for total that of destruction, eradication and decimation -- they could blow up the shuls on shabbat without being guilty of this melacha.

Picture of Shul in Neve Dekalim after all residents expelled 3 weeks ago.



Picture of Shul in Neve Dekalim this week.



I pray that Israel doesn't destroy the shuls in Gush Katif. After all, even when the Greeks and Romans were charging into Jerusalem, the JEWS didn't destroy the Batei HaMikdash. We didn't say, "better us than them". Yet there are so many confused Jews who don't understand this simple message. I guess 2000 years of Galut is enough to mess up any nation, and infuse many foreign ideals into their way of thinking.