Dear Friends,
In a few hours we will all sit with our family and friends around the Seder table and start the celebration of Pesach. We will read the Haggada of Pesach recounting our miraculous exodus from Egypt, when Hashem saved us from slavery with a "mighty hand and an outstretched arm" to bring us to the Land of Israel, the Land promised by Hashem to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
At the Seder we will drink four cups of wine, representing four languages of redemption: "Vehotseti" (and I take you out of Egypt); "Vehitsalti" (and I save you); "VeGaalti" (and I redeem you); "Velakachti" (and I take you).
Rabbi Shlomo Goren in his book "Torat Hashabat VeHamoed" points out that there really should have been five cups of wine for there are five languages of redemption. In addition to the four already mentioned above, the last language of redemption is 'Veheveiti" and I bring you", based on the verse "and I will bring you to the Land of Israel that I am giving you…"
Why did our Sages not order us then to drink five cups of wine for the five languages of redemption by G-d? Is the promise by G-d to bring us to the Land of Israel less important that it does not deserve to have its own cup of wine, asks Rabbi Goren.
To this question Rabbi Goren gives a beautiful explanation: There is a difference between the first four promises by G-d and the last promise.The first four promises by G-d were all acts of redemption that relate to our exodus from Egypt. All those acts were done by G-d with supernatural miracles. The people of Israel had no partnership in those supernatural acts of redemption. They passively enjoyed the miracles.
In contrast to that, says Rabbi Goren, the fifth promise by G-d, "Veheveiti" (and I bring you to the Land) is not entirely in the hands of G-d but rather must be with the full participation of the People of Israel. Rabbi Goren writes that in order for the promise "and I bring you to the land" to be fulfilled, each and every person belonging to the people of Israel must take part in the conquest and the settling of the land of Israel. For this language of salvation 'Veheiveiti" to be fulfilled, we cannot just stay passive and wait for G-d to act; we must be full partners in redeeming the Land of Israel. We must be willing to fight for this land and make sure no strangers take it away from us.
When the people of Israel will completely devote themselves to freeing the land of Israel, protecting it and settling it, then, says Rabbi Goren, we will please G-d see the miracles related to the drinking of the fifth cup.
Rabbi Goren finishes his words by suggesting we add a fifth cup of wine to the Seder table to represent our obligation and commitment to fight for the Land of Israel and our faith in G-d and our hope that the same way we deserved the miracles by Hashem to take us out from Egypt, we should deserve to see the fulfillment of the promises of the fifth cup.
Women in Green are certainly aware of Rabbi Goren's teachings that the Land of Israel will only be ours if we take an active part in fighting for it, building it and settling it. Staying at home and praying for miracles will not bring any redemption. Women in Green has been active since 1993 representing the voice of the Land of Israel and acting on the ground to keep those parts of the land that the enemy is trying to take away from us. Our latest efforts are now to keep Shdema in Jewish hands, the abandoned army camp near Har Choma-Jerusalem, that the Arabs are trying to steal from Israel.
It seems that with the incoming new government we, loyalists of the Land of Israel, will have more work than ever. It will be our job to remind our politicians that the majority of the People of Israel have voted against the continuation of the leftist policies of withdrawal and capitulation to the Arab enemy.
The People of Israel expect this government to act like a proud Jewish government that finally will fight for the interest of the Jewish People in its Biblical Homeland.
What is needed first and foremost, is a change of attitude to the enemies of the Jewish People. Last week Shlomo Nativ HY"D, a 13 year old boy from Bat Ayin, was butchered by an Arab terrorist who had entered the community. The reaction to that murder has been complete quiet. No outrage or condemnation has been heard by the UN, the EU, the world media nor by the Israeli Left. When Jewish children are murdered (especially if they are "settler and religious" children, the world and the Israeli left is quiet.
That has to change!
The time has come to go back to the old fashioned Zionist response to Arab terror: for every Jew that is attacked we must create a new community in Judea and Samaria. That must be one of the first acts of this new government and if the government does not have the willpower or the courage to do so, it will be our job to demand it and fight for it.
Women in Green wishes all its friends a happy and kosher Pesach. May we all, together with all of Am Yisrael, act with loyalty and love to the Land of Israel that we will, please G-d, be worthy of Hashem's blessings of the fifth cup of redemption.
Chag Sameach,
Nadia Matar
Chair, Women in Green
For details about the struggle for Shdema and to see our latest movie please click on http://womeningreen.org/shd.htm
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Women For Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green)
POB 7352, Jerusalem 91072, Israel
Tel: 972-2-624-9887 Fax: 972-2-624-5380
mailto:wfit2@womeningreen.org
http://www.womeningreen.org
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