Religious Commentary on the Unity of the Jewish People — Jerusalem Post
In Israel, the Jerusalem Post published a religious commentary on the significance of the unity of the Jewish people amid sharp public disputes. The author turned to the interpretation of Rabbi Chaim ben Moshe ibn Attar, known as Or HaChaim, who lived from 1696 to 1743.
Interpretation of a biblical verse
The article examines a verse from Deuteronomy stating that the Lord alone led the people and that no foreign god was with them. In his interpretation of this passage, Rabbi Chaim referred to the midrash Bereshit Rabbah.
The midrash contrasts peace and internal discord: when there is peace among the Israelites, God, according to the text’s account, does not focus even on idolatry. Conversely, division, as the midrash states, leads to punishment. The commentary’s author called this idea unusual, since idolatry is among the gravest sins in Jewish tradition.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Public disagreements
The publication mentions issues on which Israeli society holds differing positions: judicial reform, the two-state or one-state model, the development of settlements in Judea and Samaria, sovereignty over Greater Israel, exemption from military conscription for Torah study, and the renewal of the doctrine of purity of arms.
The author noted that these topics may be the subject of reasoned discussion, but called for preserving unity. He spoke out against blocking highways, burning tires, vandalism, and delegitimizing other Jews over disagreements. In the author’s view, ideally the Jewish people should be united in accepting the covenant between God and Israel, while today unity is also needed for survival in a hostile world.
