The Tikkun of Malchut (Kingship) Establishing Justice תיקון מלכות: משפט

(The English Version Follows the Hebrew)

בדור אחרון, רבי נחמן, הגאון מווילנה, הבן איש חי, החיד"א, ועוד רבנים גדולים דיברו על התיקון של יסוד בכל מיני צורות. זאת הדרגה של צדק. זה התיקון של הגלות, שנעשה בחוץ לארץ ישראל.[1] התיקון ההוא מרוכז על טיהור והרמה וגאולה של היחיד, וגם הכנת גאולת הלאומית, שכולל יציאת הגלות הגשמית ועלית לארץ ישראל של היחיד.

זאת גאולת משיח בן יוסף.[2] יש כמה גילוים של הבחינה הזאת, בגלל יש כמה וכמה קהילות בישראל בגלות, ויש צורך לגלות את הגילוי הזה לפי הבחינה של כל קהילה. כאשר יוסף היה המנהיג (הגלות) של בני ישראל, כולנו היינו במקום אחד, מצריים. היום הגלות שלנו, היא גם פיזור ופירוד, לא רק באופן גשמי אלא גם בשיטה ובגישה לתורה.

אבל, הגאולה הזאת היא לא סוף התהליך. כמו רבי נחמן בעצמו אמר על תורתו, שהיא (רק) עד ביאת המשיח, והכוונה היא משיח בן דוד. התיקון של משיח בן דוד בדרגה של מלכות. מלכות כוללת את יסוד, ומגדירה, מטהרת, ומרימה גם את היחיד וגם תפקידו בתוך הכלל החי (האורגני) והשלם של העם. זאת דרגה של משפט.

משפט הוא ביטוי מסובך שלא מבוטה ומובן נכון בעברית המודרני. הוא קשור להנחת דברים במקום ובסדר הנכון (גם בדקדוק: לשים מילים (דברים) בסדר הנכון הוא לעשות משפט). וזאת למה מגדרים אותו כצדק או כדין, אבל באמת הוא לא כשניהם. אלא, התפקיד הנכון לשופט או למלך שעושה משפט הוא לסדר יחידים לפי המהות המיוחד, התפקיד המיוחד, והמצב המיוחד של כל אחד. לגבי נזקים, לדוגמה, הוא לקבוע אחריות וחבות. במשפט פלילי, הוא קשור לגילוי התפקיד של היחיד במעשה ורמת אשמתו. בחברה או בקהילה, לעשות משפט הוא לגלות, להגדיר, ולעזור ליחיד להשלים תפקידו ביחס לעצמו, לאחרים ולקודש ברוך הוא. לעשות משפט, היא להביא את היחיד לשלמותו גם לעצמו וגם כחלק חיוני לשלמות העם והעולם ככלל. זה יסודות שלום, ביטוי שמדברים של סיום שלימות של הכל, בכל, מכל. זה למה אחד מהשמות השם הוא שלום, שהוא בעצם השלמות האמיתי.

The Tiqun of Malkhuth (Kingship): Establishing Justice

Ribbi Nachman, the Gaon of Vilna, the Ben Ish Hai, the Hida, and many other great rabbis have talked about the tiqun (reparation) of the spiritual level of Yesod (Foundation) in the last generation, in one form or another. This is the level of Tsedeq (righteousness). This is the tiqun of the Galut (exile), which takes place outside the Land of Israel.[3] This tiqun focuses on the purification of an individual’s spiritual elevation and redemption, as well as preparation for the national redemption, including removing oneself from the physical exile and returning to the Land of Israel.

This is the redemption of MashiaH ben Yosef (the Joseph Messiah)[4]. This is an aspect of Yosef (Joseph) in Mitsrayim (Egypt). The reason that there are many different manifestations of this consciousness is so that the consciousness can be realized by each of the various communities of Israel. When Yosef was the (galut/exile) leader of the Children of Israel, we were all in one place, Egypt. Later, Bavel (Babylon) came to symbolize the totality of the exile. Yet, today, our exile is also a dispersion (Diaspora), with a plethora of communities scattered not only physically, but in their relationship and approach to Torah (Livak, Chasidim, Sephardim, Ashkenazim, Yemenite, Edut Mizrach, etc.).

However, this is not the end of the process. Ribbi Nachman, himself, states it most succinctly: His Torah (the teachings of Ribbi Nachman) will burn until the coming of the MashiaH, meaning the MashiaH ben Dawid (The Davidic Messiah). The tiqun of MashiaH ben Dawid consciousness is the spiritual level of Malkhuth (Kingship). While incorporating the level(s) of Yesod, Malkhut goes a step further, defining, purifying and elevating both the individual and his place/role within the organic whole of the nation. This is the level of Mishpat (justice/cause/manner).

Mishpat is a very difficult term. It relates to things being put in their proper place and in the proper order. This is why it is defined as justice, for the proper role of a judge or a king who executes mishpat is to order individuals according to their role or place. In a case of damages, for instance, this relates to assigning liability. In a criminal proceeding, it relates to discovering the role an individual played, and his culpability. In the case of society, this relates to discovering, defining and helping the individual to fulfill his particular role, in relationship to other individuals, to himself and to HaShem. It is about the full realization of the individual within, and as part of the realization of the organic whole of the nation, as well as that realization of the nation in organic whole of humanity. This is the true establishment of Shalom, a term which really means completion, total realization, on all the varying aspects and levels. This is why it is one of the names of HaShem, the very essence of total realization.

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[1] אף על פי שהוא יכול להיות בתוך הגבולות של ארץ ישראל, הוא בחינה של גלות, ובמיוחד גלות מסמכות יהודי בארץ.

[2] כאשר אני מדבר על משיח, אני משתמש אותו כביטוי גם לבחינת הרוחנית שהאיש (אנשים) מציג ומוסר.

[3] Though it can take place within the physical borders of Israel, it is still an aspect of exile from the land, in particular the land under sovereign Jewish rule.

[4] When referring to MashiaH (both ben Yosef and ben Dawid), I am using the term to refer a level of spiritual consciousness, not only refer the individual(s) who both represent this consciousness and/or deliver its message.

The Outrage of Nations

I am outraged.

Nations should not behave so dishonorably.

It is an outrage that there is a nation amongst the family of nations, which through it’s own courts and through the admission of its own elected officials, has:

1. Violated a treaty with the indigenous people of a territory that it conquered (in a non-defensive war).
2. Subjected that same people to inhuman and cruel treatment and restrictions, denied them basic human rights and wantonly perpetrated a massacre against said people, killing principally woman and children.
3. Stripped their territory, which it seized unlawfully, of the majority if not all of its natural resources.
4. Refuses, despite its own admissions, to redress the injustice to the satisfaction of the indigenous people, or international law.
5. Continues to ignore a UN decision and several resolutions that state emphatically that the nations continued occupation of said territory is a violation of international law and human rights.

Of course, I’m referring to the United States’ violation of its 1851 and 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty with the Sioux Nation, concerning the Black Hills. Upon the discovery of gold in the Black Hills, the US government purposefully and willfully violated the treaty they established with the Sioux Nation. The Sioux continually protested, were held in refugee camps called reservations. At one point, the US massacred a large number of Sioux, mainly woman and children, at Wounded Knee.

What is even more outrageous, of course, is this nation, the US, has the audacity to preach morality to any nation, especially the Nation of Israel concerning its dealings with the non-indigenous Arabs population who has repeatedly refused to come to any terms of compromise with the Jewish nation, but has instead violated every agreement with it, and continually called for its extermination.

To Vote or Not To Vote; Is that Really the Question

“By Not Voting, One is Voting for the Left.” That’s what all the big banners in the settlements state. Yet, to my mind, if one votes, no matter whom one votes for, one is also “Choosing the Left.” There is no qualitative difference between the so-called Left and Right of Israeli politics. Even “Katzaleh” will recommend to Peres that Netanyahu should be the Prime Minister. So a vote for the National Union, or any other party on the “right,” is a vote for Binyamin Netanyahu.

I don’t want to choose Netanyahu to be my leader. He isn’t any different from Sharon, Barak, Livni, or Yossi Sarid. He differs only in style. None of those leaders understood what it means to lead a Jewish nation. Frankly none of the candidates for Prime Minister, past or present want to be the leader of a Jewish nation. In fact, such a concept scares them, and is an anathema to their lives.

"Oh,” you’ll say, “We need to work with what has a real chance. We need to make the best of a ‘less than ideal’ situation.” Many people fear that a “left wing” politician will make political concessions that a “right wing” politician won’t. History proves otherwise. The reality might be that only a hawkish politician would have the clout to make real concessions. That’s what happened with stalwart “hawks” like Begin, Rabin, Netanyahu and Sharon. Netanyahu’s only saving grace might be that he is not considered hawkish enough to give away our national inheritance. He’s already used his clout when he gave away most of the hills surrounding Hebron. However, given his values, I’m sure he’ll find a way to “make a deal,” clout or no.

"Yes but, what about hishtdadlut?” the religious apologetic will intone. “Aren’t we obligated to make an effort in this world?” “Hishtadlut,” the battle cry of the religious movers and shakers seems to stop all other arguments in their tracks. For every red blooded Jew who dons a kipah or wears a skirt knows that we are obligated, actually religiously mandated, to make an effort in this world. “Act as if it all depends upon you, while recognizing that it is all in His hands.”

Yet, this true Torah concept, when not bandied about as a slogan, is the religious man’s pitfall. For true “hishtadlut” is only mandated when it is in consonance with the goal, and does not conflict with HaShem’s Will. Any effort that violates His Will, or even skews our achievement of the goal, would be, at best, misdirected energy - wasted seed. At worst, it would be akin to serving false idols.

The effort does not bring the goal. To suggest otherwise would be a blasphemy. We are required to strive, but the results are not a direct result of our efforts. We do not flip a switch, turn a dial and get the result that we seek. I can make every effort, strive with all my strength, and still not achieve the desired results if He does not Will it, even if the reality of the situation would suggest otherwise. At the same time, I can make minimal effort, or strive through non-corporeal means, and if He Wills, then the results will come. That is the essence of Faith. Our actions do have an effect, but their effect is in and on the Heavenly Court. Results, or more precisely the perceived results of our actions, are purely His domain.

Therefore, it is very important that my efforts are in consonance with Torah values. I need to conform my will to His Will. The more successful I am in doing so, the greater the chance will be that HaShem will bring about a realization of the goal.

And what is the goal, when we are talking about establishing political leadership?

As a Torah observant Jew, the goal is not a quasi-democratic judicial oligarchy that is ambiguous at best, and hostile at worst (more often than not), to Jewish values.

The goal is a realization of HaShem’s Will for His People as stated in the Torah. While it’s possible that the details of such a realization are open to form and function, it minimally consists of society that promotes its own realization as a Jewish Nation, and not merely a nation, whose majority is Jewish. The goal is a leadership whose decisions and legislation is consistent with Torah values, and certainly not antagonistic to those values. It is not a state of “all of her citizens,” unless of course, all of her citizens are Jewish.

So, in answer to the question, “Are you voting?” my answer is, “yes.” I’m voting for HaShem, for the realization of His Will. I am actively not participating in the State Israel’s national elections. Not out of despair, or lack of concern, but as a purposeful act of faith, and demand, of the Heavenly Court. May my efforts be a ballot cast in favor of true leadership who will redeem our People.