Netanyahu made a speech to the nation in which he told us we can relax. The Jewish State will NOT become Halachic. It will remain Jewish and Democratic. [BTW - When Netanyahu speaks at Mercaz Harav on Yom Ha-atzmaut, he says Im Yirtze Hashem and things like that, gives a ra-ra religious speech and the crowd goes nuts. This speech - not for an all religious audience, made no mention of Hashem. On the contrary. It was very secular and כוחי ועוצם ידי oriented. WE built this State and it will remain secular. That was the message].
I am soooooooooooo confused. Isn't Judaism defined by the Torah? How is it a "Jewish State" if Halacha is ignored in favor of British, Turkish and other systems of law? Does it mean a State where only Jews live? Well, about 25 percent of the population is not Jewish [about 2.5 million]!!! Inhabited by a lot of Jews? Well according to that definition, America is also a Jewish State. Plenty of Jews there. If you don't believe me - spend a Shabbos in Teaneck or Miami Beach or West Rogers Park or [best] Kiryas Yoel.
I am not talking about a "theocracy" where religion is forced upon the people. That wouldn't work and would be counterproductive. But a State where the Halacha is the official State law. Since shoving religion down people's throats would be counterproductive in our day and age - the Halacha doesn't mandate it. But in a Jewish State the courts should follow Jewish law, the army and police force etc. should also follow Halacha. That is something every Yarei Shomayim, Torah observant Jew wants. G-d didn't give us Torah and mitzvos to come to Israel and not keep it. Everyone who believes in Torah wants a Torah State. Not a "theocracy" but a State guided by the values, laws and principles of the Torah. The individual is free to live his life as he chooses but State law follows the Torah with all that this entails.
This is contrary to what Netanyahu said in his speech that we all want a Jewish State and we all want a Democratic State. The reality is that here are plenty of people who don't want a Jewish State and plenty who don't want a Democratic State, where, among other things, people who wish the State of Israel wouldn't exist sit in the government [I refer to the Arabs - not the Charedim. The Charedim want a JEWISH State and not a secular one. The Arabs want something very different]. This is an intractable problem.
Imagine 2 roommates. One, Charedi born and raised in Bnei Brak. Ponovitch Talmid. The other - a secular person born and raised in Tel Aviv. Never kept a Shabbos in his life. Doesn't know the difference between Purim and Simchas Torah. Or Moshe Rabbeinu and Avraham Avinu. They have to live together. A catastrophe. Shabbos, Kashrus, who can stay overnight, very very different mentalities etc. etc.
THAT is the State of Israel except that it is 10 million times more complicated, given all the groups and sub groups who often can't even get along among themselves. Nu, we have been fighting for 75 years and it will continue until Moshiach. In my mind - no question about it. The gaps are too big to fill.
Our job is to keep all the mitzvos as best we can bi-simcha and to anticipate the Geulah במהרה בימינו!!!
