The Maccabee war of our time is happening now. It is a war over the values that will dominate our world. Only the connection between us, as one man with one heart, can put out the black fire of fundamentalist Islam threatening to overtake the world.
It gets unprecedented exposure in the global media. It is ruthless, and one of the leading brands on the planet. Against our will, it is penetrating our lives through social media as part of a well-oiled PR machine. It is called ISIS, its vision is an “Islamic state, ” and the Western world has no real answer to the threat. No military coalition or multinational conference will weaken its power. On the contrary, every attack in Europe or clip of beheadings or wiping out villages causes more and more youngsters to leave their amenities in Europe and other countries and flock to Syria and Iraq to join ISIS.
Sweet Poison
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The dark unity that ISIS is projecting is hypnotizing. In a world of hopelessness, where the loftiest ideologies have gone bankrupt, the idea of belonging to a powerful movement with a totalitarian ideology provides millions with a sense of purpose. It awakens zeal, passion and excitement in a world devoid of meaning, full of depression and isolation that has spread through modern society.
At a time when many are trying to blur the pain with substances, or simply end their lives quietly, ISIS provides a ticket to a rollercoaster ride that ends in heaven. Those who opt out of the revolution will die; those who join get relative economic security and a head start on eternity.
White Fire vs. Black Fire
The only power that can stand up to the false unity that is based on hatred of others, is the true unity that is based on love of others.[1] “Love your neighbor as yourself” was here before the Islamic caliphate, and is the foundation of our unity and existence as a nation. The people of Israel has a role: to disseminate that warmth that resides in love of others and illuminate the world with light. {2, 3]
Greece Then – ISIS Now
The eruption of unfounded hatred brought about the destruction of the Temple.[4] We lost touch with unity, our foundation as a nation, and went out on a long exile. In the first round, egoism defeated love of others and came out on top.[5]
Two thousand years later, the seeds of division that were planted in the human soil have ripened with their lethal fruits. The ideology of ISIS is false unity that is based on hatred of others. It is growing on the ideological Greek swords that led to crises in every aspect of life.
The voices that say we are responsible for the Islamic terror should remind us of our role. We must wake up![6, 7] Only our unity, as one man with one heart, can put out the black fire that is threatening to burn down the world.
Every effort to unite will generate a great force, a light that will spread from Israel to the entire world. This light will calm the terrorism and awaken the world’s sympathy toward Israel.
[1] “Love your neighbor as yourself is the whole of the Torah” (Rav Yehonatan Ben Nathan Aibshitz, Yearot Devash (Honeycombs), Part 1, Address 1).
[2] “In Israel lies the secret to the unity of the world” (Raaiah Kook, Orot Kodesh (Holy Lights), 415.
[3] “Israel bring light to the world” (Midrash Rabah, Song of Songs, Portion 4, Paragraph 2).
[4] “The house was ruined because of unfounded hatred. Their hearts divided and they were parted and were unfit for a Temple that is the unification of Israel” (Rabbi Israel Segal, Netzah Israel, Chapter 4).
[5] “Removing the unity caused unfounded hatred and weakened the wall of Israel. For this reason, the Greeks had the power to break down the wall of Israel (Rabbi Samuel Borenstein of Soctchov, Shem Mishmuel [A Name Out of Samuel], Miketz, Hanukkah, 7th night).
[6] “The prime defense against calamity is love and unity. When there are love, unity, and friendship between each other in Israel, no calamity can come over them … and all the curses and suffering are removed by that [unity]” (Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Halevi Epstein, Maor VaShemesh [Light and Sun], Nitzavim [Standing]).
[7] “If we miss the hour and do not rise as one man, with great efforts required at a time of danger, then the facts before us pose a great threat to us. It is also clear that the immense effort required of us on the rugged road ahead requires unity as strong and as solid as steel, from all factions of the nation without any exceptions. If we do not come out with united ranks toward the mighty forces standing in our way then we are doomed before we even started” (Rav Yehuda Ashlag (Baal HaSulam), The Writings of Baal HaSulam, “The Nation, ” p 487).
