11 Comments
User's avatar
FreedomFighter's avatar

A question with a dilemma: Do you stand for a Jew that will not stand for Israel and, by extension, will not stand for fellow Jews? How do you handle the saving of a Jew that stands in the streets demonstrating for a free "Palestine"? Do you save such a Jew who has abandoned his (her) own people? Personally, I would not raise my rifle to save such a "good Jew". I would leave his (her) life up to the judgement of G-d.

Michael Traube's avatar

A vigilant defense would have thwarted the attack, and our continued war (even if justified) just creates new sinwars every day. There will ALWAYS be sinwars and we continue to enable them, the issue isn’t the sinwars.

Freedom Lover's avatar

I am glad the hostages are free. But this "core value" is going to be the death of us. We can see now that this core value that led Netanyahu under pressure to release 1000 terrorists for one single soldier back in 2011 was a disastrous error that led directly to 10/7. Israel cannot act this way any longer regardless of the "core values" of Judaism. There are millions of lives at stake.

Mr. Ala's avatar

Remember, belonging as a bond beyond price cuts both ways. If you make (to use the obvious example) the Gilad Shalit exchange, look how many Jews whose torture and lives you are reducing to a line item!

Shame on you for declaring this a simple matter of valuing Jewish life enough. Indeed, if it were simply a matter of sufficiently valuing Jewish lives, there would be no Gilad Shalit exchange. Nor would there be any other exchange on terms the "Palestinians" regard as adequate.

It isn't as simple as that, because you know who the people in captivity are and you don't know who would be killed or captured if you made the trade.

Yes, it's complicated. Don't give us any trash about whether we love each-other enough. How dare you?

Michael Traube's avatar

The Gilad Shalit exchange was not in any way the proximate cause of oct 7. potential killers can and were prevented for many years by strong and focused defense forces protecting us. pretending that deal was the cause and not bibi's failure and miscalculation is not right.

Mr. Ala's avatar

What difference does it make if the cause is or isn’t “proximate”? Quite properly, nobody cares about that.

And trying to blame Bibi is not just silly, it’s depraved. Shame on you. You are blocked.

Freedom Lover's avatar

Nonsense. Sinwar was among the released. I have no doubt that hundreds of others released were directly involved. It wasn't THE proximate cause but it certainly was a cause.

Mr. Ala's avatar

You are in violent agreement with me. Nice. But be polite.

Freedom Lover's avatar

I try to be. But I'm only human.

Mitchell R Lubart's avatar

What a dilemma … save a life at the risk of encouraging terrorism or refuse to pay the price and never encouraging terrorism.

I have read that the Halacha is do not pay the price if it will lead to greater tragedy.

I agree in theory but also agree that each life is a universe (TY to my teachers) and it shows a Nation’s moral fiber to pay any any price and bear any burden (TY JFK) to save its own.

I am proud to belong to a People wrestle so hard with this issue and whose primary value is (to quote Tevye) “To Life”.

Michael Traube's avatar

thank hashem there are still some jews that are truly pro-life. may we all internalize this and not make these mistakes again.