"The rabbis of the generationshould gather together andexcommunicate the Zionistsfrom the Jewish People. Theyshould make decrees againsttheir bread and wine and forbidintermarriage with them, just asour Sages did to the Samaritans. I am certain that if we donot take this step, the Jewish people will eventually regretit." (Mara D'ara Yisroel v. 2, p. 43)

"The Torah teaches us not toresist the nations even when theyfight against us. We must followin the footsteps of Yaakov Avinuin his encounter with his brotherEsav. As the Ramban writes inVayishlach, all that happened

» (Cont'd on other side)

The Chofetz Chaim

RabbiYehoshuaLeibDiskin

"When the uprising led by BarKochba proved a disastrouserror, it became essential thatthe Jewish people be remindedfor all times of an important fact;namely, that they must neveragain attempt to restore theirnational independence by their own power; they were toentrust their future as a nation solely to Divine Providence.Therefore... the Sages who met at Yavneh added yet anotherblessing to the prayer for the restoration of Jerusalem [inBirkas Hamazon]. This fourth blessing is anacknowledgement that it has always been G·d and G-dalone Who has given us, and still gives us to this very day,that good in which we have had cause to rejoice, and that forfuture good, too, we may look to none other but G-d, andnone beside Him: 'Hu heitiv Hu meitiv Hu yeitiv lanu ...Huyigmeleinu ...Hu yimloch ... Hu yishbor.. .'''

(The Hirsch Siddur, p. 703)

Why do we mention the miracles of the Exodus from Egypt every day, but not the miracle of Purim? It was a very great miracle,in which the entire Jewish people was saved from death! The answer is that regarding the future redemption, Scripture states, "I

have adjured you not to arouse or awaken the love before it is desired" (Shir Hashirim 2:7). We areforbidden under oath to force the hour, to make any effort toward the redemption and the coming ofmashiach. This is why our Sages say that mashiach will come only when we take our minds off him(Sanhedrin 97a). This is the meaning of the verse, "I will show wonders like in the days when youwent out of Egypt" (Michah 7:15): the future redemption will be similar to the Exodus, whichhappened when we took our minds off it· Israel did not force the hour, nor did they make any effortstoward the Exodus. They continued their labor and affliction until G-d sent Moshe, His chosen, totake them out. This is why we remember the Exodus every day, to teach that the future redemptionwill be similar to the Exodus. Israel will not force the hour or take any physical action toward theredemption, but rather everything will be done on its own, an act of Heaven. In the miracle ofPurim, on the other hand, Mordechai forced the hour by sending Esther to the king in violation of thelaw, thus endangering her life, although there were still many months left before the fulfillment of

Haman's decree. Perhaps Jews would learn from this story that now as well, we must force the hour and take action to bringmashiach by force. Therefore, we do not mention the miracle of Purim daily.

RabbiSamson RaphaelHirsch

The Ben Ish Chai

"The State of Israel solvesnothing. All 'problems' remainthe same, and new ones arecreated: 1) The Arabian landshave been rendereduninhabitable for Jews; 2)constant wars with neighborsmust be waged, incurring hugemilitary expenditures and loss of many lives, in additionto constant peril; 3) it has exacerbated Jew-hatred in thenations, due to Arab influence and also to embroilmentwith the foreign policy of the nations; 4) and theproponents of the State of Israel attempt to kindle a fireunder the Jews in all lands in order to make theirposition untenable so that they emigrate to augment thepopulation of the new State." (Sing You Righteous, p. 25)

"Even when there is possibilityof heresy one must be killedrather than transgress, and allthe more so in this case, sincewe have already explained thattaking redemption and politicalpower before the timeconstitutes denial of DivineProvidence. Even regarding the tribe of Ephraim, whomerely erred, thinking that the time of redemption hadalready arrived, it is written, 'They did not believe in G-d.'(Tehillin 78:22) ... The Ramban at the end of Parshas Bowrites that a man has no share in the Torah of Moshe unlesshe believes that all occurences are miraculous, notfollowing the rules of nature. The reason we must takephysical action in most areas is because this is what theCreator decreed... but in the area of redemption, where theholy Torah forbade us to take even the slightest step towardforcing the end, one who does so is acting against emunahand has no share in the Torah of Moshe." (Vayoel Moshe,Chapter 76, p. 92)

"If we were to put all the sins of this generation and all thetransgressions committed in the entire world on one sideof a scale, and the Zionist state on the other side, it wouldoutweigh everything, for it is the poisonous source of theworst defilement, the worst cause of damage in the entireworld, and they are ones who defi Ie the entire world."

(Vayoel Moshe, Introduction, p. 11)

Rabbi AvigdorMiller

Rabbi YoelTeitelbaum ofSatmar

(Uvdos Vehanhagos Leveis Brisk, v. 4 p. 187)

"The Rambam says that Moshiach will bring the Jewishpeople out from under the rule of the nations. Whoeverbelieves there can be a redemption from the rule of thenations without Moshiach, is lacking complete emunah inMoshiach." (Yalkut Divrei Torah)

Reb Meir Soloveitchik relatedthat the Brisker Rav once asked:Why is the wording of the lastoath different from the first two?In the first two (Shir Hashirim 2:7and 3:5) it says "If you arouseand if you awaken," and in thelast one (8:4) it says "Why do youarouse and why do you awaken?" The answer is, he said,that the first two oaths are said to the Jewish people beforethey make any attempt to throw off the yoke of exile. "Donot do it..." for if you do it will be bitter. But ShlomoHamelech foresaw in his ruach hakodesh that there wouldcome a time when the Jews would indeed try to force theend. After they have already tried, and seen the bitterconsequences ("I will permit your flesh") Hashem calls tothem: Why do you continue in your folly of fighting with thenations? Don't you see what the results are? Why are youaskingfor more?

This Pamphlet is dedicated in memory of R' Sholem Yecheskel B"R Shia A"H.

"Rabbi Wasserman, RabbiKotler, Rabbi Rottenberg fromAntwerp, and the rabbis fromCzechoslovakia and Hungarywere unanimous in rejecting anyproposal for a Jewish state oneither side of the Jordan River,even if it were established as areligious state, because such aregime would be a form ofheresyinourfaith inthecomingof Moshiach."

(Hapardes, August 1937)

Once someone told the Brisker Rov that some yeshivabochurim went to watch the Zionist independence dayparade. He became angry and said, "If the Nazi S. S.officers had a parade, would they go to watch that too?Don't Chazal say that one who causes another to sin isworse that one who kills him?" (ibid. p. 210)

Rabbi Akron Kotler

Rabbi Yitzchok ZevSoloveitchik

the "Fund to Build the Land" or any similar organization.

(Igros Kodesh 106)

On the fifth of Iyar in the last yearof the Chazon Ish's life, he washonored to be sandek at threedifferent brisin. Still, herequested that Tachanun besaid, lest someone come later onand testify, "The Chazon Ish didnot say Tachanun on the fifth ofIyar," without revealing thecircumstances. He once said, "Itwould have been proper to declare the fifth of Iyar a publicfast day." (Mishkenos Haro'im, p. 1196)

"For behold, in our times therehave arisen irresponsible men,who throw of the yoke of Torahand mitzvos and convince theJewish people to be like all thenations, to build themselves anindependent government, andthey pretend that this is theultimate redemption. But it is obvious and known that theyspeak falsely, and that their way is the complete antithesisof the Torah ... See the Targum on Shir Hashirim 8:4: 'Theking Moshiach will say, I adjure you, my people, house ofIsrael, why do you fight with the people of the land, to leavethe exile? Wait a little more... and the Master of the Worldwill recall the love of the righteous ones and it will be Hiswill to redeem you.' And this is based on the Gemora inKesubos (lIla), that Hakadosh Baruch Hu made theJewish people swear not to force the end."

(Kedushas Tzion, Tanach, p. 92)

ChazonIsh

Rabbi Ben ZionHalberstam ofBobov

The name Natrune means "I am waiting." It originates in a Midrashic passagethat enumerates the tzaddikim who saved the Jewish people in previous

exiles, and then says, "Who will redeem you from the Fourth Exile? Waiting!"(Pesikta Derav Kahana on Shemos 12:91

TruQ Toral} )QUJ5183 Wilson St. • Suite 162 • Brooklyn NY 11211

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Natrune is a non-profit organization for the publicationand distribution of Torah works relating to redemption

and the principles of Jewish belief. The goal is to strengthenJews in their faith in the Almighty during the long exile.

"In one aspect, it could be said that a Jewish state wouldbring the Geulah closer. The Vilna Gaon says that allcalamities from which Jews suffer in exile have the functionof bringing the Geulah closer. Since this Jewish state wouldbe the worst calamity our people has ever seen, we canhope that it would bring the Geulah closer!"

(Yalkut Maamarim Umichtavim, p. 133)

must not be revolutionaries ... And we were warned: 'If youkeep the oaths, good, and if not I will make you ownerlessas the deer, which are pursued and hunted by all."

(Ikvesa Demeshicha, paragraph 27)

"I am against the proposedJewish state. It would be acalamity for the Jews, and in ashort time they will realize whata calamity it is."

(Igros Kodesh 947)

"I do not know the nature and goal of this organization[which I have been asked to join]. If its goal is to strengthenTorah and mitzvos, we already have our ways and methods,the smoothed path we have inherited from our holyteachers, in which we lived and which wewill give over to ourchildren. And if its goal is for the building of Eretz Yisroel,as its name indicates - we were once a great nation andkingdom, by the grace of the most high G-d, but because ofHis anger at our sins, after thousands of propheticwarnings, we were driven from our holy Land. Hashem ourG·d put us in exile, and promised us that at a time knownonly to Him He would redeem us. And it is clear that we willnot return to the Land by the power of our hands. G-d, Whoplaced us in exi Ie - it is He Who wi II redeem His holy people,and with His holy arm will He save us, and He will bring usback to Him and to our holy Land, not the organization of

Rabbi YosefYitzchokSchneersohn ofLubavitch

that the Jewish people may not leave exile on their own.This was the error of the Children of Ephraim: they leftEgypt before the proper ti me." (Meshech Chochmah, Vayechi)

(From an open letter entitled "Truth and Peace," written in 1929)

"After the sin of the spies,Moshe told the Jewish people,'Do not go up and do not fight.'But they went up anyhow, 'andthe ark of the bris of Hashemand Moshe did not move fromthe camp.' This is a prophecyabout our time: the Zionists goup to Eretz Yisroel with a strong hand to found colonies andfight with the gentiles. This is against the command ofHashem Yisborach, who warned against this way, and saidit would be bitter in the end. But the ark and Moshe - theTorah, the Torah leaders, and the loyal Jews - did not movefrom the camp to join the Zionists. 'And they beat them anddestroyed them until Chormah' - refers to the destructionand the killings we have seen in Jerusalem near the KoselHamaaravi (in 1929)." (Chaim Veshalom)

"What are the methods of theTorah? 'Hakadosh Baruch Humade the Jewish people swearthree oaths.. .' (Kesubos ll1a)One of the three oaths is: Jews

Rabbi ElchononWasserman

Rabbi ChaimElazar Shapiro ofMunkacz

RabbiYosefChaim Sonnenfeld"The Jews do not want to take inany way that which is not theirs.And they certainly do not want tocontest the rights of the otherinhabitants to the places held bythem which they regard withhonor and consider holy. And inparticular there is no foundationto the rumor that the Jews want to acquire the TempleMount. On the contrary, from the time that, because of oursins, we have been lacking the purity required by the Torah,it is forbidden for any Jew to set foot upon the grounds ofthe Temple Mount."

between Yaakov and Esav happens to us constantly withEsav's children. We must adopt the methods of thattzaddik, to make the three preparations that he made:prayer, a gift, and escape through war, that is, to flee tosafety. As long as we walked on that well-tread path,Hakadosh Baruch Hu saved us from their hands. But sincewe have strayed from the path and new leaders have arisenwho chose new methods, leaving behind our ancestors'weapons and adopting the methods of our enemies, wehave fared worse and worse, and great travails havebefallen us." (ChofetzChaimAI Hatorah, Devarim)

(Mishkenos Haro'im p. 269)

"Even if these men were loyal toHashem and His Torah, and evenif there were a chance that theywould achieve their goal, wemust not listen to them in thismatter, to make our redemptionwith our own power. Is it notforbidden even to force the end with excessive prayer (RashiKesu bos 111a)? All the more so that with power and world Iymethods, that is, to leave exile by force, we are notpermitted... And this is against our true hope, that Hashemwill bring us Moshiach Tzidkeinu soon and our redemptionwill come through Hashem Himself." (Ohr Layesharim, p. 57)

"The Jewish people havesuffered many plagues - theSadducees, Karaites,Hellenisers, Shabbesai Zvi,Haskalah, Reform and manyothers. But the strongest ofthem all is Zionism."

RabbiChaim Soloveitchik

Rabbi MeirSimcha ofDvinsk"Before he died, Yosef warnedthe Jewish people not to go up'as a wall' until a prophet sentby Hashem Yisborach comesand says, 'I have surely visitedyou (pakod pakadti).' And this isalso a lesson for all generations,

Rabbi ShalomBer SchneersohnofLubavitch