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Given our place in the messianic process, integrating these values into Judaism is now permit Jews to ascend and pray there.
what is the mission of our generation? I not only possible, but also absolutely nec- Like King David, our generation must
believe our religious agenda must work on essary, for otherwise we cannot become a accept that the Beit HaMikdash can only
two levels: taking practical steps for today “light unto the nations”. be built in the forthcoming era of Mashiach
while also laying the groundwork for the For this reason, Religious Zionists should ben David. In the meantime, our prepara-
next and final phase. tion should focus on practically increasing
combine these universal values with Jewish COMMENTARY AT THE SITES WHERE THE TRAGEDIES OCCURRED...
One hundred years ago, Rav Kook called tradition – but without compromising the Jewish pilgrimage to the Temple Mount,
while simultaneously teaching our people
upon religious Jews to support secular national and Orthodox religious elements that the Temple cannot be only for inter- ACROSS ISRAEL AND AROUND THE WORLD
Zionism, Mashiach ben Yosef, for it was the of Religious Zionism. We must proceed nal Jewish needs, but must also serve as
Mashiach of that time. At the same time, carefully, adopting only what we can define a link between G-d and the nations of the
Rav Kook established Yeshivat Merkaz as “sparks of Divine Light”. world. Recognizing the universal signifi-
Harav to educate future leaders who cance of the Beit HaMikdash is a necessary
would prepare the next phase of the mes- Religious Zionists must begin to turn out- condition for its rebuilding. with an
wards, so that “teaching will go out from
sianic process. introduction by
Zion; and the word of the L-rd from Jeru- In our current phase of redemption, the
In our time, we must find the same bal- salem” (Yishayahu 2:3), to all the nations phase of King David, we must actively Rabbi Dr. Jacob
ance. As we strengthen the settlement of the world. By doing this, the ideals of work to bring the phase of King Shlomo, J. Schacter
movement and continue the religious Judaism will become universal values, the era of Mashiach ben David. By integrat-
revival in Israeli society, we must also and Israel and Jerusalem will become the ing universal values into Judaism, making
develop those aspects of Judaism that will global spiritual center. Judaism accessible to non-Jews and
become the foundation for the final phase An important contribution to this work increasing our awareness of the universal
of redemption, Mashiach ben David.
is made by cross-cultural enrichment, role of the Beit HaMikdash, we will play our
The main difference between Kings David interfaith dialogue (especially with part in bringing the final redemption –
and Shlomo was the character of their Christianity), and also by bnei Noach, “non- may it come speedily, in our days!
mission. David made Jerusalem the polit- Jews professing Judaism”. All these play  The full text of this essay, and other
ical and religious center of the nation, the important part in fulfilling the prophecy: writings by Dr. Polonsky, are available at
focal point of the nation of Israel. Shlomo as our people’s body is revived from “dry www.PinchasPolonsky.org/en/. Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rabbanit Shani Rabbi Hanoch Eve Harow Chief Rabbi Michael Shulie Mishkin
took the next step and made Jerusalem the bones” in modern Israel, and G-d is about Rimon Taragin Teller Beitar, Schudrich Midras
spiritual center of humanity’s connection to “make breath enter” the body (Yechez- Dr. Pinchas Polonsky is a Russian-Israeli Overlooking Sha'ar Ha'Ashpot Yad Vashem Shiloh Ghetto Uprising Memorial,
to the G-d of Judaism, so that “all the fam- kel 37:5), the breath will come “from the philosopher and educator. In the late 1970s and Har HaBayit Warsaw, Poland
ilies of the Earth will be blessed through four winds” (Yechezkel 37:9), that is, from early 1980s, he was a leading Torah teacher in
you” (Bereishit 12:3). To prepare for the around the world. the Moscow underground and was one of the
reign of Shlomo, to make the Divine spirit In the heyday of secular Zionism, as in founders of Machanaim, an organization that
accessible to the nations of the world, we assists Russian immigrants in Israel learn more
must add universal parameters to today’s the days of King Shaul, the Temple Mount about their Jewish heritage. The author of Bible
Dynamics: Contemporary Torah Commentary, Dr.
did not play a role in Israeli life. When the
national Religious Zionism.
Israeli army captured the Old City of Jeru- Polonsky’s research focuses on the Torah of Rabbi
In 1910, Rav Kook argued that while at salem in 1967, the Chief Rabbinate issued Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook.
the present moment the Jewish people a ban to prevent Jews from ascending the Thank you to Rabbi Ouri Cherki, Dr. Zvi Leshem,
were divided into three ideological camps Temple Mount. Recently, as in the days Ariel Margulis, Yair Sagi, Vassili Schedrin, Alex Rabbi Barnea Margalit Rabbi Yonason Esti Herskowitz Rabbi Dovid Franny Waisman
– those who focused on G-d (religious), of David, we have witnessed an increas- Shlyankevich, Nechama Simanovich, Elena Levi Selavan Frydman Golomb Southern Wall Roberts Derech Avot
nationhood (Zionist), and humanity ing interest among Israeli society in the Smirnova, Itzhak Streshinsky, and Svetlana Burnt House Umm el-Umdan Clifford's Tower, Excavations Brandenburg Gate,
(universalist) – the Judaism of the future Temple Mount. Many rabbinic authorities Rousakovski for their help with this essay. York, UK Berlin, Germany
would be a synthesis of all three: G-d, the
people of Israel, and humanity. MIZRACHI PRESENTS ONLINE READING OF MEGILLAT EICHA WATCH AT MIZRACHI.TV/KINOTONLOCATION

A century ago, many influential Orthodox read by leading rabbis in Israel and around the world
rabbis argued that national Zionist ideals MIZRACHI.TV/EICHA
contradicted the values of Judaism. Today,
however, these ideals harmoniously coex-
ist in Religious Zionism. Similarly, many FROM THE WISDOM OF RABBI SACKS ZT’’L
people today believe that universal values
such as science, technology, art, democ-
racy, human rights, ecology, the value THREE REFLECTIONS ON JEWISH UNITY
of development itself, and many others
are somehow foreign to Judaism. In fact,
AVAILABLE AT MIZRACHI.TV/RABBISACKSUNITY

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