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Rav Kook’s Teachings

Rabbi Chanan Morrison

The City

of One Gate

abbi Moshe Zvi Neria, a But Jerusalem was given to the entire dynasty of King David was Jerusalem
student of Rav Kook and noted Jewish people. As the Talmud (Yoma delivered.
Rauthor and educator, posed the 12a) says, the city was not appor-
following question shortly after the tioned to any particular tribe. For this The medieval biblical commenta-
Old City of Jerusalem was liberated in reason, it was only in 1967, when we tor, Rabbi David Kimchi, noted that
1967: approached the Old City united, with the text supports this idea. Imme-
one army – and entering through diately following David’s coronation
Why is it that only now we merited one gate – that we merited regaining in Hebron by the elders of Israel, it
conquering the Old City? Why did the city. The IDF, an army represent- emphasizes:
our efforts during the 1948 War of ing the national unity government of
Independence fail? Israel, and the Jewish people all over “Then David and all of Israel went to

The Psalmist describes Jerusalem as a the world, entered via Jerusalem’s Jerusalem” (I Chronicles 11:4).
“city that was joined together” (122:3). Lions Gate and liberated the city. A Pragmatic Reason
What is this ‘joining’ quality of Jeru-
salem? The Jerusalem Talmud (Baba In a footnote, Rabbi Neria added
Kama 7:7) explains that Jerusalem a second, political explanation for
“joins each Jew to the other.” Jerusalem delaying the liberation of the Old
is meant to be a focal point of unity City until 1967. According to the UN
and cohesion for the Jewish people. Partition Plan, Jerusalem was meant
to be an international city under UN
The Sages in Zevachim 114b used
a peculiar phrase when teaching control. Had Jerusalem been captured
that the Pesach offering may only in 1948, the newly formed state would
be brought in the city of Jerusa- have been forced to bow to pressure
lem. For this offering, the Talmud from the UN. (During the 19 years
explains, it is necessary that “all of that the Old City was under Jordanian
Israel enter through one gate.” This occupation, for some reason no such
unusual expression of unity – ‘enter- pressure was placed on Jordan.)
ing through one gate’ – rings with an By 1967, the situation had changed
amazing prophetic resonance. significantly. The State of Israel was

During the 1948 War of Indepen- much stronger and less susceptible to
dence, the Palmach forces broke Interestingly, we find a similar idea international pressure. The UN was
through Zion Gate, while the Etzel when the Jewish people first con- a weaker institution, and it was diffi-
forces were ready to break through quered Jerusalem. Jerusalem – our cult to suddenly initiate a diplomatic
Damascus Gate. At that point in time, holiest city, the eternal home for the effort for the internationalization of
we were divided and disunited. Had Holy Temple – was not conquered Jerusalem after the issue had lain dor-
we succeeded then in conquering during Yehoshua’s conquest of Eretz mant for 19 years.
the city, there would have been argu- Yisrael. Nor was it secured during the Adapted from Moadei HaReiyah, pp. 480-482.
ments about who had captured the time of the Judges, a period lasting
city and whom she belongs to. Jeru- 400 years. Nor did King Shaul cap-
salem would have become a cause for ture it. Only when the Jewish people Rabbi Chanan Morrison is the author of
conflict and dissension. were united under the permanent several books on Rav Kook's writings

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