The shortest way
Sir: I have greatly enjoyed F. R. Mackenzie's prizewinning essay (July 17) although for one whose language is Hebrew it has two serious faults: It is all true and it is not satire but reality as it is.
Therefore, since the hysterical outburst could well be predicted, I had decided to wait, and then to help Mr Mackenzie's case just by translating some obvinus and common Hebrew publications. I am sure no comment will be heeded.
(1) From a preface to a textbook
of Jewish philosophy as taught in Israeli schools now, with full approval of the Ministry of Education: " The Jewish nation is the chosen nation by its race, its education and the climate of the land where it had developed. The race of the Jewish people is the best of all races, because it was formed by choosing the best in each generation. Adam, created by God himself, was completely perfect. Adam had many sons and the best of them was Seth. He was chosen to continue the race of Adam till the formation of the Jewish nation. Seth had many sons and the best of them was Enos" (and so on and so on, see Genesis v — IA.), "Noah had three sons, the best of them was Shem, the best of Shem's sons was Arphaxad and so on. Abraham had two sons, Isaac and Ishmael and Isaac was chosen. The sons of Isaac were Jacob and Esau, and Jacob who was good, was chosen to continue the race, and the sons of Jacob were all of them good and there was no need of further choosing. So the Jewish people was developed from the chosen in each generation. . . . The education of the Jewish people was the best education possible. Jewish people were educated by the prophets and the reason demands that people who had such educators are much better than other peoples. . . . The climate of the Land of Israel is moderate, and this climate has influenced the Jewish soul to make it harmonious" . . . (Of course it will be blasphemous to add that the climate of Palestine resembles the climate of Sicily — LA.). "Therefore the reason demands that the Jewish nation is the best of all nations." By Dr A. 'Zafroni, the preface to Hakuzari for schools, Israel, 1969, with the full approval of the Ministry of Education.
(2) From a declaration of Rabbi
M. M. Shneurson, known as the Rabbi of Zubavitch, head of the Chabael movement and close friend of the President of Israel, Mr. , Shazar and numerous ministers, generals, etc: "It was essential to use the opportnity for the conquest of the Land and its settlement at the end of the war. It was necessary to make it so that the Arabs should leave the territories of their own will, or that they leave from terror... . Another missed opportunity was lost when Russia entered into Czechoslovakia. Then it was necessary to conquer further Arab areas, which will be needed for security of the State. . . . The Rabbi called to await further opportunity to mend those mistakes. Such an opportunity can come, thinks the Rabbi, if the Soviet Union entangles itself with a war with China or another state. . . . " (Yediot Aharonot, July 16, 1971).
The same Rabbi and his movement propagate a charming theory about 'the difference between Jews and Gentiles." " Jews have two souls, one of them divine, while Gentiles have a single Satantic soul." Therefore "the difference between Jews and Gentiles is like the difference between two different species." "Even the embryos are completely different." The Rabbi grants that the bodies of Jews and Gentiles appear to be similar, "but they only appear to be so; in reality there is a difference, until they are really two different species " (Tikutei Sihot, Young Chabael Movement, Volume II, P 297, Israel, 1965).
(3) Rabbi Yehuda Oershuni, writing in Or-Hamizrach (Light of the East), a periodical issued by the Jewish Agency (January 1971, PP 104-106), concludes that Arabs are Amalekites (see Exodus XVII 1416, and I Samuel XV 3) and have to be exterminated in a holy war: "In the generation of Moses the war on the Amalekites was declared, or in King Saul's by the (prophet) Samuel, and the war did not cease ever, therefore there is no need for further declaration . . . and if one Jew shall meet one Amalekite, he is under a holy obligation to put out his rememberance " (that is, to kill him — LA.) 'as an obligation of holy war which still continues and never ceased from the generation of Moses till the generation of Messiah . . . and, by this rule, the war which continues in Our Holy Land with Arabic enemies is exactly like war with Amalek and it does not need a special declaration, for the war continues from Moses' time."
(4) As to proposals of bombing the Assan Dam and drowning some twenty or thirty million Arabs (excuse me — Amalekites) they are too numerous for all to be quoted. One shall suffice. The strategical commentator of the most important Hebrew paper (Ha'aretz, February 2, 1971), Mr B. Amidrov, describes what can happen to Egypt in these words: "A serious damage to the Dam, and uncontrolled and sudden emptying of the lake, means a flood which shall cover Egypt up to the sea. If we shall remember that the populated land of Egypt is situated wholly in the Nile valley, where the flood shall pass, we can imagine its consequences . . . Egypt shall not continue to exist if by one or another ways the Nile shall be made ' unu
sable ' . . . In the near future making the dam to cease acting, shall cause either destruction or paralysis of Egypt, depending on the cause which shall operate.,.."
I think this is enough, and I recommend to the detractors of Mr Mackenzie, especially to my fellow-Jews among them, to worry about my quotations and not Mr Mackenzie's rather innocent attempt to be satirical.
Israel Amos Jerusalem, Israel
Previous page
