Loyalties

Well, I guess it's time I posted a response to the "Dual Loyalties" debate between Isaac and Menachem. And by the way, when did you start going by Menachem? After you left YU, I suppose. (I hope I'm not embarrassing you by publicizing your time there).

Anyway, I'll address the topic at hand. I am actually very interested in this topic and was thinking about it just today. (I hadn't actually read your conversation until a moment ago). I came to a similar conclusion, apparently, to that of Dershowitz. However, I have to qualify that. It is true that I am loyal to both because of the way I perceive them both in being "right" (morally, not politically).

{WOW! That was a great play! (I'm watching the Suns-Mavs game 1. Stoudamire and Marion fast break in the first quarter - check for highlights on the internet).}

The difference between me and Dershowitz is that I am driven not by some Western, democratic ideal of what is "right" but by what Torah Judaism says is "right". I base my politics on that as well. And we can debate Separation Between Church and State another time - that's another one of my favorite topics. But I don't see anything wrong with allowing HaShem to guide my philosophy in life, which would, in turn, affect my political leanings.

I will never allow Eretz Yisrael to fall to anyone else's hands or be corrupted if there is anything I can do to prevent it. But as far as the State of Israel is concerned, I am loyal inasmuch as it is the conduit through which I am able to fulfill {Another WOW from the game - Stoudamire's block, leaping over Nash} what I believe is a Biblical duty to live in Eretz Yisrael (I also heard once, although I have not been able to find the source, that the RaMB"aN states somewhere that you can only fulfill Mitzvoth on the DeOraitha level if you are in Eretz Yisrael) and insasmuch as it is the home of millions of Jews.

But I am loyal to the United States because I know that it is the only nation in the world where I can comfortably wear a Kippah on the street late at night (I know a lot of people don't feel exactly the same way, but I do, and it's the only place that is true, except maybe Australia. Although I'm married to an Australian I have not yet been there, so I don't know for sure.) AND because it is "just" AND because it is my birthplace. If any of those were to cease to be true, my loyalty would likely falter.

But I don't foresee that happening, even in today's seemingly unstable political environment, because the system has proved that it can overcome political instability. It has managed to stabilize itself. People crave stability and normalcy. The environment after Bush was elected in 2000 stabilized because people kept on referring to the man as "President Bush" and it was a fact that could not be denied. And eventually, after a while, the opposition came to realize that the only way to get their way was to go back to working within the system. But I digress. My faith in the system was tested, but it proved itself to me really only this year, and I no longer fear the instability that was threatened.

So, to review, I am loyal to the U.S. and I intend to remain loyal, because I do not believe that any of the factors that make me loyal will cease to exist. I am loyal to the State of Israel and I intend to remain loyal as long as the factors that make me loyal remain true. I believe that the State of Israel's "right"ness or "faithful"ness is slightly less stable than America's. But I will always and ever remain unfailingly loyal to Eretz Yisrael and Kelal Yisrael.

I do not foresee my loyalties to any of the above coming into question or conflicting. If either the State of Israel or the United States of America were to suddenly be at war, that would mean that one of them has deviated from that which makes it worthy of my loyalty. But Eretz Yisrael and Kelal Yisrael cannot do that.

I hope that answered your questions without creating too many more.

Good night.