Transcript [00:00] My point is that I'm not talking about [00:01] the the western way that we see nations. [00:03] What I'm saying is that as Jews, we're [00:05] one we're a people. [00:06] >> You know, this is this with all due [00:07] respect, this is your opinion, but it is [00:09] according to basics of Judaism. As far [00:11] as I'm concerned, as far as basic [00:12] Judaism, this is a new concept to you. [00:15] It's a new it's a new u um um um idea [00:19] you're presenting is the belief in God, [00:21] practice of Judaism, nothing else. See, [00:23] but but in in its essence, what Judaism [00:25] is is only one definition of Judaism. [00:28] Have you ever wondered why there are [00:31] Orthodox Jews who are anti-Zionists? I'm [00:34] not talking about people who just aren't [00:36] totally on board with the Zionism thing [00:37] or they're not so passionate about it. I [00:39] mean, these anti-Zionistic [00:41] Jews. You sometimes see them out in [00:44] public wearing Palestinian flags. [00:46] They're viewed by the vast majority of [00:48] the Jewish community as kind of wackos [00:50] and extremists who are who are kind of [00:53] enemies from within. Now, I personally [00:55] have never really explored why they [00:57] think the way they think. And I saw a [00:58] video recently of some Jewish Zionist in [01:03] Washington DC who confronted one of [01:04] these demonstrations of these of these [01:07] guys and he got into a conversation and [01:10] in it there were a few things that were [01:12] said by this anti-Zionistic [01:16] Jew that really gave a clue as to how [01:20] they see Judaism fundamentally [01:22] differently than all the rest of us. [01:25] Have a look at this. lacks to believe in [01:27] one of the basics of the Jewish belief [01:29] is no longer part of the Jewish people. [01:32] >> Okay. [01:33] >> Now, regardless of the of the [01:34] nationality, regardless of the nation, [01:37] regardless of [01:37] >> not the nationality in the western [01:39] sense, I'm saying the nationality in [01:40] terms of the identity that that we have [01:43] a shared history, a shared culture, a [01:45] shared value, shared system, that there [01:46] wasn't a religion. It's not just [01:48] something you get to choose or not. It's [01:49] who you are. It's your identity. It's [01:51] inside of you. It's an inside of you. [01:53] And I think that most people don't [01:54] understand it because they see us as a [01:56] religion. And other religions, you could [01:58] just choose how do you become a [01:59] Christian? You believe in Jesus, you're [02:00] a Christian. You believe in Muhammad, [02:01] you're a Muslim. But in Judaism, you [02:03] have to go through such a process to [02:04] become a Jew because you're adopting an [02:06] identity and a culture and taking on [02:07] mitzvah and responsibility. [02:09] >> No, I I I I get your point. I not [02:11] necessarily so quickly agree to exactly [02:14] the way you presenting it, but but all [02:16] what defines me Jewish in my opinion is [02:19] the practice of my religion regardless [02:21] of my nationality. I happen to be an [02:23] American Jew [02:24] >> on paper. [02:25] >> Okay. Exactly. Well, it's it's more than [02:28] just paper. I'm a loyal American [02:30] >> citizen. [02:31] >> But it would say that the Jews in [02:32] Germany were also German. But what they [02:34] really were deep inside is a Jew. [02:35] >> Exactly. No, but but my nationality I'm [02:39] putting it slightly different than you [02:40] are. [02:41] >> That's fine. [02:42] >> As far as nationality, I'm American. As [02:44] far as religion, I'm a Jew. All what [02:46] defines me Jewish is the practice of my [02:48] religion. regardless in which part of [02:49] the world I am. [02:50] >> If you see another Jew, right, I'm not [02:52] an American citizen. I was born in [02:54] France. So on piece of paper, I have a [02:55] French citizenship. But do you see me as [02:57] your fellow Jew? Like we're part, we [02:59] have the same culture, we have the same [03:00] identity, or do you feel more connected [03:02] to an American, which you've never met, [03:04] like maybe even believe in Jesus, [03:06] you would say that me and you have more [03:08] of a connection even does it matter with [03:09] our passport or not. So what I'm trying [03:11] to say is [03:11] >> no if if you're a religious Jew keeping [03:13] the shabas and [03:14] >> if I'm a religious Jew keeping the [03:15] mitzvah then certainly then we're we're [03:19] certainly [03:20] >> okay so my point is that I'm not talking [03:22] about the the western way that we see [03:23] nations what I'm saying is that as Jews [03:25] were one we're a people [03:26] >> you know this this with all due respect [03:28] this is your opinion but sure according [03:30] to basics of Judaism as far as I'm [03:32] concerned as far as basic Judaism this [03:34] is a new concept to you it's a new it's [03:36] a new u um um um idea you're presenting [03:40] is the belief in God, practice of [03:43] Judaism, nothing else. See, but but but [03:44] in in its essence, what Judaism is is [03:47] only one definition of Judaism. It's the [03:50] religion and the practice of the [03:51] religion. The Torah is the actual that [03:54] religion for specific people, right? Not [03:56] just for anyone because a religion [03:57] anybody can be Jewish. [03:58] >> Right. [03:59] >> Right. So, so it's there's [04:01] >> specific physical element to this. [04:03] Right. [04:04] >> So, but I'm saying that that's why where [04:07] does it make a great difference? What's [04:09] basically the point you want to get to? [04:10] >> Because if we're only a religion, then [04:11] we have no identity. We have no story. [04:13] We have no culture. We're just an [04:14] ideology that anyone can adopt. And [04:16] we're a bit more than that. And I think [04:18] why we're divided as why we're divided [04:20] as a people is because we don't unite on [04:21] the basis that we're a people. And if [04:23] you believe that and I believe too that [04:25] the Torah is is a word of Hashem and I [04:27] believe in my culture and my traditions [04:28] and all that. Okay. But if we believe [04:31] that, then we should be able to help our [04:33] fellow nation. And not just to say that [04:34] they're our enemies or that they're not [04:36] us. We have to help them. Okay. Okay. [04:38] Okay. Slowly, slowly, slowly. Yes. First [04:41] of all, what what what you said before [04:43] about about other people adopting the [04:44] Jewish religion. Well, we know we and [04:47] you agree that conversion is accepted in [04:49] Judaism. [04:50] >> It's accepted. It's not the same [04:51] conversion as Christianity or Islam. [04:53] It's not just I accept Jesus. I'm a [04:54] Christian. I accept Muhammad. I'm It's I [04:57] have to practice. I have to learn. I [04:59] have to grow. I have to understand who [05:00] these people are. [05:01] >> Because accepting Judaism is accepting [05:05] the religion. and is more than the [05:06] culture but it's also becoming part of a [05:08] people parting part of an [05:10] >> okay okay fine fine fine but but the [05:14] question is where exactly you want to [05:16] what what's basically the point you want [05:17] to boil down to [05:18] >> the point that I want to boil down is [05:19] that if if we're a nation [05:21] >> helping other Jewish people the fellow [05:24] >> if we're a nation then we're not only a [05:25] religion that for me Judaism is like a [05:27] suitcase that when we left out because [05:30] in history we're not called Jews we're [05:31] called right or right so we're called [05:33] Jews because we came out of a land at at [05:35] that time called Yehuda. And when we [05:37] left Yehuda, Islam is a man-made thing. [05:39] And we we left Yehuda and we created [05:41] Judah Isism. And within this suitcase, [05:43] we packed in our identity, our culture, [05:44] our mitzvot, our Torah, our history, our [05:46] language. And we passed it down to [05:48] >> I disagree, but okay, fine. I I know. [05:50] Yeah. [05:51] >> Okay. So, [05:52] >> in my opinion, there's no there's no [05:53] culture. [05:55] Jewish practice is not a culture. Jewish [05:57] practice is a religion. [05:58] >> The the pot is not a culture of our of [05:59] our people. It's it's like the way we [06:01] live. the bag that it fell in the the [06:04] the [06:05] >> as as a food that we eat as a part of [06:08] the [06:09] >> no wine happen to be way more than a [06:11] culture. All of this is a is a way of [06:16] expressing our religion. Again getting [06:17] down to the religion there's there's no [06:20] additional [06:22] >> elements but the concept of religion is [06:24] solely based on a belief system or a [06:26] deity and you told me that you can still [06:28] be a Jew if you don't believe in that. [06:29] So it's more than just that. It's [06:31] greater than just a religion. It's an [06:32] identity of the people with the [06:33] religion. It's intertwined. You can't [06:35] separate the two. It's immad [06:39] there's still a spark. You can do chua. [06:42] >> You can do chu but as as long as you [06:44] don't do chu [06:46] >> then you no longer consider the part of [06:48] his rule. This is what he I'm very sad [06:50] to say this. No. When when it happens to [06:52] be you have to love your fellow Jew. [06:56] There's many many many commandments [06:58] where where it mentions or or all these [07:01] kind of languages. The Rambam writes [07:03] that these people are no longer part of [07:05] Judaism. Sadly said I'm uncomfortable to [07:07] say this on camera, but I would say that [07:09] love your fellow Jew doesn't apply to [07:12] these people. It's it's I say this with [07:14] pain. I don't say this with joy. [07:16] >> But how do we change them? It's not [07:17] through love. It's not through showing [07:19] them who they are [07:20] >> or is it through hate? [07:22] >> Okay. [07:22] >> So Zionism was created by her, right? [07:24] But the ideology behind Zionism of the [07:26] will of the Jewish people amal to return [07:28] to Israel was not created with it's been [07:30] going on since we were kicked out. So [07:32] the only so [07:34] >> no this [07:36] was before [07:37] >> but the question is [07:39] >> there were also movements that there [07:40] were movements that actually sought to [07:42] achieve what Zionism achieved. The only [07:44] reason why Zionism is the only one known [07:45] is because Zionism is the only one that [07:46] succeeded. But there are many people [07:48] >> so many of these movements were sent [07:51] requests sent questions to leading [07:53] rabbis at the time whether they should [07:55] do it or not. And what was the response? [07:57] The manities was one of them and and [07:59] responding no we shouldn't do it [08:00] >> because the Jewish people were were like [08:02] an abused child and we're under this [08:04] ideology that we need to be oppressed by [08:06] the host countries that we were kicked [08:07] out on and we can't be self-determined [08:09] and strong as back on our home. [08:11] >> This is what our people believed in. [08:14] This is what authentic Judaism is. Now [08:16] if you are if you do [08:17] >> we have to undo the injustices that were [08:19] committed against our people. [08:20] >> If you we have to [08:22] >> we have to undo them. We we'll disagree [08:24] and we'll agree on as Jews always have [08:27] but uh okay a lot to unpack here but I [08:30] want to keep things a little bit simple. [08:32] You see this uh this Nur Carta is the [08:36] name of the sect. Thisidic sect that are [08:38] anti-ionist. You notice he was wearing a [08:40] Palestinian flag around his neck. They [08:41] believe that the state of Israel is this [08:43] evil thing because we're supposed to [08:44] remain in exile in perpetuity until God [08:47] miraculously comes and takes us out and [08:50] that secular Zionism is this evil thing. [08:53] But notice that he said there that [08:54] there's no other aspect to Jewish [08:56] identity other than the religion. And [09:00] the person talking to him and I don't [09:01] agree with every angle of argument that [09:04] the guy talking to him said. I don't [09:06] want to get too deeply into that. But [09:09] what was interesting uh about his uh [09:12] about his push back was he said he said [09:14] you know the the the ancient concept of [09:17] what a religion is what a nation is is [09:20] what is what is Judaism and this kid was [09:24] saying no no no no no this is a new idea [09:26] let me drill down on that a little bit [09:28] more see in the ancient world there was [09:31] no distinction between national identity [09:33] and what we call religious identity [09:35] faith identity in fact if you go back to [09:37] the ancient near east in pagan world, it [09:40] was certainly the case that every nation [09:42] had its God and you and you had a [09:43] national God and originally then the [09:47] nation of Israel, we had our God and our [09:49] God was the God of Israel. Our God [09:51] happened to also tell us that he's the [09:53] creator of heaven and earth and that [09:55] he's the God of all of humanity and [09:56] that's the ultimate goal is to spread [09:57] knowledge of him to the all the families [09:59] of the earth. But the idea that you're [10:01] part of a nation is also that you have a [10:04] certain a certain faith system. Now, in [10:06] the Torah itself, it says that as a [10:09] result of betraying [10:12] uh God and and violating the [10:15] commandments, we will eventually get [10:17] exiled, but that God's covenant will [10:20] remain with the people of Israel and [10:22] that he'll eventually bring us back, [10:23] which means that we retain our Jewish [10:26] identity regardless of whether or not [10:29] we're still fully adhering to the Jewish [10:32] faith. So this distinction [10:35] uh that this guy that this kid guy is [10:37] making saying no no no no no there's [10:40] only a religion there's no ethnic [10:42] identity there's no national identity my [10:44] nationality is that I'm American my [10:46] religion is that I'm Jewish and it's [10:47] only a religion it kind of makes a lot [10:50] of sense that they're anti-ionist [10:52] because the whole concept of of Zionism [10:54] is that the Jewish people are a people [10:59] faith and we and of course we're [11:01] supposed to adhere to that faith [11:03] But we but we are a people and a people [11:06] wants to return to its land. It wants to [11:08] reconstitute itself as itself as a [11:10] nation. And so here you see that it's [11:13] not just that these guys were opposed to [11:15] the secular nature of Zionism and [11:18] therefore it's the wrong thing to do. [11:20] They actually are opposed to the whole [11:22] concept that the Jewish people are a [11:24] nation that is rebuilding itself as a [11:27] nation in our homeland. He rejects it [11:29] completely because as far as this kidic [11:31] guy is concerned, as far as this Nur [11:33] Carta extremist sect is concerned, [11:36] Judaism is only a religion. And look at [11:39] what he said in there. He said that if [11:41] there's a Jew who's not observing the [11:43] commandments, then you know, he's not [11:45] really part of the Jewish people [11:46] anymore. Now, it's true that Jews who [11:48] have strayed away from the commandments [11:50] and strayed away from observance [11:51] throughout history have fallen away from [11:54] identification with the nation of [11:56] Israel, but there's really no basis for [11:58] saying that you're not part of the [12:00] nation of Israel if you are if you're [12:02] being sinful, if you're violating the [12:04] commandments. It's just so interesting [12:06] to get a uh you know to get a look into [12:08] the mind of how one of these guys thinks [12:11] and you realize that there is something [12:13] fundamentally different about how they [12:15] define [12:16] the Jewish identity that lies at the [12:19] heart of their opposition to Zionism. If [12:22] you're enjoying these videos, please [12:24] make sure to check out the um the [12:26] channel Israel 365. That's where I put [12:29] out a number of videos every week and we [12:31] really share very important information [12:33] about what's going on in the world.
