Comments on: An Unacceptable Cease Fire Proposal

By: Menachem Petrushka

Menachem Petrushka — Mon, 14 Aug 2006 21:29:26 +0000

Dear Rabbi Menken

Let us do a simple cheshbon.

There are reportedly 8000 Hizbollah fighters. In the last month Israel claims to have killed about 550 Hizbollah while losing 150 Korbanot on the battlefield. At that rate she was going, Israel would have lost 2000 soldiers to wipe out Hizbollah. Israel mainly went to war to crush Hizbollah which had shelled its cities, killed its soldiers and took 2 prisoners and not for the first time either.

I think the U.S. did Israel a big toivah by getting its feet out of the fire.

I am not the one and maybe this is no the place, but one could argue that given the level of hester panim in this war, a cease fire was not a bad thing.

By: Bob Miller

Bob Miller — Mon, 14 Aug 2006 03:02:03 +0000

Religious Jews understand that our values are not put into action only in “religious” settings but in all aspects of life. When Jews or their organizations or arms of government act in ignorance of HaShem’s demands or in direct opposition to them, the long-term results are not pretty. We have in the sorry mess of this latest war a wakeup call that we thankfully can respond to appropriately even now. Business as usual is dead and gone.

By: Ori Pomerantz

Ori Pomerantz — Sun, 13 Aug 2006 21:36:14 +0000

Tzvee, about 40% of the combat soldiers and officers in the IDF are religious-zionist (Dati Leumi). Do you really think that what such a significant percent of the military believes has no bearing on what it does?

By: Moshe

Moshe — Sun, 13 Aug 2006 15:02:59 +0000

Tzvee,

You are free not to give Mr. Menken any attention.

That’s why you read his blog, right?

No one forced you to read it, so there is no reason to belittle him.

By: tzvee

tzvee — Sun, 13 Aug 2006 02:44:45 +0000

I am sure that the IDf does not think in terms of mitzvot. The notion that halakhic concepts or thinking has any relevance to the the military or diplomatic conditions of the middle east has no basis in reality. And unless Mr. Menken has some credentials in this area I have no reason to give any of my attention to his opinion, though he should feel free to express his frustraions in whatever format he chooses.