"Eretz Yisrael is the Promised Land to the Jews but only on condition that we keep the Torah and its mitzvos." These were the words spoken this Monday in the Knesset plenum by MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni in a speech he made during the discussion on a vote of no-confidence presented by the Opposition regarding the political issue of the recent UN vote against Israeli settlements vis-a-vis the government's attitude to Sabbath observance and other religious matters.
"I wish to tell the Knesset that even when I heard the United Nation's decision, as well as when I hear all the other diplomatic decisions, I am concerned and anxious since it came at the very same time that the High Court decided to allow supermarkets to open on Shabbos. The government had no response to make about that case.
Rabbi Gafni
"It is written in the Torah, `If you walk with My statutes, I will bring peace in the land and you will retire [at night] without fear.' This reality in which the land was promised to us, the Jewish People, is only on condition that we keep the statutes of the Torah. Thus, all talk about whether the land belongs to us or not [is irrelevant] so long as no word is said about the subject of supermarkets being opened on Shabbos or other [related] religious matters since this undermines our very right to Eretz Yisrael, and the arguments against us why we give claim to the land assume a very strong and rigorous expression from the dialogue which we carry on with the nations of the world."
Rabbi Gafni went on to relate to the subject of open supermarkets on Shabbos and said, "What is the significance of the fact that supermarkets in Tel Aviv or in any other place in the country operate on Shabbos? It will cause a dichotomy of two types of people. Today as well, we, in the Finance Committee, discussed the great gap between the various strata of our society. The economically rich people will operate those shops from their own homes. They won't need to come to the supermarkets and work but will employ others to work on Shabbos. Those people will forfeit their family togetherness, their homes, their children, their social life - their everything. If they opt not to work on Shabbos, they will also forfeit their jobs and livelihood.
"I am concerned from the religious aspect. I am anxious from the aspect that the land no longer belongs us [and we no longer have claim to it]. And here stands up MK Smotritz and says that the land does belong to us. On what basis? What happened to, `If you walk in My statutes'? What is happening to the subject that in effect, they are coming to upend the State of Israel and transform it into a country without any smattering of Judaism?
"Shabbos is the very symbol and hallmark of Jews, of Jewry. And they come to breach this. And this passes without a word, yet they continue to argue about what is being discussed at the United Nations. This is unimportant, irrelevant. The actual question is if we have a legitimate franchise to be here!"
In summing up his words, he stressed, "I am disturbed, but not about what the U.N. decides. I am disturbed by the High Court decision. I am disturbed about what is taking place within the government, which lets pass the High Court's decision to open supermarkets on Shabbos, and is transforming Jews who work on Shabbos into slaves. That's what troubles me and not any other thing which is totally beside the point. What is important is `If you walk in My statutes, I will bring peace to the land and you will retire without fear and the sword will not pass through your land.' There will only be peace if there is Shabbos. If there is no Shabbos, there is struggle and strife and a terrible confrontation between Arabs and Jews, between Jews and Jews."
