Let us embark on a journey through the tunnel of time, some two thousand seven hundred years ago. The days are the days of the First Temple. Isaiah the prophet awakens the hearts of the people. Many of his prophecies describe the days of light of the coming redemption, but his prophecies also contain poignant morals.
In the Sabbath Haftarah, 'Chazon', we read most of the first chapter in its entirety. It ends with words of comfort, but its essence is a harsh rebuke. "The Lord spoke: I have brought up and raised children, and they have sinned against me.".
The prophet describes a people who have corrupted their ways, and he especially directs his criticism towards the leaders - the people's leaders and judges. He chastises the judges for taking bribes and perverting justice. They, who should have cared for the weak, do not care to do justice to orphans and widows.
Consider that you are living in those days. You hear the harsh words of rebuke. You understand that the leadership is infected and that the justice system has been corrupted. You believe the prophet that if there is no quick correction, the result will be bitter. What do you do? What can you do in the face of an entire system that has lost its way?
Stop completing
History proves that ultimately the power to fix things lies in the hands of the people. A party that holds positions of power and control will do everything to keep them in its hands. We know well how this mechanism works: one hand washes the other, one covers up the other, keep it for me and I'll keep it for you, as long as the power remains in our hands. These people will not mend their ways on their own initiative and will.
But when the public stops putting up with the corruption; when it begins to believe that it deserves a different leadership, honest, moral, and ethical; when it is willing to embark on a struggle against the top brass that has lost its way - a critical mass is created that brings about change.
Thus mighty kings were overthrown and revolutions took place that changed the face of countries. When the unrest among the people grows and intensifies, and when the public protest becomes firm and determined, one of two things happens: either the top leadership, which must be attentive to the people's feelings, is moved aside and replaced by more worthy leadership.
The things that have been published recently about the conduct of the legal systems - the police, the prison service, the prosecutor's office, the courts - are already causing an earthquake. Most of the public already understands that it is impossible to continue like this, and that a fundamental correction must take place.
Defenseless
We see the weak response to the rioters during the 'Guardian of the Walls' days. The fact that most of them were not arrested or brought to justice, and that even those who were brought to justice usually received a light and non-deterrent sentence.
We see the daily reality on the roads of Judea and Samaria, where stone throwers are almost never stopped. But when one time there was suspicion that Jewish youths were throwing stones at an Arab car – the entire system mobilized to capture them, sparing no means.
The widow and the elderly man in south Tel Aviv no longer expect the police to protect them from violent attackers. The farmer whose hard work is being wasted due to the theft of crops and herds of cattle and sheep has already given up on filing complaints with the police. Drivers on the southern roads look on in alarm at the criminal rampage on the roads.
Isn't it clear to us that this cannot continue? We must fix it!
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