It's quite amusing to listen to politicians and see how the arguments and reasoning are like material in the hands of the creator. It's a special art to make one claim today and the opposite tomorrow, when the map of interests changes.
It is quite clear that logical reasoning actually serves hidden motives. Therefore, there is no point in arguing with the overt arguments, because as soon as one argument is shattered, a new one will immediately emerge. And even if all the arguments crumble, the arguers will still cling to their position, because that same internal motive will not allow them to move from their place.
The awl came out of the bag.
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Nineteen years ago, the sword was raised that led to the destruction of the Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip and the expulsion of thousands of their residents. Many good people stood and cried out - what is the purpose of this crazy act? What benefit will it bring us, besides granting victory to Israel's enemies?
They warned that the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip would allow for the influx of huge quantities of missiles and weapons. They warned that instead of mortar fire on the settlements of Gush Katif, the entire southern region would become a missile barrage.
But there were those who closed their ears to hear. They galloped brutally towards destruction and expulsion, with the predatory support of the media.
And you asked yourself: Did it hide from them?! And don't people understand that a terrible disaster is about to befall us?!
Days passed and the awl was out of the bag. Suddenly, senior figures in the political and media arena began to admit that the main goal was not to promote peace or improve security. The main goal was to break the spirit of the settlers.
The hatred for the heroes of the war, the settlers of the Land of Israel, was so great that anything was permissible to beat them.
It turned out in retrospect that the entire debate was pointless, because security considerations and the attempt to assess what would actually happen did not really interest the supporters of expulsion and destruction. They disregarded the warnings, ridiculed the serious arguments, mocked the suffering settlers. They wanted destruction. Period.
Cultivating love of country
In this week's parsha, we also see arguments, reasoning, and internal motivation. The spies who returned from the Land of Israel described the strength of the inhabitants of Canaan, and warned that conquering the land would entail heavy losses. Ostensibly, this was a legitimate position, stemming from the reality that had been revealed to them.
But Joshua and Caleb saw the same reality, and their conclusion was the opposite: "We will go up and possess it, for it is devoured by devouring." The spies said: "It is a land devouring its inhabitants," while Joshua and Caleb said: "The land is very, very good.".
The Book of Psalms reveals the hidden motive behind the spies' arguments: "And they abhorred the pleasant land." Deep down, they abhorred the Land of Israel. They did not want to enter the land. They did not believe in the Creator's promise to give the land to the people of Israel. This was the real motive, and everything else was nothing but a smokescreen.
What we see today is the same conflict between lovers of the land and the Moasiah. There are those for whom the lands of the Bible inspire awe and excitement, and there are those for whom this connection causes repulsion and rejection.
This is the heart of the matter, and therefore the focus should be on cultivating love for the land, emphasizing its sanctity and deepening the emotional connection to it, as an eternal inheritance for an eternal people.
