R. Velvel Soloveichik (1886-1959) of Y’rushalayim (the uncle of Rav J.B. Soloveichik from YU), was known as a staunch anti-Zionist and often showed his dislike even for religious-Zionists. If so, a student asked how he is exceptionally nice to R. Meir Bar-Ilan (Berlin) one of the leaders of religious-Zionism, to which R. Velvel answered: what can I do, he’s “mishpacha”! (a relative, he was a “half-uncle”, the son of the Netziv (from his second wife), who was R. Velvel’s grandfather)! When word of this reached Rav Kook, he answered: “for me, all of Am Yisrael is “mishpacha”! Whenever there’s friction between Jews, we must remember this is common between siblings, but a brother is always your brother!
One of the most iconic psukim of this week’s parsha is when Hashem likens Israel to His “children”, “בנים אתם לד’ אלקיכם”, “you are sons to Hashem your G-d” (Dvarim 14, 1). There is a famous machloket (Kiddushin 36a) on this, upon which we wish to suggest several important points:
“You are the sons to the Lord your G-d,” indicates that when you act like sons [=follow His commands] you are called sons, but when you do not, you are not called His sons. This is the statement of Rabbi Yehuda. [But] Rabbi Meir says: Either way [even if Israel doesn’t listen to G-d our Father] you are still called His sons, as it says: “They are foolish sons” (Yirmiyahu 4, 22). And also: “non-believing sons” (Devarim 32, 20). And also: “A seed of evildoers, sons who act corruptly” (Yishayahu 1, 4). And it states: “And instead of what was said: You are not My people, it shall be said to them: Sons of the living G-d” (Hoshea 2, 1).”
As opposed to the accepted rule that the halacha should be like R. Yehuda and not R. Meir (Psachim 46a), the Rashba (resp. I, 194) and poskim (Rama, YD 372, 2) agree that our case is different, and here, R. Meir is correct that every Jew is called a child of Hashem, even if he is not religious!
There are 3 explanations why this case is unique:
1. As opposed to most cases where the tanna brings one pasuk to prove his point, here R. Meir cites 4(!) different proofs.
2. R. Meir’s proofs here are very convincing, for each one states explicitly that even if we chalila, act foolish, have no faith, etc., the nevi’im consistantly stress we’re still His sons (“foolish sons”, “non-believing sons”, but still: sons).
3. We know that our relationship to G-d is also, as in Shir HaShirim, likened to that of two lovers. But the essential difference is that lovers can split or get divorced, for it’s a conditional relationship (see Avot 5, 16). On the other hand, the whole chiddush of the Father-child aspect is that it is unconditional. That’s the point that R. Yehuda is missing here. You can remove your child from his inheritance, but he is and always will be your son. He’s called up to the Torah and listed in the Ketuva with his father’s name, even if either or even both, don’t like it! Accordingly, it’s clear that R. Meir is correct in this case, because that’s the essence of our being called Hashem’s sons, as we see throughout history. Similarly halachically, a Jew can act like a gentile, but he is and always will be Jewish, unconditionally.
The Satmar rebbe asks: how could the State of Israel be G-dly and part of the redemption, if it’s not totally religious?! We answer him 3 times a day at the beginning of Shmoneh Esreh: “ומביא גואל לבני בניהם למען שמו באהבה”, “and He brings a redeemer to the sons of those fore-fathers, for His sake, out of love”. These are 3 separate but harmonizing answers to the Satmar rebbe, why G-d is redeeming us even if we don’t always listen to Him:
1. He promised our fore-fathers, and has “no choice”.
2. For His sake (it’s a bad reflection upon Him, a Chilul Hashem, if Israel is oppressed and our G-d doesn’t protect us)
3. Out of love (for again, we are “mishpacha” with G-d, and unconditionally His children).
[Ironically, even the Satmar (Al HaGe’ula v’Al HaTmura, p. 109) must resort to explaining that Zionists are Amalek, and not Jewish (!), for otherwise Hashem would “have to” love us anyway! Although I tend to believe he himself doesn’t really think we’re not Jewish, and would not allow a woman to marry someone else if she is already betrothed to a Zionist…]
We have seen time and again in Jewish history until today, that even when we are not always such good children, as opposed to Christian doctrine, G-d doesn’t “change His mind” and “un-choose” Am Yisrael. He’s perfect, doesn’t make mistakes and knew very well everything we will do.
If we are all His children, that means we are all brothers, “mishpacha”. Even when we bicker with each other, even if some do crazy things or even act like gentiles, just as Hashem always sees us as His children, so too we must see each other as brothers. Even more so, to be G-dly is to see each and every Jew exactly like HE does, not only as my brother, but as MY OWN child! Shabbat Shalom, Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)