How Can Moshe Feiglin Help if Everyone is Insane?

Please read the following question sent by a supporter in Jerusalem and Shmuel Sackett's answer:

I just made Aliyah 3 months ago from NJ with my family. We are Chabad (on the modern side but very very much connected to the Rebbe)

Living in Jerusalem we’ve had our first air raid siren experience, our first up close and personal experience of soldiers we know going to the border and our first up close and personal experience of the cowardly anti-Torah government with the mentality of Chelm throwing us to the wolves who want to devour us. Also, our first experience of the insane passivity of the Israeli people, who seem to accept that loss of life and limb is just a normal part of being an Israeli.

I beg of you, I need to hear from somebody sane. I need answers to be able to stay here as right now I just want to flee. Why is nobody protesting? Why is there a ceasefire with a terrorist monster (incredible enough) that is still firing rockets at us while, I just heard, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said “It’s to be expected”?

It’s not just the government that’s insane. It’s the people. Even the believers. Even Chabad. What people in this world would put up with this without rioting in the streets, demanding that their government protect them and their families?

Please, please give me some perspective!! I admire Moshe Feiglin very much, and it is good to work through the system if you have time, but this is pikuach nefesh MAMASH.

I am begging for some insight or direction. I cannot function in this kind of insanity; not only in my personal life, but in my business and in my shlichus – is there any way to arouse people to insist that their elected officials actually attempt to protect their lives?

So hoping to hear back from you –

Shmuel's answer:

There are 2 reasons why this is happening:
1) The people have been brainwashed and are simply spitting back what they have heard and seen since the day they were born.
2) As the expression goes; You can take the Jew out of the galut but you cannot take the galut out of the Jew

Let me explain:

When Ben Gurion took the reins of leadership, he made sure to control a lot more than the Knesset. He controlled the schools, the courts and the media. He gave jobs ONLY to people who carried out his ideology and vision and this has continued to this very day. The people are good and have great motivation. The IDF soldiers wanted to go into Gaza and level the place! They were prepared to be "mosser nefesh" but the leadership knocked them down time and again. And then – very shortly, the air is taken out of the balloon. The motivation is gone and the people slip back into their deep slumber.

Why do Chabad shluchim work 20 hours a day? Because their leader – the Rebbe, of blessed memory – worked 24 hours a day. He never tired so neither do they! He pushed and demanded excellence and greatness so that is what they deliver!

Here, the opposite is true. The people are great but the leadership stinks so they wind up dragging the people down with them! They deflate the motivation and the will to succeed. This is EXACTLY what Moshe and I – and hopefully you – are working at changing. We must give our wonderful brothers and sisters guidance and direction. We need to set a personal example. We need to show them how far we are willing to go and I PROMISE YOU - they will follow!!! Look throughout our history – when we had great leaders, the people did great things. When we had horrible leaders, the people were sinners and were just as bad. Stay strong and help us build those leaders and you will be amazed at how high Am Yisrael will soar!!!

The second reason is that for 2,000 years the Jews have lived under foreign rule. They never took care of themselves – outside of the shtetle or little community. There simply was no concept of Nationalism. All they had was themselves, their families and their community (shul, yeshiva, mikva, Chevra Kadisha etc.) They did not have a concept of a nation. In short, someone ELSE was always taking care of them – on a national level – and after 2,000 years, it is hard to purge oneself from that mindset. Therefore, even though it is 5773 and we are in Jerusalem – and it's not 4773 in Poland or Spain – the Yidden still think the same way. The government will take care of us – just make sure the Mikva is clean and the Eruv is checked. This is also what must be changed. But please understand that 2,000 years of galut will not be easily deleted after just 60 years of nationhood.

My friend – there's lots of work to do! Do not be discouraged but get strength and become a long distance runner. This battle will NOT be won overnight and we need the endurance to last until the end - whenever Hashem decides that will be.

With Love of Israel,
Shmuel Sackett