Jewish Justice

By Moshe Feiglin

 “You shall have one manner of law for the stranger and the citizen because I am G-d, your G-d.” (From this week’s Torah portion, Emor, Leviticus 24:22)

One manner of law and fear of Heaven are the only guarantees for personal liberties. Somewhere beneath the desolate sands of Gush Katif, between the twisted metal and chunks of cement that used to be flourishing settlements, the human rights that Israeli democracy granted its citizens have been laid to rest. In any type of regime in which “one manner of law under G-d” is the law of the land – even if it is not a democracy – the crime of Expulsion could not have been perpetrated. On the other hand, any democracy that does not meet these basic standards will necessarily metamorphose into a cynical, manipulative regime that serves a strong elite and enslaves all the rest.

The authentic Jewish state that we are striving to build must live up to the Torah directive of a justice system that judges everybody according to the same standards. With G-d’s help, that day will be soon!

Shabbat Shalom