Posted on 12/08/2002 4:27:36 PM PST by SJackson
The third Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, also known by his pen name, the Tzemach Tzedek, sent a letter to one of his emissaries on behalf of another, named Reb Chaim Yehoshua, who was languishing in a Russian jail. Through tireless efforts and at great personal risk, Reb Chaim Yehoshua had managed to rescue hundreds of boys from the fate of being inducted for prolonged service in Czar Nicholas´ army as Cantonists. The Czar´s purpose in recruiting the boys (literally boys) was to force them to accept baptism - by any means. Reb Chaim landed in prison due to the workings of an informant, and he was charged with sedition.
The letter was sent to another Chabad activist named Rabbi Zev Wolf, calling upon him to act on Reb Chaim Yehoshua´s behalf. Reb Chaim was being held in a military prison and faced severe punishment by a military court if convicted of the charges. Just one line from the very short letter contains very potent massages for us all. The Tzemach Tzedek wrote, "Watch over him closely," facing charges in military court, he was in great danger; "With all your heart and soul," Rabbi Zev Wolf usually conducted rescue efforts in a calculating manner with little emotion. In this instance, he was instructed to put emotion into the effort; "And bestow upon him kindness," as Reb Chaim had placed himself at risk and saved so many, there must be reciprocity for his deeds;(*) "Do this for me," As if he would be acting on behalf of the Rebbe - the Tzemach Tzedek - himself. This case was personal. Every case of releasing captives is special, but the case of Reb Chaim Yehoshua was of extra importance.
Such is the case with Jonathan Pollard.
I personally have acted on behalf of Jonathan Pollard, as have many of us. We have recited prayers, and have written letters, and attended synagogue functions on his behalf. Some of us have also protested at the steps of the Justice Department in Washington D.C., and on the streets of New York and other cities. But we must ask ourselves, as the years pass and Jonathan Pollard remains in jail, What have we done lately? And have we acted with sufficient fervency and dedication? Clearly, not enough has been done.
A reminder: We all still owe Jonathan Pollard. He refused to remain silent. And when he discovered the dangers to Israel, he took risks for over a period of four years in order to inform Israel of the emerging threats from Iraq. The consequences he is paying are for actions on our behalf. As Jonathan himself wrote in a letter back in 1987, "I´d rather be rotting in prison then sitting shiva for the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who could have died." We all owe him, big time.
If we do not speak up, who will? Why should a non-Jewish congressman speak up when so many Jewish representatives of heavily Jewish districts are silent? If their constituents were more vocal, they would be as well. Some action on the matter would also no doubt awaken more Knesset members to act. It is time to get moving again, to speak up, to redeem a special captive.
Even during the horrendous and panic ridden days of Nicholas I, efforts to pressure the authorities, succeeded in having Reb Chaim Yehoshua´s case moved from a military to a civilian court, where he received a far lighter sentence. We should be able to accomplish no less for Jonathan Pollard, our brother.
(*) The comments are from the compilation, Igrois Kodesh.
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Larry Domnitch is an author and educator who resides in Efrat.
Wow, that's a first.
I normally like your posts, but something really has you upset. What gives?
If people want to support Israel in principle, fine.
But if you want to come on here and gripe that we aren't "fair" to condemn to perpetual imprisonment a man who did as much damage to our nation's security as Jonathan Pollard; and further, if you want to smear anyone who dares to suggest that such condemnation is solely due to "anti-Semitism," yeah, I've got a big problem with it.
You wouldn't DARE have anyone come here and say that Hanson ought to be treated more leniently, because he's "Scandinavian," or whatever. It's just NAUSEATING to me.
Like I've said before: in international politics, there are no "friends" or "allies" -- just governments which may have one or more objectives which coincide with ours (and others which are opposed to our interests). In the real world today, information is valuable -- it can be sold or traded for things of value. From the data I've seen, I'm pretty sure Israel got Pollard to get certain items of information for the express purpose of being able to trade it to the enemies of the US, in exchange for things of value to Israel.
Nobody on this board can truthfully say I'm on the side of Israel's enemies. I would celebrate if Arafat were killed tomorrow. But I'm not on Israel's side either. I'm an American, and I'm exclusively on the side of the US.
Illbay, I think they should fry Pollard. In fact, I believe this issue should not be brought up again.
I also think the pro-Israeli crowd will get a kick out of your calling me a pro-Israeli shill. I have been strongly critical of posters that place Israeli interests above those of the US. BTW: I have never advocated the release of classified material
Well the last thing I'd want to see is a nauseated Illbay. It's bad enough when you're not throwing up on the screen.
But I'll agree with you (gack!), the continued attempts to make a special case out of Pollard are back-firing. For crying out loud, Pollard is an American who sold info to another country. What if one day there is an Hispanic American who decides to sells secrets to Mexico (which would really be funny) and an outcry is made by Mexicans to save his tail? IOW, you either have rules or you don't. Treason is treason no matter who did it. I love Israel, but I don't appreciate this Pollard nonsense.
We seem to agree on all of that, not sure why you started the post with No.
That seems reasonable.
US Constitution, Article III, Section 3
Section 3. Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort.Israel is not a enemy. There was no treason. Period.
I have no bone to pick with Israel as to what they do in their own backyard. That's their business. If they want to wipe out all the Palestinians, that's their business (and they'll have to deal with the aftermath).
But when people come here, on FREE REPUBLIC, and try to tell me that we ought to let a traitor go free or if we don't, it's because we "hate Jews," that's just about enough.
Actually, I can see this happening. In fact, looked at another way, it happens quite frequently.
In Texas, for example, we have had on more than one occasion, a Mexican national commit murder, and then we have to hear for years, before he is put to death, the whining and crying about "racism" etc.
Just wait till Resendez-Ramirez is about to be strapped to the gurney. That's all you're going to hear.
Tough.
1. The Soviet Union was most CERTAINLY an enemy. 2. That is where the information ended up. 3. It was sold to the Soviets by the Israelis. 4. Israel may not be an enemy, but she is NO FRIEND to the United States.
About the only thing we can expect to get from Israel is absentee ballots voting for hard-socialist Democrats from "dual citizenship" jerk-offs who shouldn't be allowed to vote in the first place.
That's why Pollard was tried, convicted and sentenced for espionage.
Despite all the efforts of the historical revisionists to make it so the Cold War was not a war.
Espionage is espionage, regardless. If others have received lesser sentences then that doesn't make their punishement right or Pollard's punishment wrong. Pollard can stay where he is.
In the Cold War, early middle and late, we ouselves relied on a simple rotten meaness to keep secrets, a method that just doesn't cut the mustard, secret keeping wise. It works short term and on many, many men -- few have that internal spark, flake or hard ore that allows them to break the bonds of threat and general cussedness. But a few do. And always will -- no death penalty, no drawing and quartering will stop them. That's the facts. History. Experience.
Doesn't really matter why they do it. What does matter is you can not stop it from happening.
The number of men a person can deeply trust to keep dread secrets, is a handful, at most a few more than a score. At most. General Washington knew that. He would never have relied on secret keeping of vital state secrets like we do now -- or have done for the past sixty years. It is both dishonorable and ineffective.
Look -- China has our best nuke designs and Pollard did NOT give them. China is still Red China -- unlike the Soviet Union, which fell apart -- even they supposedly had all that dread info via Spy Pollard and PM Shimar. Did Pollard do us a favor?
Yes, later in the Revolutionary War Washington hung a spy rather than trade him. Trades -- at least for Officers -- were common. But Washington knew the difference between war an peace. Even though fragile, and full of little conflicts a peace is still a peace. You trade. Officers, enlisted and spies.
Washington, himself, on a spy mission -- had been captured. Back just before the full outbreak of the French-and-Indian Wars. Some of his captors -- like many freepers would have evidently -- wanted to kill him. Cooler heads prevailed. Washington was given his parole -- he was set free.
We are at peace. Israel is our ally. Pollard should be deported to Israel.
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