Jewish Morality

The other day, while riding a bus in Jerusalem, the bus driver, after picking up all the passengers at the particular stop, announced to all of the passengers on the bus that he was not going to continue driving the bus until a seat was found for a pregnant woman who had just boarded.

Of course, in no time at all, a seat was found for the woman. I looked around, and I couldn't help but notice how nearly everyone was smiling and nodding their heads, signaling their approval of that the bus driver had done.

This driver, with a true Jewish heart, was able to speak up at an injustice that he perceived and took swift action to remedy the situation.

This was in stark contrast to a news story from this past week.

Recently, I came across an article with the following headline: Israel Will Use Airstrikes To Defend Disengagement .

This headline caused me to take a double-take... and I was even more bewildered after reading the article, which stated:

"On Wednesday a senior Sharon security aide repeated a warning given to Abbas the day before that if his security forces fail to curb terror attacks during the mass evacuation of settlers from Gaza this summer, Israel may launch air strikes in Palestinian territory, even at the cost of innocent Palestinian lives.

"If pinpoint response proves insufficient, we may have to use weaponry that causes major collateral damage, including helicopters and planes, with mounting danger to surrounding people," said Brigadier-General Eival Giladi, while briefing journalists on Wednesday".

Can someone explain to me why during Operation Defensive Shield, Israel sent 13 of its very best, soldiers in the IDF, the army of the Jewish People, to premature deaths, when in sending them into Jenin, AKA Suicide City, the government and army decided to send in ground forces, as opposed to using heavy weaponry, for fear of collateral damage?

The answer that was given was that the Jewish People hold themselves to a higher standard of morality...

Can someone tell me where the higher standard of morality is, when during this past week more Jews were murdered and wounded in terror attacks simply because they committed the crime of being Jewish and living in Israel, and there is no response?

Can someone tell me where the higher standard of Jewish morality is, hundreds of thousands of rockets and mortars continue to rain down on Gush Katif and Sderot, and yet there is no response?

Why is it that only when it comes to the desire of Ariel Sharon to destroy Jewish communities in Israel and uproot thousands of Jews from their homes, that those very same terrorists who have so much Jewish blood on their hands are finally threatened with the use of "weaponry that causes major collateral damage"? Where is the morality?

The Talmud states that one who shows mercy to the cruel will ultimately shows cruelty to those who are deserving of mercy.

The Jewish People are deserving of leadership that reflect authentic Jewish values, and restore a sense of Jewish of Pride to the Jewish Nation and lead them in fulfilling their destiny - "Who is like Israel, one nation in the Land"