Bitter Waters: Kriyat Yam Suf & Post-Zionism

Having experiencing the open miracles at the Exodus from Egypt and the Splitting of the Sea:
"They came to Marah, but could not drink the waters of Marah because they were bitter..." (Ex. 15:23)

Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Kotzk (Yahrtzeit is this Shabbat) explained that the waters only tasted bitter because "they"- the Jews themselves- were bitter. As a result of their lack of faith in God, and the fact that they were still stuck in their slave ("Galus") mentality, the Jews themselves became filled with doubt, negativity and pessimism.

If Jews were able to make such a mistake then, it should come as no surprise to us now-- not sixty years since the Return of Jewish Sovereignty to Eretz Yisrael, and less than four decades since the Open Miracles and Divine Revelation of The Six Day War-- that so many of our People are filled with such sadness and negativity, pessimism, bitterness and confusion regarding The State of Israel.
As a tzibur- we have fallen out of touch with the basic fact that the Land of Israel is our physical and spiritual Home, and that our right to its entirety is existential and unalienable.

The bitter poison of Post-Zionism has blinded so many of our brethren: "they have eyes but do not see" the open miracles and blessings that Am Yisrael have merited in this generation.


At Marah, after complaining to Moshe and crying out to God, Hashem provided us with a tree that sweetened the bitter waters, so that the Jews could survive.

Let us learn a lesson from this week's Parsha, and the episode at Marah: The only way to sweeten the bitter attitude and perspective of Post Zionism is to strengthen our Jewish Identity through a return to our Roots; a Neo-Zionist Revolution built on the solid foundation of Biblical Imperative, Jewish history, and respect for Jewish tradition and symbols.

"Its ways are ways of Pleasantness and all its paths are Peace; It is a Tree of Life for all those who grasp onto it..." (Prov.3:17-18)

Many are already tuned in; worldwide, more Jews are studying Torah than ever before. But learning Torah is not enough! What is needed are new and creative ways to infuse Torah and authentic Jewish Values into the social, educational, political and cultural life of The Jewish State: David Hazony envisions developing "a new concept...of Jewish Humanities" for Israeli University students, whose curriculum would combine "the riches of Western civilization...with those of the Jewish tradition". A great idea, and one we can only hope will be actualized.

If only there were a way to start earlier, to save the next generation of Jews from bitterness and visual impairment...