In the 1800’s, the Hebrew-reading intelligentsia dreamed of an elite Jewry composed of select groups of intellectual and idealistic Jews who would emigrate to Palestine to revive a national Jewish creativeness, a Jewish cultural renaissance. The ‘return to Zion,’ was to create a spiritual center in Palestine where the Jews could live dedicated lives, creating a renaissance of the three-thousand-year-old ethical and philosophical Judaism evolving from the prophetic ideals. Insisting that the Jews were not like any other political nation, they regarded the Jews as a unique sort of nation which formed a homogenous body apart from the other nations. Because of their common heritage of culture and philosophy, an affinity forged into bonds had tied them all through the ages of wanderings and common experiences. (Page 63; Kindle Locations 1100-1104).

Ahad Ha-’ Am (1856 – 1927), the pen name of Asher Ginzberg, towered over and above all the leaders of Jewry in his time. He has dedicated his spiritual life to the study of historic and spiritual Judaism (Page 62; Kindle Locations 1089-1092). He wanted the rebirth of the ‘Jewish heart.’ He hoped that the ‘return to Zion’ would rekindle the spiritual heritage and the ethical traditions of Judaism. (Page 63; Kindle Locations 1112-1113).) Spiritual Zionism pressed Jews, especially those who observed Judaism, to establish life-giving and life-changing colonies in the Land according to British colonial rule, taking full cognizance of the rights of the Arab [Palestinian] population.

“There is only one objective which we can approach, and that is the moral objective, our self-liberation from inner slavery. We must so strengthen our common labor in all the branches of our national life that we shall become prepared for a life of dignity and freedom. The prophetic ideals and teachings of absolute justice could now be better revived and could better thrive in a Jewish spiritual center in Palestine, which, in turn, would become a ‘Light to the Diaspora,’ and eventually enable the Jewish people to become a ‘Light to the nations.’ The salvation of Israel will come through prophets, not through diplomats!” (Page 63 Kindle Locations 1122-1127).

To Ahad Ha-’ Am, spiritual Zionism meant to live according to “the word of the Lord,” the teachings of the prophets. The prophets, according to the Bible, fought tooth and nail against the attempts of the old Hebrews “to be like the other nations of the world” and escape from the yoke of morality and humanity in order to live ‘normal lives’ (Page 67 Kindle Locations 1185-1189).

‘Spiritual Zionism’ became synonymous with classical, prophetic Judaism. But in an age of raging nationalism, Judaism now needed a central national terrain on which to nurse its wounds and revive its spirit. It is this approach to Palestine as a spiritual home for the Jewish people that distinguished Ahad Ha-’ Am from all of his colleagues. In his interpretation of the Balfour Declaration, he stressed that the historical right of the Jews in Palestine “does not affect the right of the other inhabitants who are entitled to invoke the right of actual dwelling and their work in the country for many generations. For them, too, the country is a national home, and they have a right to develop national forces to the extent of their ability (Page 64; Kindle Locations 1156-1162)

This situation makes Palestine the common land of several peoples, each of whom wishes to build its national home there. In such circumstances, it is no longer possible that the national home of one of them could be total … If you build your house not in an empty space but in a place where there are also other houses and inhabitants, you are an unrestricted master only inside your own house. Outside the door all the inhabitants are partners, and the management of the whole has to be directed in agreement with the interests of them all.”

Ethical continuity of Judaism fell into a coma ever since Jewishness went awry and degenerated into ‘Jewish’ [Israeli eds.] political ultra-nationalism [a heathen form of Zionism eds.].” Reluctance and rejection of “the word of the Lord” started with the dance around the golden calf. It is still going on (Page 62; Kindle Locations 1079-1081).

 ‘Christian Zionism … Enraptured Around a Golden Calf (1st Edition)

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