28 Nov PRINCIPLED OPPOSITION: THE BRISKER ROV’S REJECTION OF A NAZI-MUFTI ALLIANCE

The Mufti, Haj Amin
ימח שמו Husseini-al
וזכרו, was a
Palestinian Arab
nationalist and
Islamic leader who
collaborated with Nazi Germany during
World War II and vehemently opposed the
establishment of the Jewish state. He once
approached the Brisker Rov with a
partnership offer. Given the Brisker Rov’s
firm stance against the establishment of
the Jewish state, the Mufti sought to join
an alliance with him. The rabbi, looking at
him with contempt, dismissed the request,
deeming it utterly foolish. He clarified
that his fight against Zionism stemmed
from an entirely different motivation
compared to the Mufti’s. The Mufti
opposed Zionism out of hatred to the
Jewish people, while the rabbi opposed it
out of deep love for them, wanting to
guide them away from what he believed
was a misguided path. Therefore, he could
not align himself with a Nazi sympathizer
like the Mufti, given the stark differences
in their motivations.

A similar account is said to have occurred
with the “Tzaddik of Yerushalayim” the
great R’ Aryeh Levine, who was
approached by one of the leading generals
in charge of what was then the British
Mandate of Palestine, to join forces in
quelling partisan activities for the
establishment of a Jewish State. R’ Levine
dismissed his request stating that the
general opposed because of the Jew in the
partisans, whereas R’ Levine opposed
because of the Goi in them. Consequently,
they could not join forces due to their
conflicting objectives.
When Yaakov Avinu receives the news
that Esav is approaching with an army of
300 men, he prays to Hashem, asking for
protection from his brother, Esav. The Bet
Halevi raises a question about Yaakov’s
use of the phrase “my brother Esav”
instead of simply “my brother.” The
answer, says the Bet Halevi, lies in
Yaakov’s dual prayer. First, he seeks
deliverance from the malevolent Esav,
who poses a threat. Second, he prays for
protection from the distorted nature of his
brotherly love, recognizing that Esav’s

affection can be as detrimental, if not
more so, than his hostility.
Indeed, initially, Esav intends to harm
Yaakov, but his agenda shifts, and he
invites Yaakov to join him. Yaakov could
have been deceived by this apparent
change, leading to one of two potentially
unfavorable scenarios. In the first, he
might fall into a “Little Red Riding Hood”
scenario, where the initial display of love
and respect conceals a hidden threat, akin
to the wolf’s deceit in the famous tale.
The second, more perilous scenario,
involves Yaakov getting too close to
Esav’s way of life, risking the compromise
of his own righteousness by adopting
undesirable practices and beliefs.
Therefore, Yaakov declines Esav’s
invitation to join him. He offers excuses
cleverly crafted to conceal his true
intentions, ensuring that Esav remains
unaware of his underlying motives—all in
an effort to avoid any connection with
him.
Every Jew around the globe understands
the significance of standing with the
Jewish state in these crucial times and
condemning anti-Semitism on a global
scale. This commitment extends beyond
Israel being the homeland for the
majority of our nation; it’s also because
Israel serves as the frontline defense for
every Jew in the Diaspora. The struggle

of Israel mirrors the fight against anti-
Semitism that we encounter in Brooklyn,

London, Montreal, and everywhere
else—it’s a unified battle against hatred
toward the Jewish people. Still it appears
that there are some “Jewish” groups
who, perplexingly, find it acceptable to
align with their anti-Jewish Muslim
counterparts in oppressing the Jewish
people. Take for example the Neturei
Karta which is a small Jewish group that
opposes Zionism and the formation of
the State of Israel. They assert that the
true Israel can only be restored with the
advent of the Mashiah. Although the
Anti-Defamation League estimates that
fewer than 100 members of the
community engage in anti-Israel
activism, the images of Jewish people
standing hand in hand with individuals
promoting violence against Jews create
a profoundly negative image worldwide.
Another group, Jewish Voice for Peace,
which included around 500 protesters,
took over the base of the Statue of
Liberty in New York Harbor on Monday
, November 6th. This week, on Sunday,

November 26, they protested alongside
pro-Palestinian Muslims, blocking the
Manhattan Bridge while chanting against
Israel. Prominent figures, including artists
and activists, were among them,
advocating for a ceasefire in the Gaza
Strip. This implies, in other words,
acknowledging the presence of volatile
Muslim groups in Gaza that may pose a
threat again sooner or later.
The Bet Halevi elaborates on the
prophecy, based on Chazal’s teachings,
that whatever occurred to the patriarchs
would be duplicated to their descendants
מעשה אבות סימן לבנים, ראה בראשית רבה מח,ז)
interaction the Since .) ורמב״ן בראשית יב,ו
between Yaakov and Esav involved
conflict, the prophecy suggests that in the
future, Esav’s descendants will persecute
Yaakov’s children. This historical pattern
has manifested itself throughout time,
with Esav’s descendants initially
prosecuting the Jewish people and later
attempting to eliminate them by
pretending friendship and love, as seen in
our generation.
But today we witness a third technique,
not mastered by Esav, but attributed to
Ishmael. This technique involves
instigating internal strife among the
Jewish people, causing some to fight
against their own brothers.
Individuals within the Jewish community,
who engage in meetings with the
leadership of Iran, expressing respect for
their agenda of ethical cleansing of all
Jews in the Holy Land, and participating
in demonstrations alongside Hamas
sympathizers, may not fully comprehend
that these actions align with groups whose
ultimate goals include harming and even
killing them, along with other Jews.
We may also pray the prayer of Yaakov,
entreating Hashem to save us from the
wickedness of Esav and his deceptive
friendliness, as well as from Ishmael and
those captivated in his trap.