Q:
You said that there is room for the function of Meir Kahane’s JDL as far as protecting Jews, standing up to antisemitic attacks, if they would follow the instructions of the Torah sages. But I heard someone quoted the Pele Yoetz saying that if a Jew is attacked by a goy, he shouldn’t defend himself even by legal ways, the courts, etcetera.
A:
I’ll explain that. The Pele Yoetz was written by a Sefardi, an Italian rabbi; an excellent sefer of advice. It was written under those circumstances. In Italy, 150 years ago, it was a very sage advice.
Let’s say if an Italian on the street, let’s say of Naples started up with a Jew, it was a part of wisdom to be humble, swallow down the insult and go home. Because what’ll happen? What’ll happen? You’ll never win. Even in the courts you couldn’t win then and all you could do is get lynched. And even if you’d win out, they’ll come back again someday and make a lot of trouble.
These things don’t apply today to us. Of courses, to some extent they do. The Gemara says הזהרו בגוי קטן – don’t start up with a little goy. Don’t start up with a little goy! Someday he’ll be a big one. Always be nice to little goyim. You hear that? Be nice to little goyim. Listen to me. Give nickels. Give them nickels.
I once gave a little nickel to a little goy.
He said, “I can’t believe it!” A Jew with a beard gave him a nickel.
Be nice to little goyim. Someday they might be mayors.
But it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t stand up for your rights. You can stand up for your rights. There are good ways of doing it, wise ways and even forceful ways. I say forceful with an accent on the word force, but it’s not to be administered by recklessness. You need sage counsel.
Our Sages used force too, but they knew how to do it. You have to do it in such a way to push the door, if the hinges are rusty, you push the door it opens up. But to give it a push in the wrong way, it might break the door. It makes a big difference.
Q:
So is the JDL good or not?
A:
Look, I once wrote a letter to Meir Kahane approving of some of his work. I knew him personally—he was a bochur in the yeshiva where I was mashgiach. I knew him personally and I wrote a letter to him about a certain phase of his work and I approved of it.
But as I said before he needs to listen to the chachomim. If the JDL would be guided by proper and sage counsel, it could be an important adjunct to American Jewish life.
Now, I’m not a sage but if I had been in charge of the Jewish Defense League, it would be a good league because I would go to the sages to ask. Only I don’t have the energy to organize; Kahane, he has the energy to organize it. But if he would take me in as his advisor, it would be something.
Q:
The door is open to you, Rabbi.
A:
That’s what you think. It’s open to me to come in and to pay dues and to help them do what they want. But a Jewish organization has to run by talmidei chachomim–not just to be names on the stationary.
Now, it doesn’t mean that nothing that they do is good, but when things are not under Sage guidance—not my guidance; guidance of the leaders of Israel—then it’s no good. Any young fellow who appoints himself as a leader is not fit to conduct the affairs of the Jewish people.
(December 1971)
