The Foundation for Constitutional Democracy

The present inability of Western elites, especially in the United States and Israel, to clearly see and vividly feel the genocidal evil posed by Islamic imperialism endangers the survival of civilization.

The loss of the West’s ability to fearlessly confront this evil may be attributed to the triumph of secularism in the democratic world. Samuel Huntington, author of The Clash of Civilizations, and by no means a religionist, attributes the triumph of secularism to Christianity, hence to its separation of religion and state (or public law). The ruling passion of the West is for peace and commodious living. As in the 1930s, pacifism and hedonism have induced liberal democrats—politicians and intellectuals—to appease or trivialize totalitarianism.

Since the malaise of the West is indicative of the distortion of its Biblical roots by Christianity—the concepts of “religion” and “state” are foreign to the Torah—only a renaissance of Hebraic civilization can save what is left of Western civilization from Islamic imperialism. Such a renaissance obviously transcends political science and contemporary democracy, whose secular foundations were subtly laid down by Machiavelli, the father of modernity.

Of course, a renaissance of Hebraic civilization is not on the agenda of the so-called Jewish State of Israel, whose ruling elites, like Pharaoh, do not recognize God. Hence this godless State is in process of disintegration. But while the State, as a political entity, has been disintegrating, we are witnessing, in the Land of Israel, a rebirth of Torah learning, where men with advanced degrees from universities here and abroad are interfacing the Torah with philosophy and science. To this extent, Israel is beginning to be worthy of a remark of Aristotle’s student Theophrastus, who regarded the Jews as “a nation of philosophers”—yes, and of Nietzsche, who said it has been the task of the Jews “to bring people to reason.”

How to convey this teaching at the Passover Seder is quite a challenge. It’s a challenge that must be faced, however, because a very large percentage of youths in Israel do not believe the State of Israel will survive. But as I said some years ago, if Israel is to survive, the State of Israel must perish. This means that the political institutions of the State must perish, must be radically changed. And they will be with the help of God.

In the meantime, a new generation of youth is blossoming in Israel. The burgeoning population of Torah-oriented Jews will eventually replace Israel’s secular elites. The transition will not be easy—and of course there is that foreign evil. But when has it been easy for the Chosen People?

Be strong and be of good courage. And have a joyful and meaningful Passover.