Rabbi Shach, Radical Anti-Zionist

Here is a ‘fun’ fact: Rabbi E.M.M. Shach would regularly discourage Jewish Aliyah to Israel (the opposite of the custom of his supposed teacher, the Chazon Ish).

For instance, Moshe Reichman once asked him whether he ought to come live in Eretz Yisrael. Rabbi Shach uttered this in response: Israel is veritably a “Makom Sakanah”, because of the Arab enemy. Israel is (supposedly) dependent for its very existence on the US government’s aid and military might. Nevertheless, those Jews already here need not (and therefore ought not) leave; since it is unclear they would be much safer anywhere else on the planet. (As we know, Rabbi Shach thought Jews worldwide, in accordance with their deeds, were way overdue for yet another Holocaust!) But to get up and come on over in the first place? No.

The falsity of his evil counsel is partially demonstrated in the hyperlinks above (he also ignores the very value of Eretz Yisrael, of course). Israel’s imaginary dependence on American aid was ridiculous propaganda even then. Moreover, his own soft-Satmarism is a major cause of any ‘Sakanah’.

(Updated 30.5.2017)