Rabbi Meir Simcha
The following is a letter written by the great Rabbi Meir Simcha of Dvinsk, known as the Ohr Somayach:
May G-d cry out from from His holy habitation and give forth his voice for there have arisen NEW REBELS AND TRAITORS, thinking to establish a State... and have promised to deliver Israel from all its troubles in the Exile.
I cannot utter with my lips nor write down what is in my heart concerning these unstable people.... We should pay no attention to Herzl, because this Zionist vision is driving - G-d forbid - Israel to destruction.
It is our duty to preserve ourselves from being captured and mingled with the empty utterances of Herzl and Nordau and their cabal. I am astonished that the Mizrachi rabbis...will not unite with all those who have taken on themeselves the task of weakening the Zionist traitors. They actually uphold the Zionists and themselves will come to revile all those opposed ot this abominable Zionist movement, who teach that the only hope to Israel springs from the ZIONISTS WHO REJECT OUR HOLY TORAH.
Meir Simcha Hakohen
Rabbi Meir Simche, zt”l the Rabbi of Dvinsk, generally known by the title of his work, Oir Someach. He stated that words would not suffice to express his horror of the Zionist menace. Here are some extracts from the proclamation which he issued on the subject:
English Translation:
“The L-rd doth roar from on high and from His holy habitation gives forth His voice, for there have arisen new rebels and traitors, thinking to lay the foundation of Zion and to establish a kingdom; and they have raised the standard, to gather our Exile, in the promise that in the near future, they will put an end to all trouble and calamity and that they, the Zionists, will deliver Israel from all its troubles.
I cannot utter with my lips nor put down in writing that which is in my heart concerning these unstable men. We ask ourselves what have these unbelievers heard that they have come forth? Who called them and what do they want with us? They talk of redeeming us from exile while we do not desire redemption at the hands of man, seeing that we know that its end is—Heaven forbid—destruction and vanity, and all this comes upon them through the desire for greatness and power that burns and consumes their hearts like fire.
Heaven forbid that we should hasten the hour. Even were the foundation of a kingdom a basic commandment and even were we to hear a Voice from Heaven telling us that it is our duty to hearken to Dr. Herzl, then we should say that no attention is to be paid to a Voice from Heaven because this Zionist vision is driving--Heaven forbid--Israel to destruction.
It is our duty to preserve ourselves from being captured and mingled with the unstable utterances of Herzl and Nordau and with their conspiracy, and I am astonished that the Mizrachi rabbis, venture to dispute the words of our teachers and, instead of doing their duty, by uniting with all those who have taken upon themselves, the task of weakening the traitorous Zionists, they uphold them and will finally pursue and revile all those opposed to this abominable movement as if in truth—Heaven forbid—the only hope remaining to Israel springs from the Zionists who reject our Holy Torah.
King David cried out “I have seen renegades and I was grieved for they did not observe Thy word. Let dust seal their mouths for they are no better than the renegades who apostatized.”
SOURCE: "The Transformation" The Voice of Torah, pp 183-186
