Unity and opposites in Israel’s settler movement: Rabbi Tzvi Yisrael Tau & Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh Tessa Dawn Satherley Submitted in total fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy August 2015 School of Historical and Philosophical Studies The University of Melbourne Produced on archival quality paper. 1 Abstract The thesis is motivated by the central question: can deep engagement with the nuances of contemporary settler religious discourse guide a more effective approach to negotiations with and about this group, especially regarding the future of “Judea and Samaria,” or “the occupied territories”? To address this, I investigate two key religious thinkers. The first is Rabbi Tzvi Yisrael Tau, a major religious Zionist intellectual and head of the leading mamlakhti1 yeshiva Har Ha-Mor, known for his calls for restraint in the face of anti-settlement policies. The second is Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh of Od Yosef Chai, often accused of inciting racism and encouraging aggressive protest tactics, and whose students have been at the vanguard of anti-Arab vigilante violence and the “price tag” campaign of recent years. This investigation reveals Tau’s predominantly monistic worldview, anchored in the “unity of opposites” paradigm at the heart of Avraham Kook’s teachings, and Ginsburgh’s relatively dualistic worldview, anchored in a dualistic interpretation of lurianic Kabbalah. These distinct symbolic worlds help explain the divergent political– historical interpretations, ethics, and political tactics among the rabbis’ adherents. Moreover, the analysis indicated which pro-negotiation arguments may be most persuasive among these different sectors—and which may be useless or disastrous. I show how Tau argues that settlements are a mere detail in Gush Emunim’s project, identifies Jewish unity as a supreme value, and calls for educational outreach in lieu of protests. The thesis contextualizes this stance in Tau’s monistic theosophy, his narrative of geulah (redemption) as a slow, natural process with temporary setbacks (with dialectic roles), and his kabbalistic understanding of Israel as a unified collective entity. Tau’s negative teachings on Palestinians, however, struggle to avoid dualism. I also analyze Tau’s innovative identification of consciousness as the medium through which Jews must advance redemption, which underpins his call for education campaigns. Ginsburgh is a point of contrast. I present a detailed history of public controversies around his Od Yosef Chai yeshiva, and then explore dimensions of his kabbalistic 1 “Statist.” Loosely: committed ideologically to the State of Israel’s sacred value. 2 worldview, in which evil is understood as an active force of impurity, expressed on the earthly plane through the Gentile nations vs. Jewish embodiment of the divine. This leads to his profound devaluation of Gentile life. Moreover, he argues that the expulsion of Gentiles and establishment of theocratic government by a Sanhedrin are prerequisites for the arrival of the messiah. Ginsburgh also presents elaborate kabbalistic justifications of impulsive revenge attacks against Gentiles to “defend” Jewish life and honor. This most likely lowers the self-restraint of his Hilltop Youth followers. This leads to the conclusion that Jewish security and unity are the most effective frames through which to encourage reluctant toleration of Israeli–Palestinian negotiations across these sectors. The value and authority of the democratic state may also be an effective frame within the mamlakhti sector, as might human rights discourse. By contrast, arguments focused on economic benefits, Israel’s acceptance in the international community, and the Palestinian right to self-determination lack traction. 3 Declaration This is to certify that i) the thesis comprises only my original work towards the PhD except where indicated in the Preface, ii) due acknowledgement has been made in the text to all other material used, iii) the thesis is fewer than 100,000 words in length, exclusive of tables, maps, bibliographies and appendices. Signed: 4 Preface Chapters 5 and 6 of the thesis are a slightly amended version of a monograph: Satherley, Tessa. “‘The Simple Jew’: The ‘Price Tag’ Phenomenon, Vigilantism, and Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh’s Political Kabbalah.” Melilah 10 (2013): 57–91. While no prior work is directly incorporated, the literature review in Chapter 1 was informed by research for undergraduate assignments completed at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2008–09. 5 Acknowledgments Warm thanks to Dr Dvir Abramovich and Dr Ziva Shavitksky, my supervisors at the University of Melbourne, for their whole-hearted support over the course of my candidature—and especially for helping me navigate the system with so little pain. Also, this project would never have been started without the accidental inspiration of Rabbi Dr Eliezer Shore at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. I thank Dr Shore for allowing me to write a lengthy political essay for a ‘short’ assignment on Jewish spirituality in his class, as it established my abiding interest in spirituality, theosophy, and politics in the settler movement. Dr Shore’s curiosity in my early work, incisive feedback, and reading recommendations have been immensely valuable. Thanks also go to Dr Alick Isaacs and Dr Avinoam Rosenak for fruitful discussions during my research visit to Israel in 2013–14, which helped inspire the final structure of the thesis focusing on the two intriguing thinkers chosen. Thanks are also due to my unofficial editorial team. Thanks to Dad, for reading the whole darn thing and helping me squash it into the word count—just like old times. Thanks to my dear friend Tammy Elashvili for many happy hours together in the photocopying room of the National Library; that tech assistant knows far too much family gossip. Thanks to Nadav Barton for putting his epic reference-formatting skills to use as self-appointed “king of bibliography-land.” I will honor the debt of cookies. And thanks to Angus McInnes for meticulous proof-reading assistance on several chapters; who’d have guessed coding skills would be so useful in Jewish Studies? My deepest thanks, however, go to the people who were there for me throughout my studies, especially the last year of my PhD candidature. Thanks to my generous mother, for looking out for me and for always being just a phone call away, literally any time of the day or night or it’s-so-early-I-don’t-even-know. I’ve been so grateful for the peace of mind you give. Thanks also to Dad and my sister, Dr Shannon Satherley, for their encouragement and inspiration. My gratitude and blessings also go to the dear friends who carried me—or danced with with me—through 2014. I thank the Barton family, for feeding my stomach and soul. I also thank my ever-supportive friends Nadav Barton, 6 Dr Cathy Sutton, Cassandra Avram, Shaanan Cohney, Tammy Elashvili, Toby Trachtman, Matt Adams, Daniel Thompson, Campbell Brice, Ron Hoenig, Evan Eames, the students of Graduate House, and all the 2014–15 GCALL cohort (especially the ‘GTA5!’). I also thank Angus McInnes, for teshuvah and for intensive encouragement, support, and a reliable supply of free dinners over the last and most stressful months of thesis preparation. You turned a balagan into a blessing. Thanks to Rabbi Alison Conyer, for being full of stubborn encouragement. Thanks to Medley Hall and Newman College for providing such wonderful havens for intellectual and personal growth over the years—and the best food to be had on campus. At Medley, special thanks to Uncle Pete and Aunty Josie Ng; you are family. And at Newman, special thanks to Justin Glyn, for interfaith dialogue or “then the rabbi said to the nun” jokes during meals. Lastly, I may never have discovered this interest were it not for the financial support of Rotary International, who enabled an undergraduate exchange year in Israel as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar in 2008–09. Further thanks to the adoptive family who welcomed me into their lives at that time (Ruth, Sara, Eliezer, Yoni, and Haim), and to the teaching and administrative staff of the Rothberg School, who helped me squeeze the last possible drop of learning and insight from the experience. 7 Table of Contents Front matter …………………………………..…………………………………………... 1 Title page .......................................................................................................................... 1 Abstract ............................................................................................................................. 2 Declaration ........................................................................................................................ 4 Preface .............................................................................................................................. 5 Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................ 6 Table of Contents.............................................................................................................. 8 Chapter 1 — Introduction ........................................................................................... 14 Genesis and goal of the research .................................................................................... 14 Framing the mitnachalim: Critical review of literature on the settlers ........................... 18 Negotiating across cultures and realities .......................................................................