The Father of Nationalism
The Holiday of Freedom – Passover – is not merely the first national holiday of the People of Israel, rather it is the most influential event in the formation of our national consciousness. Leaving aside the spiritual aspect of the story (which is difficult to do), the Exodus from Egypt created the very definition of nationalism that still exists today.
One charismatic man (Moses) from an enslaved people who shared common values (the nation of God) rose up and led the people to rebel against their enslavement (Pharaoh) in order to return to their mythical homeland (Israel) – where only there they could actualize their cultural and spiritual lives.
This story encapsulates the very definition of nationalism – a people with shared historical memory and values who believe that there is only one place where they can fully express their culture and live as one people. Moses, who was the first person to embark on such a mission, is the archetype of nationalism.
Throughout history we have seen many cases of leaders rising up from slavery to lead a people, but none matching the level of Moses. Spartacus is a perfect example. He was a slave leader who led a large rebellion against the Roman Republic, but after accomplishing the amazing feat of freeing the people from enslavement, opted to fight against the Roman Empire to the bitter end rather than continuing on and establishing a homeland.
Spartacus failed because he had no vision of life. The underlying factor that drove his rebellion was war, and he therefore was unable to rid himself of it. Like Spartacus, many other national movements failed throughout history.
A national movement without a vision of life is destined for failure. A successful rebellion alone is not sufficient because it produces a cycle of endless violence.
From here it is easy to understand the secret of the Zionist movement’s success. Zionism succeeded because its fundamental principle is a vision of life. The physical redemption from the diaspora was, and remains, only a limited portion of the wider vision of Theodor Herzl, who envisioned the spiritual and cultural redemption of the Jewish People in the Land of Israel. It is for that reason that at the First Zionist Congress he stated, “Zionism is the return to Judaism even before the return to the land of the Jews.” Herzl, like Moses, strove for a revival. A life. A better future.
Today we see how only the idea of Jewish nationalism has survived the test of time. The idea of Arab nationalism has collapsed; the idea of an Islamic state has proven to be hell on earth; the idea of a cosmopolitan Europe is crumbling before our eyes.
At a time when much of the world is experiencing turmoil, it seems that the Zionist idea and the political apparatus that produced a “Jewish and democratic state” has proved itself to be an idea with a future. But in each and every generation they rise up against us to destroy us. Some embedded from within, and some acting from abroad. And God rescues us from their hands… But only if we are true to ourselves and believe in the justness of our cause will we merit to be free in our Promised Land.
Happy Holiday of Freedom!
Matan Peleg, Im Tirtzu
