The Pollard Syndrome
By HaRav Shmuel Eliyahu - Olam Katan [Parshat Vayishev 5768] - December 18,
2007

Translated to English by J4JP

Notwithstanding their appreciation of what Pollard did for the People of
Israel, there are those who still ask: why should we fight for the freedom
of one man? There are more important things to fight for. There is the fight
for the Land of Israel. There is the fight for Jerusalem. These are issues
where so very many lives depend on the outcome. Our resources are limited.
Why should we invest so much in the struggle for Pollard's freedom?

This question is similar to the question 'Why don't we leave a wounded
soldier behind on the field of battle?' There are times that the army pays a
very high price just to rescue one single soldier. Why struggle to uphold
this principle? The answer is simple. One does not abandon a friend. "V'ahavta
l'recha kmocha" (Love your neighbor as yourself.) Were you in his shoes, you
would expect him to help you. So help him! This would be true even for
someone who has contributed nothing to the People of Israel. In Pollard's
case, we are talking about someone who has sacrificed for every single one
of us. He sacrificed his freedom and his life for us. Because of his
selflessness on our behalf, he now sits in prison. The man put his life on
the line for the State of Israel, and the State abandoned him.

This is not just a question of moral values, but also a practical matter.
Giving up on the life of a single soldier demoralizes the entire battalion.
Giving up on the life of a single soldier destroys critical 'battlefield
solidarity' amongst all of the soldiers. It undermines the motivation to
fight. It destroys selflessness and personal heroism.

This is a principle our enemies never understood. Time and time again they
abandoned their soldiers in the field. Time and time again they lost every
battle against Israel, even though they far outnumbered us both in manpower
and weapons. We, on the other hand, understood that the main thing was not
fire power but strength of spirit, our morale. We called it 'reuth'
(comradeship). We adulated this value, composed songs in its honor. We knew
that because of it, we were victorious.

This value of 'reuth' (comradeship), we lost at Kever Yosef in Shchem. It
was there that the Government of Israel allowed one of our soldiers to bleed
to death to strengthen a new friendship with the treacherous Palestinian
Authority. Over the years, the Government of Israel has repeatedly abandoned
soldiers who fought for us, for the sake of good relations with the Arabs.
This is how the Government behaved towards the two soldiers who were
mob-lynched to death in Ramallah. This is how the Government now behaves
towards Pollard.

With the conviction born of these same abandonments, the Government also
gives guns and ammunition to the Palestinians, even though it knows that in
the past these weapons were used to kill Israeli soldiers and citizens. The
Government frees terrorists, knowing full well that ultimately they will
kill more Israelis. Where is the sense of comradeship towards those who will
be murdered? Where is solidarity towards those who risk their lives for us?
Where is friendship towards the families of the murder victims?

The Government of Israel is deliberately abandoning Jonathan. Top Israeli
officials use winks and nods to signal to the American Administration that
any talk of freeing Pollard is simply "lip service" for domestic
consumption. Our relationship with you is more important to us than Pollard.

Consequently, the Americans hold us in contempt. Our sages taught: False
friends are despised by those who buy their services. One who sells his
values, also sells his honor. The villain himself is the first one to turn
on others. The first ones to turn on Israel after Kever Yosef were the
Palestinians. The Americans are no different.

Whoever holds the honor of Israel dear must fight for the release of
Jonathan Pollard. This struggle restores the honor of Israel to its rightful
place. Whoever is aware of the Halachic value of "the honor of Israel"
understands that it is synonymous with "Kiddush HaShem" (the sanctification
of G-d's name).

Blessed be all who are fighting for the life and freedom of Jonathan
Pollard. They are fighting for Israel's honor. They are fighting the honor
of G-d Almighty. The Blessed G-d of Israel will reward their efforts. May
they merit to see their deeds bear fruit. May the Lover of Israel who
sacrificed himself for her, merit to have fulfilled for him the verse " from
prison he went out.." just like Yosef HaTzadik. Amain ken yihi ratzon!
(Amen, may it indeed be thus!)
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The author, HaRav Shmuel Eliyahu, is the Chief Rabbi of Tzfat. He is the son
of the former Chief Rabbi of Israel and Rishon LeTzion, HaRav Mordechai
Eliyahu, shlita.