Land(fils) the Hole

By: Jonathan Seidel

Refiguring Rosenzweig’s star: the land as the missing piece 

Rosenzweig’s star correlates to six themes in Judaism. The Star of David is a hexagram or a six pointed star. It is divided into two interlocked equilateral triangles. The Star of David has its mythic origins in Jewish lore from David to Solomon to Bar Kochba. Due to lacking archeological evidence the extent of its popularity is debated but it was central to Judaism and has re-empowered as the symbol of the state of Israel. Rosenzweig brilliantly hailed the star as a blueprint. Each point reflects a core tenant of Judaism. One triangle outlined the figures involved. God man and the world constitute the balance of reality. It is their relationship that completes. The second triangle is creation revelation and redemption. Rosenzweig chose the three most important events in Jewish history. They are epoch situated at the beginning, middle and end. They are the events matching the characters. Creation is akin to God, revelation is man and redemption is the world. It is a complete match. 

This articulation is imperfect. Five out of six points are genuine it is the focus on the world that is incorrect. His star should have been more phenomenological and traditionally manifested. The characters should be God, man and land. The land is the correct third point and completion of the triangle. Judaism is surrounded not by universalism but the place that Judaism resides. The land also accords with redemption. Redemption takes place in the land. It is the final location of the Jew. The land is central to Judaism. Beyond the spiritual prowess, there is a history and a heritage in this land. Jews sowed seeds in this land and returned even after exile. The misconception of Jewish presence in the land post-WWII is laughable. 

Jews have consistently remained in the land since the biblical conquest or longer. Jews immigrated through the years despite the dangerous journey. Communities rose and filled the air with religious observance. Jewish law stipulates a corpus of rules solely in the land. Shemitta and Yovel are specifically Israel only laws. Moreover, they are about the very earth itself. The land promised to jewish ancestry and sojourned for generations. Though the crazy part is constant return. Unlike other cultures, they returned to their roots, they formed an ancient nationalism conditioned by location. It was the focal point to return to. Jews have repeatedly trekked the dangerous journey through the years. It was not in desperate attempts to conquer the land as the crusaders did but to live in the land because Jews belong in the land. The Jew is tied at the hip to the land. Classical sources indicate its importance and centrality to Judaism.

It is ironic that Rosenzweig denotes the world with redemption when the land is significantly more essential for the final beckoning at the end of days. The land is where the messiah arrives, it is where the Jews shall be and where the nations of the world will journey to hear the word of God. Redemption is truly possible in the land. Even the anti-zionist three-oath commits believe that redemption by God himself will miraculously transfer them to Israel. Israel is to be the beacon to preach. 

Rosenzweig’s zionism hilted on its almost non-existence. His anti-historical outlook that Jews are beyond history unravelled any attempt at a systemic connection between Jew and land. For Rosenzweig, exile was the primary motor of Jewish life. Reviving Jewish ritual and reading sacred texts took primacy. One could live a good German Jew. 

Shagar explains Rosenzweig’s basically alien zionism as longing for redemption. Yet, just not having to do with ever returning to the land. He explains the position as a yearning for something ever greater. The Jew is most effective when travelling abroad. He is a travelling knight on a mission for the land. Shagar uses this as perpetual dissatisfaction in the land. To feel in exile in the land in order to consistently improve. Returning to the land is not enough an additional spiritual layer is essential. This spirituality is provided by diaspora Jews who see the land with this immense wonder just see the zionistic prowess of yeshivah seminary students or the ‘tzahovness’ of lone soldiers (especially religious lone soldiers). Ironically despite Rosenzweig’s critique of idealism, it this idealism that he avows is essential to Jewish life.

There is an eternal link between the Jew and Israel. It also thoroughly completes the star like a love triangle. God gave Israel to the Jews. Classical sources note the marriage between man and the land. The Jews are privileged to be in the land lest they sin and exiled. The land is an opportunity and a hope to liberate and develop. Redemption is the solution to exile. The first redemption God brought the Israelites to the land and after the seventy years in Babylonian exile God redeemed in the form of Ezra and Nehemiah. After the second exile, redemption was personalised and autonomous. There was no miraculous sign. It was the individualistic dream to reach the land. Famously, Nahmanides journeyed successfully to Jerusalem in the twelfth  century and established a synagogue that is still in use today. The famed mystics of Safed in the sixteenth century spiritually enhanced the land. Around that time it was almost decided to restart semicha through Karo. The land was central to the cause, tied to this growth.

The third point to the star could be Torah following the talmudic verse that God Israel and Torah are one. The correlation would still stick by switching revelation to Torah and redemption to man. Though I find this view tenable as well, Torah is not part of the six points because its the middle. It is the link between every point. The Torah is the text that aligns all of Jewish history. God and Israel are linked by the Torah. The Jew and the land are linked by the Torah. The Torah teaches the story of creation, revelation is of the Torah, and the redemption is powered by Torah teachings. Rosenzweig was correct about a religious revival but excluding the land as the third piece to the puzzle omitted a cornerstone of Yiddishkeit.