Assad the former dictator of Syria was a member of the Alawite Muslim community. The Alawite community sided with Iran and before the time that Shiite fanatics took over Iran, the Alawites sided with other enemies of Israel.
The Alawite Muslims are also guilty of the spiritual crime of Avoda Zara. For an explanation of why they are considered guilty of foreign worship (Avoda Zara) see the article: When Is It Permitted to Bow to Men and When Is Bowing Considered Forbidden Intermediary Worship , According to Rabbeinu Nissim
The Alawites are currently the victims of revenge killings from the new Sunni Muslim regime that has taken over most parts of Syria. They have started to kill many Alawite Muslims.
See 2 Days of Clashes and Revenge Killings in Syria Leave More Than 1,000 People Dead for details.
Because of a number of commandments of the Torah, Israel has no moral requirements to save the Alawites.
However, Israel might wish to take advantage of the current situation by offering the Alawites a deal. Namely, they sell us parts of Syria and the money they get in the deal will be used to transfer and settle the Alawites to a very distant region, where they will not be threatened by Sunni Muslims.
Why Should We Be Interested in Acquiring Land in Syria?
Former Chief Rabbi of British Mandate Palestine, Rabbi Avraham Kook pointed out (Chazon HaGeula p. 222) that winning a War to Conquer the Land of Israel takes precedence even if it means endangering Jews for the sake of victory.
Even for the sake of an Optional War, the Torah recognizes there might be war casualties as part of the price of victory.
Dvarim/Deuteronomy 20:7 ‘Is there any man among you who has betrothed a woman and not married her? Let him go home, so that he not die in war and have another man marry her.’
See also the book of Shoftim/Judges 20:39 as a backup to this concept.
The principle that winning the war to conquer the land of Israel overrides the commandment of saving lives, also explains one of the motivations of my rabbis, to oppose the various “Land for Peace” deals including Trump’s “Deal of the Century” and it also explains why they rejected the Gilad Shalit prisoner swap. I am not saying this is the only reason, just one of the reasons.
My rabbis further added that when Rabbi Kook wrote Chazon Haguela, there was a realistic chance for gaining more land for the Jewish people in Israel by the purchase of land. Therefore, Rabbi Kook supported that activity. However, during that period of time Rabbi Kook did not believe, there was a realistic chance for a Jewish army to take the land of Israel by force. That is why he did not encourage the latter option in that period.
According to the Bible Damascus (currently in Syria) will be part of the land of Israel.
To quote from:
The Future Borders of the Tribes of Israel as Evidence for the Size of a Cubit
- Sifri at the start of Devarim and Shir Hashirim Rabba chapter 7 on the words “the face of Damascus” that Jerusalem in the future will reach as far as Damascus, for it is stated, “Damascus is his resting place”, and for the future it is also implied by Yechezkel 47:16 that Damascus will be part of northern Israel.
Kol Hator – A Book by a Disciple of the Vilna Gaon Talks About the Need to Strive to Expand Jerusalem All the Way To Damascus
Kol Hator – A Book by a Disciple of the Vilna Gaon Talks About the Need to Strive to Expand Jerusalem All the Way To DamascusAn online printed translation of Kol Hator into English can also be found at http://www.israel613.com/books/KOL_HATOR.pdf
This is the book which goes into depth about the concept of Mashiach Ben Yosef and practical natural steps to bring the redemption. For the sake of ease, I will use that translation rather than making my own.
I also stored a backup copy at this web site in case the link above becomes outdated; KOL_HATOR
Kol Hator 6:2 Building Jerusalem.
How will this be accomplished? To what extent are we obligated to act to accomplish this during the awakening from below?
Our Rabbis said that in the future Jerusalem will expand as far as Damascus. In the future Jerusalem will extend as far as the Great Sea (the Mediterranean). The procedure will be gradual. Our Sages maintained that the redemption of Israel will be like the first rays of the dawn: just as the dawn comes gradually, so will Israel’s settlement come gradually, and likewise with regard to building it, etc. The building will be accomplished even in poverty, as is written: “that God has established Zion and the poor of His people take shelter in it” (Isa. 14:32). The building will start from even one stone: “behold I am laying a foundation stone in Zion, a tried stone, ” because God wishes to put us through a severe trial, by building Zion from even a single stone, and this “will be a precious cornerstone, a secure foundation” [Isa. 28:16], etc.
Our work consists of fulfilling the commandment of expansion: “expand the site of your tent” [Isa. 54:2]. “The commandment of expansiveness” means ‘expand, do not restrain yourselves’. The verse teaches us that we must not stand still; we must not retreat, God forbid, when confronting any obstacle. Yet another verse, connected with the commandment of expansion, hints at the name of the Gaon; as known, for in gematria the verse: “expand, extend, strengthen” together equal [the name of the Gaon together with his father’s name]. In that same chapter it states [Isa. 54:7] “with abundant mercy I will gather you.” The term “I will gather you” is the great mission of the Gaon, as explained above in chapters 1 and 3. According to our Sages, the method used should be the equally measured gardens [Baba Batra 75b] mentioned in connection with the building and settlement of Jerusalem. Practically, there should be complete equality on the line of equality for all, as explained in the Tosafot concerning the building of Jerusalem. This approach is also included in the Gaon’s principle regarding the verse “a perfect and just stone, ” another verse in which the Gaon saw a hint to his own name. {end of quote}
Below is a picture of an ancient measuring stone found near the Kotel according to https://thekotel.org/en/15111/
Some of my readers might not be aware that stones were once used to measure weights so I included the picture.
