It’s hard to find the right words this year to commemorate the Yahrtzeit of Rav Meir Kahane z’l. These days, those of us who know his way to be Tzadek, have been monopolized fighting-off gay displays and fighting for the Torah way in Eretz Yisrael against the elitists who control the mainstream, overwhelmingly, morally corrupt Israeli institutions.
The Rav consistently, uncompromisingly and doggedly pursued and articulated, by both the written and spoken word as well as by deed, love of fellow Jew, love of Torah and love of and possession of Eretz Yisrael.
It was not so much that the Rav had any unique ideas or ideology. But it was the Rav’s strength and power of articulation regarding Jewish defense, regarding Jews possessing Eretz Yisrael as their own, of the inseparable links between the Jew and his Land, history and Laws which distinguished him and forged a direction, an ideology.
And so we miss this strong, powerful and courageous leader at a time when Israel’s collective morality and mores seem to be crumbling before our eyes.
And so, while we miss Rav Kahane 17 years after his assassination, we know that his death will never destroy all that he stands for. His word is disseminated, as strong as ever, throughout Israel and throughout the Jewish world.
And so, Rav Kahane is not with us in a physical sense, but is eternally present by way of all that he stood for.
It is our job to make the Rav’s vision a reality.