This post earned so much attention, that I thought it most apt to respond in a new post.
I am always honored to have Rav Yosef Blau comment on this blog. I agree with his overall sentiments. The ongoing significance of the Rav's Zionist statements and teachings (Kol Dodi Dofek, Hamesh Derashot and Al Ahavat ha-Torah) lies in their educational value and in the presentation of a powerful, passionate religious zionism which is not predicated upon the state necessarily being the start of an irreversible messianic process (something which, I believe, is both theologically problematic and religiously dangerous). Assuming that the redemption is irreversible flies in the face of multitudinous passages in the Torah that correlate ethical and religious behaviour as conditiones sine qua non of our residence here. On the other hand, subsuming the entire Torah to the possession of Eretz Yisrael, turns the latter into an הבה התלןיה בדבר at best.
I summarily reject, by contrast, the anonymous comment that I demagogically used the Rav to undo his own message. I did nothing of the sort. Based upon the transcript of Yehudah Avner's meeting with the Rav around 1980, it is clear that he would not have been the type of starry-eyed dogmatic dove that the religious and secular left turned him into. I, frankly, don't know what he would have said. Moreover, since necromancy is a capital crime, we have no right (or legitimate way) to find out.
Finally, anyone who wishes to obtain the tape is welcome to write me: woolfj@gmail.com. As soon as I get my wireless card fixed, I'll be happy to send it.
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