HaRav HaGaon Mutzafi: Sacred Obligation to help free Pollard

"Whoever can help Pollard but fails to act, is like someone who has spilled blood."

Chaim Berkovitz - Ladaat.net - November 18, 2010

Translated to English by J4JP - May be reprinted

HaRav HaGaon Ben Tzion Mutzafi, respected Torah Sage, esteemed Kabbalist and Rosh Yeshiva has come out with an appeal on behalf of Jonathan Pollard, saying that whoever can help to free Jonathan Pollard but fails to act is considered as if he had spilled blood.

A question that was brought to the attention of the Rav asked, "I wanted to verify with regard to the Prisoner of Zion, Jonathan Pollard, what can be done, and why the voices of our leaders are not being heard regarding the injustice that has been done to him?"

In a piercing reply the Rav replied, for years I have called for an outcry and prayers for Pollard, as much as possible. Recently I have also written a letter of appeal for him."

In the letter, which has come into the hands of Ladaat.net, the Rav calls for mobilizing an outcry and for storming the Heavens in order to save " our brother, our flesh and blood, the dear and noble Jonathan Pollard, may G-d watch over him and protect him, who has been in prison now for 25 years. Lately it has become apparent that he has been falsely accused with false charges out of wickedness."

The Rav writes in his letter that it is the obligation of every Jew to work to save Pollard, and he cites a passages from the Gemarah Sanhedrin, "From where does it follow, he sees his friends coming upon him, that he is obliged to save him? From the teaching, do not stand idly by your brother's blood." He also brings a quote from the Sefer HaMitzvoht of the Rambam "If ignoring the cry so as to avoid saving another, this is tantamount to transgressing the prohibition of standing idly by your brother's blood. See also the words of Rabbeinu Bachaye, one who ignores another and does not save him is in the same category as one who transgresses the prohibition "thou shall not kill"

The letter continues, "Bnei Yisrael are a Holy Nation, the children of Avraham, Yitzhak and Yaacov. Our true strength is in our mouths (in our prayers). It is incumbent upon us all to make use of our powers of prayer by raising our voices in prayer, in outcry and in loud protest in order to save Jonathan Pollard. I fear that anyone who has it in his power to help, but does not, falls into the category of suspicion of causing bloodshed. It is obligatory for every one of us to remember Pollard and to speak of him, to pray for him every day and in every place, to mention his name in every prayer and every time we learn Torah, and to speak of him on every public occasion in the Land and all around the world. Those who do so will surely be blessed by our Father in Heaven."

It should be noted that at the time of this writing, there is a press conference being held in Washington by Congressmen who are calling for the release of Pollard. They are joined by the leaders of outstanding American Jewish organizations.

On Sunday, 21 November 2010, Jonathan Pollard will begin to serve his 26th year in an American prison. This is an unprecedented sentence, grossly disproportionate to the offense he committed. The usual sentence is 2 to 4 years. Recently the former American Deputy Secretary of Defense, Lawrence Korb, revealed that Pollard's harsh sentence was the result of false charges and baseless accusations.

View ooriginal Hebrew article.