                A time to Kill, and a time to Heal
                         March 3, 1994
                      by Gary M. Cooperberg

     I cannot neglect to address myself to the incident at Machpelah which has placed the
entire world into turmoil.  My personal connection to Machpelah, where I have prayed every
morning in the pre dawn hours for over twelve years, obligates me to express my views on this
very delicate and complicated subject.
     Despite the fact that there has always been an army presence in and around the
building where I pray, the large number of Arabs permitted to wander about during Jewish
prayer time has always been a hazard to the security of the Jewish worshipers.  Especially
during the month of Ramadan, when the number of Arabs in attendance is overwhelming, the
danger, even to the soldiers, is very real.
     Political considerations, especially after the handshake on the White House lawn, have
caused the government to overlook the most basic threats to security in this holy place. 
Emboldened by this obvious handicap to the army, the Arabs have, of late, more openly
expressed their hatred for any Jewish presence in, what they consider, their exclusive holy
place.  Open calls for slaughter of the Jews have been clearly shouted and chanted, only to be
ignored by the IDF.  
     Since the elevation of the PLO to "peace partner", the intifada, not only did not cease,
but actually deteriorated into armed attacks against Jewish civilians seeing the murder of tens
of Jews and with no hope of its cessation.  Indeed, the IDF Chief of Staff openly admitted to
not being able to prevent even more murders of Jewish citizens, G-d forbid.
     Dr. Baruch Goldstein, z"tl, was no stranger to the aftermath of murder of innocent
Jews.  He personally saw nearly every victim, many of whose lives he saved, and many of
whom perished before his eyes.  
     As a captain in the IDF he was privy to military information not readily dispensed to
the public.  He heard of a planned attack upon Jewish worshipers at Machpelah, and upon the
town of Kiryat Arba, by Arab mobs.  He also knew about the call by Arab extremists to the
population to horde food in preparation for a long curfew.  He understood that political
considerations caused the IDF to ignore the imminent danger to the Jewish population until,
G-d forbid, it would be too late.
     Knowing full well that the powers that be would never listen to reason if it might cause
political problems, Dr. Goldstein carefully analyzed the situation and determined that nothing
but a rash and outrageous Jewish initiative could lessen the imminent tragedy about to descend
upon the people of Kiryat Arba, and the State of Israel.  But who would be willing or able to
carry out such an initiative?  He could think of no one.  Were he to discuss it with anyone else
it might endanger the initiative, not to mention the lives of other Jews.  
     Despite the fact that he was the most experienced and expert doctor in Judea; that he
was a young father and husband; and that he would break the heart of his loving parents living
in Kiryat Arba, he believed that the initiative he had in mind outweighed all other
considerations.  It was the only hope of saving thousands of lives, and, very possibly, the
future of his country was a stake.  Thus he gave up all thought of his personal risk.
     The consistent concession to Arab terror on the part of every Israeli government,
including the "tradition" of releasing terrorist prisoners in honor of Ramadan, has had a
cumulative affect upon Moslem extremists which only encouraged them to plan further terror
against Jews, in the name of Islam.  The most powerful antidote to such religious extremism
was to strike a death blow upon religious zealots, at a holy site, during a holy day.     Most Arab murderers in Hebron committed their butchery on a Friday as part of a
religious ritual.  Thus for a single Jew to wreak revenge upon such zealots, at a contested holy
site, and on a Friday during the holy month of Ramadan, struck a powerful blow to the
concept of Moslem religious holy war against the Jews. 
     Dr. Goldstein's deliberate shooting and killing of tens of Moslems in the Cave of
Machpelah was neither the act of a madman, nor of a fanatic Jew bent on revenge.  It was a
carefully calculated effort to avert a far greater loss of life resulting from an imminent pogrom
about to be perpetrated by fanatic extremist Moslems against the Jews living in Hebron, Kiryat
Arba, and possibly other parts of our country.  
     The IDF was fully aware of the danger, but, for strictly political reasons, was
prevented from taking preventative measures.  Instead they were restricted to wait until the
Arabs struck the first blow... a blow which might have cost a great many Jewish, and, for that
matter, Arab lives.                
     While the real culprits, Rabin and Peres, who would have borne the brunt of
responsibility for the riots that were to have occurred had Dr. Goldstein not taken such a self
sacrificing, heroic, step, stoop to name calling and defaming this Jewish hero, history will bear
witness to his greatness.
     The traitors to their people and their country, who shake hands and praise the butcher
of countless Jewish men, women and children, reveal their deep self-hatred, when they attack
the only Jew in Israel who had the courage to sacrifice a bright future, a young family, and his
very life to save Jewish souls and the Jewish state from imminent peril.
     Whether or not his deed is given halachic sanction, it was performed out of the highest
moral motivations and for no personal gain what so ever.  It was a desperate act of love for his
people and his country, and it resulted in the saving of countless lives.  The magnitude of
Baruch Goldstein's contribution to the future of the Land of Israel will only be measured by
future events resulting from this selfless act of martyrdom, and will some day be recognized by
all Jews as the turning point which brought redemption upon us. 