Meir Ettinger has been set free. Accused of harboring independent views and ideologies, Ettinger spent 10 months in administrative detention. Administrative detention is supposed to e used for “ticking time bombs,” but in Ettinger’s case that rider was used liberally. After all, personal opinions can be instantly dangerous. At the end of the day, the charade the government insisted was the truth gave way to the reality that Ettinger’s true sin is that he is capable of inspiration.
“We see that G-d ‘doesn’t need us.’ I thought about what we say in Adon Olam: ‘G-d is my miracle and my refuge.’ There are two ways of acknowledging G-d here: there’s ‘the miraculous G-d,’ in which He’s like a flag. There are times in our lives when we carry G-d’s flag, or sort of carry the stretcher. It’s not because G-d needs us to, but rather because G-d wants it so and chose us. And there are times of ‘G-d is my refuge.’ In jail we see that G-d ‘doesn’t need us.’ It’s very important to continue the work. G-d does everything out of choice.”
Ettinger is a leader that causes us all to lead. In the darkness we now find ourselves in, when leaders forget their responsibility, Meir Ettinger teaches us that words drawn from truth are ore potent than the mightiest weapon.