The first time I saw Benjamin Netanyahu up close was several decades ago when he spoke before Jewish leaders. He started his speech with a question: "On July 4, 1976, did you celebrate America's bicentennial or were you celebrating with the brave Israeli troops who flew to Entebbe, Uganda to save their fellow Jews?"
Netanyahu was referring to Israel's daring raid to rescue some 100 hostages held by terrorists who had hijacked their flight.
Netanyahu's brother, Yoni, was killed while leading the main assault team in the mission.
In response to his question, practically every person in the room got up and gave Netanyahu a standing ovation while chanting "with the Israeli troops."
At that moment, I realized that a new Israeli leader had been born, a leader who knows how to combine intellect with a warm Jewish heart.
The election results this week were a great victory for Netanyahu and the Right. The pundits, most of whom dislike Netanyahu, have tried to explain the outcome by citing Netanyahu's great rhetorical skills and flair for campaigning.
They have praised his understanding of social networks and his brilliant strategy of siphoning votes from smaller right-wing parties, as well as his expertise in deciphering the polls.
But virtually all of the pundits failed to understand that it was Netanyahu's understanding of deep undercurrents, his grasp of history and his vision that won him a fifth term.
This reminds me of Beethoven's explanation to why his Fifth Symphony was so successful: "Fate knocking on the door."
To a large degree, Jewish fate influences Netanyahu's thinking and can explain many of his decisions.
Netanyahu is not a king, not a magician and not a prince. He is a faithful stalwart of the Jewish people and the Jewish state, who feels a great deal of responsibility.
As is often the case, leaders who have turbulent tenures get their proper recognition only many years after they leave public life.
A nation is lucky if its leader uses history as his or her compass rather than current events.
Had Netanyahu and his wife Sara lacked the sense of historical purpose, they would have had a hard time dealing with the vitriol against them. He would have stepped down in order to avoid all the slime.
This sense of historical purpose has been part and parcel of the Netanyahu family for several generations.
When the prime minister's grandfather, Rabbi Nathan Mileikowsky, passed away, Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, the Ashkenazi chief rabbi of British Mandatory Palestine, wrote a special eulogy, saying his great oratory skills had convinced many families to move to Palestine.
Kook said that Mileikowsky had a deep appreciation of Judaism as a source of strength that can make a nation stand tall.
Netanyahu's father, the historian Benzion Netanyahu, was one of the most important scholars of Spanish Jewry.
In one of his most celebrated works, Netanyahu explained that Jews must always stand on guard and make sure they are fully aware of the reality before them.
Benzion's message was that Jews cannot be blind to their surroundings because history never granted them a do-over.
And then, of course, there is Netanyahu's brother, Yoni, who was killed in the Entebbe raid while rescuing Jews.
The Netanyahu family's sense of shared destiny requires sacrifice to ensure Jews would never be forsaken again.
Netanyahu has made sure to heed this familial message, not just in his politics but also by doing all he can to ensure our survival as a people.
Only someone who has grown up on the shoulders of giants can look into the future, see historical trends and make appropriate decisions. Many Israelis want Netanyahu to lead them in this mission and believe in what he is doing.
This is Netanyahu's secret. He knows that the Jewish tree of life is stronger than any trend.
Every Jew has a special place in his or her heart for Jerusalem and the land of Israel. Even those who have a hard time conceding this will ultimately agree.
In fact, an overwhelming majority of Israelis, even Netanyahu haters, feel relieved knowing that he will be the one dealing with the existential challenges that lie ahead.
