A great gift of Hashgacha Pratis (Individualized Divine
Providence) that I am privy to on a regular basis is that somehow
the Lord more often than not arranges current events to have a direct
connection with the Weekly Sidrah. I
would have to assume that He provides this service not only as a convenience to
Rabbis who are searching for a topic for their weekly sermon, but rather it is
meant for all of us, to bring home the that the Torah’s lessons in a very
direct and meaningful way. This week was
no exception.
The entire world stopped this week, it would seem, to pay
tribute to a special man who has gone to meet his maker: Nelson Mandela, former
anti-apartheid activist-turned prisoner for life-turned president of the newly
non-racist republic
of South Africa
Unlike all the essays that are being written that are overflowing
with superlatives about Mandela's great humanitarian qualities, I begin by
noting that there is much in his record that I, and I imagine other Jews, are less than thrilled about.
Although he was basically friendly towards Israel and Jews in general, he
was much friendlier to the Palestinian cause.
He was consistently a harsh critic of “the settlements”, and decried “the
occupation”, insisting on Israel 's
duty to return to the 1967 borders. He
called Arafat ימ"ש a friend, and famously said that "our freedom is
incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians". Following in his and Bishop Tutu's
footsteps, South Africa's government decided last year that goods imported from
Israeli West Bank settlements cannot not be labeled "product of
Israel", and the University of Johannesburg became the world's first to
impose an academic boycott on Israel.
(At the same time, it is noteworthy that Mandela never deviated from his
belief in Israel’s right to exist within secure borders, and that much of his
pro-Palestinian bias was probably based on a simplistic view of the age-old
conflict.) Furthermore, it is true
that the ANC (African National Congress) under his leadership at times used some
rather despicable means to achieve their ends , and there are various
positions that he took that we might rightly deplore. I assume that some of this is part of the reason that PM Netanyahu decided he was too busy to attend the funeral.
Nevertheless, the greater story of his life, and the
achievement for which he deserves all the credit that can be given to him, is
the spirit of forgiveness, reconciliation, and rapprochement with the white
population that he championed after achieving political power, despite how he
had been treated earlier. There is a
long history, particularly in Africa, of long oppressed populations that
finally throw off the yoke of their former persecutors, who then begin taking
revenge – killing, maiming, and otherwise reveling in visiting misery – on
their former interlocutors. They felt
that it was time for payback -- for
expression of all the suppressed hatred and misery, both physical and
spiritual, that had been imposed for so long.
It was time to take back all of the fortune that had been procured by
the formerly dominant culture on the backs of the wretched enslavement of the
underclass. A bloodbath, similar to
what happened in Zimbawe, was greatly feared.
Many whites -- including much of
the Jewish community -- fled, fearing the worst.
But it did not happen.
And that was largely due to the message powerfully conveyed by one man –
Nelson Mandela.
The message
that Mandela mostly succeeded in conveying was that it was time to bury the
hatchet, let bygones be bygones, and to move on to a better tomorrow. He sought to establish a “Rainbow Nation”
that would represent people of all races.
He limited reprisals for the past to setting up a “Truth and Reconciliation Commission” before which those who
had been hostile to Blacks before need now only renounce their former ways, and
reconciliation would be offered. Today's South Africa is far from
perfect, but it is a very livable place for white people, and that is largely
due to Nelson Mandela.
The connection with the story of Joseph jumps right out at
you. A prominent man, convicted due to
an unjust trial by the dominant culture, condemned to long years in a terrible
prison, not only does not lose his integrity and self-worth, but becomes an
inspiration to all and gains the respect of all his fellow prisoners and
jailers. Suddenly the impossible
happens. From the depths of the
dungeon, literally overnight, he rises to become the most powerful man in the
land, exhibiting a positive attitude that captivates all who meet him.
Even more on point, when Joseph finally reveals his identity
to his brothers, they are speechless and frightened, knowing that the second
most powerful man in the world was in fact the brother that they had uncaringly
subjected to slavery, torture, imprisonment, and possibly worse, and that they
were completely in his power now to do with them as he wished.
But, of course, Joseph knew that a Higher Power and a Higher
Purpose was operating, and he showed himself to be above revenge, pettiness,
anger – he saw himself as an instrument of Hashem who had been brought to Egypt
in His infinite wisdom, in order to bring incredible good to not only his own
family, but to the whole world. He was
not about to waste his time, emotions, and energy on trying to fix the wrongs
of the past – that could never be undone anyway. The important thing was to focus on the
future, and to bring peace and harmony back into the family and work towards a
greater future.
In thinking of this I was reminded of a wonderful Israeli
song by Uzi Chitman z”l, called “Mah Chashuv Hayom”. It was written in the immediate aftermath of
the Yom Kippur War, with all of its trauma and incriminations and pain, when
accusations and fear were consuming all too many -- Here is a loose translation:
I shall go forward
I will not look back
And I think of a way,
To forget, not to remember
For whatever was – is no more
God is sitting up there -
Up there in the clouds,
And little me is down here -
Not understanding.
What is important today? - what?
What is important of yesterday? - what?
What is important at all - what?
If we continue to will [it so] - then,
Everything will work out.
I will go on the middle road,
I will not stop marching,
I will also kneel [when appropriate]
I'll go on and on.
For whatever was, is no longer.
God sits up,
With the angels,
And little me is down here
Looking for a way
What is important today? - what?
We shall not know fear,
We shall not recognize pain
We will walk together
To a happy ending.
For whatever was, is no longer.
I shall set my face forward,
I will not look back.
See now that I promise,
I promise not to return [to the past].
What is important now - what?
|
אני הולך קדימה,
לא מביט אחור. וחושב על דרך, לשכוח, לא לזכור, כי כל מה שהיה - איננו, אלוהים יושב למעלה - שם בעננים, ואני קטן למטה - לא בעיניינים
?מה - היום חשוב מה
?מה – אתמול חשוב מה
?מה – הכל חשוב מה
אם
נמשיך לרצות - אז
הכל יסתדר
אלך על אם הדרך,
לא אפסיק לצעוד, ואכרע גם ברך
אלך לי עוד ועוד.
כי כל מה שהיה - איננו. אלוהים יושב למעלה, עם המלאכים, ואני קטן למטה מחפש דרכים. מה חשוב היום... לא נדע גם פחד, לא נדע מכאוב ונלך ביחד עד הסוף הטוב. כי כל מה שהיה - איננו. את פני אשים קדימה, לא אביט אחור. ותראו אני מבטיח, מבטיח לא לחזור. מה חשוב היום... |
Little more need be said.
I close with the hope that the memory of Joseph and Lehavdil
Nelson Mandela will remain with us. Although Mandela's imperfect version of reconciliation fell far short of the total graciousness of Joseph, it was astounding nevertheless. Let
it guide us to overlook the pain that too often separates us, to not let the
hurtful past prevent us of seeing the greater good and humanity even in those
who may have hurt us. Allow us to be
able to live with differences of opinion with others without losing our sense
of brotherhood, and to respect that others with very different views may have
some of the truth on their side as well.
May we go to a better tomorrow, not look back, and walk together to a
happy ending
