Israeli Elections, Religious Wars, and the Silent Majority

Sometimes you wonder what Hashem makes of all this.

In recent years, elections have become truly insane – both in Israel and in the United States.   The anger, vitriol, and malicious vilification by all sides of the other sides is staggering.  But, in at least one way, they did one thing more effciently in Israel.  In America, they are trying to undo an election for over two years.  Here it was undone in only five weeks!

After all the Sturm and Drang, the victory proclamations, the claimed vindication of Daas Torah by the Chareidi parties, the humiliating defeat of those who did not pass the threshold — we get to throw out that result and start over again.  Everyone has an opinion on who is to blame (most blaming Avigdor Liberman), and more importantly, what is likely to result.  Will the next election result in a strong majority coalition of at least 65 votes, or will be back at square one once again?

Here is what seems likely to this observer.

Yisrael Beiteinu, the party of Avigdor Liberman, was founded about twenty years ago primarily to represent the large group of Russian immigrants in Israel. Recently it has had to evolve as younger, more integrated Russians, are not as interested in such a sectarian party.  These days, its call to arms on the election posters was Yemin veChiloni.  (Right-wing, but Secular).  Liberman seeks to represent those who are politically and nationally conservative but want nothing to do with religion. Thus, it has become a militant secularist party on the Right, to match Meretz, the militant secularist party on the Left.  For the second time in half a year, Yisrael Beiteinu has forced new elections, this time by refusing to commit their five seats to the other sixty pledged to Netanyahu.

Liberman’s personal animus to Netanyahu was central to this refusal, as documented in a persuasive essay by Caroline Glick.  Of course, Liberman claimed that his stonewalling was an act of principle against the Chareidim.  Despite many incentives, he refused to budge one centimeter off his demand that there be a set quota for drafting Chareidim into the army.  (This despite experts who say that the whole issue – if judged purely by the requirements of the military – is moot; the army does not need any Chareidi soldiers.) The Chareidi parties were willing to compromise.  As Glick wrote:

The ostensible reason for his refusal to reach a coalition agreement is his insistence that Netanyahu pass a draft law that would require the ultra-Orthodox community to fill specific quotas of draftees annually. Liberman’s position made little sense on its merits. The ultra-Orthodox parties agreed, during the negotiations, to fill draft quotas. But they insisted that the quotas be determined annually by the government, rather than by law since the Israel Defense Force’s requirements change from year to year. By making the number of conscripts a function of a government decision, the number can be raised or lowered, depending on military requirements in a manner that would be impossible if the quotas are fixed in standing law.

Although the Chareidi parties represented sixteen seats while Liberman had only five, and the Chareidi parties were willing to compromise while he was not, much of the media blamed the Chareidim for being the ones unwilling to make a deal.

Battle lines between the militantly secular and the religious are being drawn.  I hate to contemplate the likely electioneering to come, with those seeking to blame all the Nation’s problems on the growing power of the religious, particularly of the Chareidim, but I fear that it will get quite ugly.

Statements out of the Chareidi parties assure the public that this was a good result; “so many people are angry at Liberman that he will not cross the electoral threshold.”  Halevai (If only) this would be true; so far, polls are leaning in the opposite direction. With Liberman now the new secularist hero for standing up to the Chareidim, he may get as many as nine seats.  Meretz, interestingly, looks also to go to five from four seats. While the Chareidi parties will probably stay at around the same strength, the two large parties may lose a few seats, although Likud will be the largest.  It will remain to be seen what the religious Zionist parties will do. Will Bennet and Feiglin attempt to run separately again, or will they join together to avoid wasting many votes as they did last time?  Will sanity or egos prevail? Anyone’s guess.

Will Netanyahu be able to cobble together a coalition this time? Hopefully, the Religious Zionist parties and Bennet and Feiglin will get their act together so that Netanyahu can form a coalition with them and the Chareidi parties without Liberman.  What will happen if yet another stalemate is reached?  A coalition between Blue and White, the Left, the Arabs and Liberman?  Perhaps – but then Liberman will have to sell his soul even more than he has already.  Or will we have a national unity government between the two large parties, who cannot stand each other?   Very unclear.

One thing, however, is clear.  Battle lines between the militantly secular and the religious are being drawn.  I hate to contemplate the likely electioneering to come, with those seeking to blame all the Nation’s problems on the growing power of the religious, particularly of the Chareidim, but I fear that it will get quite ugly.

Underlying all this is a growing societal struggle. 

On the one hand, the electoral power of the Chareidim is undeniably growing.  While mainly due to demographics, with an average of 7.1 children per Chareidi woman compared to 3.1 in the general population,  it is also due to the growing pull towards tradition and Judaism, with many of the old animosities falling.

On the other hand, those who are opposed to religion are increasingly feeling threatened, as the Chareidim move closer to a majority in the country.  With 58% of the over one million Chareidim under the age of 20, as compared with 30% of the rest of the community, projections are that Chareidim will comprise 16% of the total population by 2030 and constitute a third of all citizens and 40% of the Jewish population in 2065.  This is deeply troubling to those, like Liberman and his cohort, for whom the thought of the Chareidim having more electoral power is anathema.  They are determined to do whatever it takes to prevent the State from turning to a “Halachic State.”

All that is perhaps inevitable, but most unfortunate.  Although the extremists on all sides will make hurtful and damaging statements, the truth is that for the silent majority, many of the old animosities are lessening.  From the Chareidi side – despite the horrible actions by the Peleg Yerushalmi and others engaged in non-stop Chillul Hashem as they make religious Jews look like wild-eyed, hateful ingrates interested only in protecting their turf – things are different.  More Chareidim are entering the labor force, supporting themselves, participating in the many organizations of civic responsibility such as Zaka, Yad Sarah, Hatzola, and many others.  Moreover, indeed, more and more are serving in the Army.  The tone of the ads for Yahadus HaTorah this past election were notable for stressing positive messages to the Israeli public, the importance of Shabbat for everyone, and about striving for social fairness for all sectors.  This was no doubt helpful in their rise in the polls.

From the secular side, there are more and more people who – while not officially religious – are looking for a greater connection with Torah and our heritage.  There are many groups of “non-religious” Israelis throughout the country who regularly participate in Torah study and tefilla, and they are growing.  Two groups that I am involved with are very much encouraging this trend, and there are many others.  One is Ayelet HaShachar, who began shuls and religious services in secular kibbutzim and moshavim throughout the country, established a huge network of chavrutot who study together by phone on a regular basis, and have helped plant people like me — the only religious family in a completely secular Yishuv — to spread the light of Torah in quiet and pleasant ways.   Another is a fascinating group called “HaKipot HaShkufot” (the Transparent Kippot), a grassroots coalition of religious, formerly religious, not-yet religious, and non-religious-but-interested-in-tradition working together.  They are putting together a national Tikkun Leil Shavuot, inviting people of all kinds to come together and share their thoughts about a tradition or Jewish value topic, and honor Zman Matan Torateinu.  Another group (administered by my dear cousin Ayelet Kuptiev) is Keshet - a network of schools and programs in which religious and secular people come together to learn with and from each other.

As we stand now before Shavuot and Matan Torah, it behooves the religious public to remember that perhaps the most impressive feature of Am Yisrael at that time was that they camped together “as One Nation with One Heart.”  

The bottom line: while an ugly battle about the place of religion in Israel is likely between the loud voices and extremists for the next few months, we take solace in knowing that this is not the direction of the majority, on both sides. 

As we stand now before Shavuot and Matan Torah, it behooves the religious public to remember that perhaps the most impressive feature of Am Yisrael at that time was that they camped together “as One Nation with One Heart.”  Parshat Bamidbar, always read just before Shavuot, speaks of twelve separate tribes, each with its own flag, personality, and way, gathered around the portable Mount Sinai (as Rav Hirsch understands the Mishkan) for the greater good of unity.  In our world, the differences between the different segments of our Nation are in some ways greater than then, but we should still strive to see ourselves as One Nation with One Heart, seeking what unifies, rather than divides us.  May we get through this challenging time ahead with a minimum of damage, and may the religious community have the wisdom to answer the venom that is sure to come, with pleasant and peaceful words aimed at the silent majority eager to hear the beautiful voice of our heritage.

(An excerpted version of this article appears in this week's Jewish Press)

Privileged and Humbled to be Part of Yom Hazikaron

Last night I was privileged to take part in the Yom HaZikaron ceremony, commemorating family members of Lavon residents who fell in the wars of Israel.  As one who not only did not serve in the IDF, nor did anyone of my close family (With the exception of Lonn's two American nephews Ari Roth and Yisroel Weisberger who volunteered to serve), I am very aware that my experience -- and that of most Haredi families -- is very different than that of virtually all Israeli families, almost all of whom have a close friend or family member that was a military casualty. 

This gap is one of the major reasons that there is such a large chasm between the two sides - which on an emotional level is very hard to bridge.  All the more so when images of Haredim speaking with contempt of the army and attacking Haredi soldiers -- it is hard to imagine the fury this provokes on the other side.

I am so grateful that I was given this opportunity to say the memorial prayer for these heroes of the Jewish people.

Right now we are in a lulling "cease-fire" after the 700+ rockets that the accursed Hamas rained on communities in the South in the past few days.  In community after community, there is damage and death (such as the death of American Israeli Gerrer Chasid killed by a missile in Ashdod at the home of my Ayelet haShachar colleague).   We had guests from Ashkelon yesterday who came from the funeral of their close friend.  And mothers who have to protect their children in shelters, or sometimes even in an open field:

While we desperately await the coming of Mashiach soon, we are so grateful that in the State of Israel today, a grandson can fight back against our oppressors in ways that the grandfather could not.

And with all the ambiguity and frustration about some things that go on in Israel, and aware of much that still needs to be done to bring it to where it should be, please join me in praying (as per the emendation of my Rebbe Rav Nachman Bulman זצ"ל:

אבינו שבשמים, ברך את מדינת ישראל

שתהיה

ראשית צמיחת גאולתינו

Our Father in Heaven, bless the State of Israel, that it be the first flowering of our Ultimate Redemption.  

Amen.
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PS As a bonus, PLEASE read this essay.  [If you are looking for an English version, it is published as the entry for Yom Ha'Atzmaut in the Book of Our Heritage, (ספר התודעה in English) by Rav Eliyahu Ki Tov, translated by Rabbi Nathan Bulman.]

As stated in the introduction to the Hebrew version, this beautifully balanced presentation, which lays out the different sides of the question of the religious significance of Yom HaAtzmaut, was -- MOST unfortunately -- considered "too controversial" to be published, and thus omitted from the Hebrew version.  This sad fact was much to the detriment of so many who would have benefitted from seeing a reasoned and beautifully articulated discussion of the serious differing aspects of this thorny but vital issue.  

Rav Bulman זצ"ל told me that the main reason he labored over this translation was so that this essay, (and the essay Ruth and David that appears before Shavuos, without which it is almost impossible to really appreciate King David) would be available to the world.

If only every religious person -- Haredi and Modern Orthodox -- would read and internalize these precious words, there would far greater understanding and less intolerance among us. 

Why They hated Rav Kahane: Some truths are too Harsh

A few weeks ago, I had the honor of having my article “No, Rabbi Kahane was not a Racist” published in the Jewish press.  In that article, I argued that not only was Rav Meir Kahane הי"ד not a racist, but certainly the leaders of Otzma Yehudit, whose platform is far milder than some of the more controversial things Rav Kahane said, are not racist, the Supreme Court of Israel notwithstanding.  I received several comments which I would like to respond to.  In particular, some asked me to explain why I thought it was important to defend Rav Kahane’s reputation, given that the vast majority of the Jewish world, both left and right, religious and secular, rejected him and his views.

I want to begin by referencing an insight of Dr. AJ Heschel (probably not a Kahane fan) in “A Passion for Truth,” his treatment of the holy Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Kotzk (and, lehavdil Søren Kierkegaard).  In introducing him, he said that the extreme, total and unforgiving passion for truth by the Kotzker was too much for almost everyone, who could not live with that standard of absolute rejection of anything not absolutely true, given the weaknesses and foibles of most humans.  Because of this, the Kotzker could not tolerate most people and they could not tolerate him, and he ended up spending many years towards the end of his life locked up in a room in solitude.  Nevertheless remains a vital and important influence in this:  anyone who studied his teachings, and heard of his stories in any serious way, will never be able to allow his ego to grow too large – the memory of the Kotzker and what an authentic man of truth he was serves as instant needle to prick the balloon of any overblown sense of self, and make one realize what a flawed, incomplete and pitiful creature one really is.

That quote has stayed with me and haunted me often throughout the years.

I start with this as a way of talking about what Rav Kahane meant to me and continues to mean for so many people.  He was fearless and extreme; he seemed to care not a whit what people thought of him. He was deeply insightful, and he spoke and stood for many truths that so many deep down agreed with, but were afraid to say openly. (This has been amply documented). And while they were either afraid to stand with him, or felt that pragmatically the time was not right for his message, they appreciate that – like a lighthouse – he was there shining the light of truth, which may have been too powerful for others.  He was there to remind us that political correctness and social veneer was hiding a large deep and dangerous reality – that liberal Judaism and the secular Zionists and the intellectual elites were, literally, spiritually killing many  more Jews than Hitler ימ"ו ever did (a fate arguably worse than death) and that we lemmings are too nice and polite and genteel to protest or do anything about it.

He initially gained fame by starting the Jewish Defense League and defending Jews who no one stood up for. But his main contribution was not that Jews should defend themselves -- he was far from the only one who advocated this (Jabotinsky, the partisans, Abba Kovner, Menachem Begin and many others come to mind). His main ideology – his Raayon HaYehudi – was that Jews should have pride in who they are, and stand up for themselves and unabashedly stand for Torah values and our rights.  That the time of cowering before the Goyim was over.  That we should no longer be held back worrying about “it’s a Shanda – what will the goyim/elitists/intellectuals/opinion-makers/establishment politicians/etc. say!”.   It is time that we were no longer afraid to stand up for who we are, without apologies.   And that message is crucially important.

His first – and probably most important – book, “Never Again,” was often misunderstood. I remember hearing a mussar schmooze from one of my Rabbeim in my yeshiva days. In which he exclaimed, “Never Again is Apikorsus (heresy)!”  Who are we to think that we can shout that!  Our fate is in the hands of the Ribbon Shel Olam – Does Kahane think he could have prevented the Holocaust?”   

Of course, this just proved that said Rebbi, like virtually all of Rav Kahane’s critics, didn’t bother actually listening to him or reading his words, but rejected the soundbite out of hand as מוקצה מחמת מיאוס.    He said no such thing in the book.   

What he did argue was that the AMERICAN Jewish establishment, with rare exception, was guilty of doing virtually nothing to get Roosevelt to bomb the tracks to Auschwitz, to allow the St. Louis and Sturma to come in, or to otherwise help save what could be saved. 

Too enamored of the evil "Rabbi" Stephen Wise and his cohort who assisted Roosevelt in doing virtually nothing for the Jews.  Too frightened of being seen as worried about their own parochial interests, at the expense of the larger war effort. Too worried about “What the goyim would say.”

Kahane stood for the idea of not accepting the status quo, of not swallowing "the wisdom” of being quiet and waiting for the great people who will maybe, perhaps, be able to do something behind the scenes if they are given enough kovod and endless time.

And so it was with his “Why Be Jewish,” an incredibly effective reflection on the question of why should a typical American Jew Bernie should not chase after Bridget, given the Judaism that most Reform/Conservative/secular and many Orthodox young Jews are presented with. (It included the best chapter title ever – “Artists, Intellectuals, and Imbeciles”).

Kahane stood for the idea of not accepting the status quo, of not swallowing "the wisdom” of being quiet and waiting for the great people who will maybe perhaps be able to do something behind the scenes if they are given enough kovod and endless time.  He knew that Jews needed to be defended – NOW.  He knew that the time to save the remnant of Soviet Jewry was NOW, not in another thirty years when nothing would be left.  He knew that Israel had to stand up for itself – NOW.

Kahane was not a rabble-rouser who was just interested in making trouble, (although unfortunately, he did attract followers who were that type whom he was not always able to keep in line.)  He was a deeply devout Jew, a serious Talmid Chochom, who loved other Jews with every fiber of his being, perhaps to a fault, and could not stand what was being done to them, most often by their fellow Jews.  He hated how the leaders of reform and conservative and some orthodox were ripping out the neshama of young Jews.  He hated what the Israeli government had done to Yemenite Jews, and Yaldei Teheran and so many Sephardic Jews – his real connection and understanding of their pain was a great source of his political base in Israel.  Kahane was about waking up the sleeping Jews, and asking “Uncomfortable Questions for Comfortable Jews.”   He wanted to get us out of our apathy and laziness and irresponsibility and stand up for other Jews.

Later, in Israel, he became consumed with the Arab question, and wrote “They Must Go”, in which he detailed his plan to bring about a transfer of the Arab population out of Israel, while paying them compensation, except for those who were willing to become a loyal minority (more than had been offered to the hundreds of thousands of Jews who had been forcibly evicted from Arab countries in 1948).   

Was he right about the need to get rid of all Arabs in Israel?   I don’t know.  As I write this, three pleasant Arab women are cleaning my house downstairs.  We talk to each other and exchange pleasantries.   I am not worried that they will do anything to my family or me. I know, and they know, that they have it good in Israel compared to any of the neighboring countries.  They are not like the Arabs of East Jerusalem and towns in Yehuda and Shomron, whom I would be very wary of allowing in my home, raised and fed as they are on hatred and incitement.   I do agree with the stated position of Otzma, who stand for the banishing of all Arabs who are proven disloyal enemies of Israel but allowing those who desire to live in peace to stay, although they do pose some degree of danger.

Many, many in Israel saw him as a voice of truth, of standing up to the pie in the sky starry-eyed dreamers who gave us Oslo and peace plans that brought intifadas, and who gave back the Har Habayit to the waqf for NOTHING, and who were too busy worrying about what the goyim in the UN will say to allow Israeli soldiers to defend themselves and us properly.   Many say that if we had listened to him, then many of today’s problems would have been obviated.

Why was he so rejected?   Why did the Knesset routinely walk out on him?  Partially because they hated him for pointing out the truth.  Even more so, because it was easier to pursue the ultimately successful course of ostracizing him to the point that he would be disqualified from the Knesset on the pretext that he was a racist.   He was predicted to get up to 10 seats in the next election; they joined forces to take him out of the game.

I do want to publicize what he once told me personally on one of the very few times that I had the privilege of speaking with him.  I attended a talk that he gave for yeshiva bachurim in Yerushalayim.  After his very stirring remarks, I came to him and asked, “Everything you say sounds true and persuasive, but as far as I know, none of the Gedolim agree with you or your Derech – is that not a problem?”

He said, “First of all, many of them do agree with me privately, but for one reason or another will not say so publicly.”  (see list cited above).  “But more importantly, it is true that we have Gedolim today, but we do not have Manhigim.   They speak out, but only reactively, never with a proactive approach to anything outside the limited concerns of the frum community.  Given that they refuse to lead, במקום שאין אנשים, השתדל להיות איש (When there is no man who will stand up, you be that man - Avos 2:5) .  That is why I do what I do.”

In summary, he was a unique and great person.   He was a fearless leader who taught true pride in Judaism, the Torah, and the Jewish people.   He believed, as I do with all my heart, that we are living in a new time when the old excesses of the Golus are over, and it is time for the Jewish people to proudly assert themselves.  In Israel, they continue to slander him and his supporters – what the Supreme Court did to Dr. Ben Ari, while allowing rabid haters of Jews to sit in the Knesset is unconscionable – but the truth will ultimately prevail.

In closing, I was given great hope by a Bris Mila that took place recently, after Rabbi and Rosh Yeshiva Achiad Ettinger was killed by a terrorist a week ago outside Shiloh.  After fatally stabbing IDF Sgt. Gal Keidan at the Ariel Junction, the accursed degenerate grabbed Keidan’s gun and opened fire at passing vehicles, hitting Rabbi Ettinger. Rather than fleeing, the father of 12 turned his car around, and pursued the terrorist. When Rav Achiad saw the cretin pointing his gun at more innocents, including a pregnant woman, Rav Achiad drew his gun and started shooting at the villain, who turned and shot and Rav Achiad Ettinger, instead of the woman.

The next day Rav Achiad succumbed to his wounds and died. The same day the pregnant woman who he saved gave birth to a baby boy. The other day was the Brit of the baby, and the sandak was Rav Achiad’s son. He was also given the honor of naming the new baby after his father who was murdered while saving the baby. You can watch the bris at https://tinyurl.com/achiad-brit

I found it particularly moving when he read the verse from Yechezkel 16:6

וָאֶעֱבֹר עָלַיִךְ וָאֶרְאֵךְ מִתְבּוֹסֶסֶת בְּדָמָיִךְ וָאֹמַר לָךְ בְּדָמַיִךְ חֲיִי וָאֹמַר לָךְ בְּדָמַיִךְ חֲיִי

And I passed by you and saw you downtrodden with your blood, and I said to you, 'With your blood, live,' and I said to you, 'With your blood, live.'

The blood of the martyr with the blood of the covenant.

מִי כְּעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל גּוֹי אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ

“Who compares to the nation of Israel ...the unique nation of the world” 

(Shabbat Mincha prayer)

Am Yisrael Chai!!

Published in the Jewish Press, April 26, 2019

The Freedom to Choose

(printed in the Jewish Press, April 19, 2019)

There is release from bondage, and there is release from bondage

In the run-up to the wonderful Yom Tov of Pesach that is upon us, we prepare in many ways for Yom Tov, cleaning, buying, selling, preparing Divrei Torah for the Seder, and various other ways.  One way that really ought to occupy our time, however, is planning for freedom during zman chairuseinu.
  
Baruch Hashem, for the most part, this does not mean striving for physical freedom for most Jews in the reality of 5779/2019.  Other than waiting for Mashiach, most Jews (at least those not behind tight security in Europe or under siege in yishuvim near Gaza) are free to come and go as they choose physically.  But perhaps a more important area of freedom is that of the spirit. To be able – from a place of knowledge and open-mindedness – to choose to live according to the best and truest values that one can.  

For us, of course, that means the free willed choice to live according to Torah values and not being coerced to live according to the values and cultural mores of an alien belief system.  For too many years, in Eretz Yisrael, that was the case for hundreds of thousands of Israeli children, who were brought up in a system that taught them that Torah and Judaism was a collection of backward and primitive ideas, that perhaps had some values in keeping the Jewish people together throughout the thousands of years of Diaspora.  Any intelligent and enlightened person would realize that in the new Modern State of Israel the holiest thing that could be done with the old Judaism was to dump it in the nearest dustbin, and rather participate in the new Jewish definition of Judaism as the culture of the secular State of Israel.  One of the epicenters of that way of thinking was the crown jewel of HaShomer HaTzair kibbutzim, Ein Charod.

Nestled in the eastern Jezreel valley in the shadow of Har HaGilboa, Ein Charod became the symbol of militant secularism in Israel.  Pork dinners on Tisha B’Av, Yom Kippur completely and specifically unobserved, optional Shabbat where every kibbutznik chose the day of the week that would be their day of rest, and of course, militantly secular education of the children – that was the norm of Ein Charod.   Various great Rabbis tried – the place was visited twice by the saintly Rav Kook zt”l – but it seemed like a hopeless place from a Torah point of view.  Some expressed some hope – the Ponovezher Rav is quoted as having said “Prepare tefillin for the people of Kibbutz Ein Charod!”, but even his most die-hard students thought that the great Dreamer had gone too far.

Fast Forward seventy years.  Over the past decade, several organizations, particularly Ayelet HaShachar, have found a way to penetrate that place.  Two years ago, the Kibbutz dining room that served neveilos, treifos, and pork for decades was converted into a kosher facility.  Ayelet HaShachar helped erect a shul, and now there is a vasikin minyan every morning, besides of course a nice attendance on Shabbos.  And this month an amazing occurrence – Ayelet HaShachar has opened a Mehadrin Matza factory in Ein Charod.  Groups from all over are coming to bake Matzah there, as a non-profit operation – with much of the Matzah going to the hard-hit communities near the Gaza border.  It is an unbelievable achievement!

It is a statement that even from abysmal levels of tumah, from deep and systematic brainwashing of generations of children to an anti-Torah anti observance mindset – our heritage remains deep within the Jewish soul, ready to break out and return home once again.
As the Torah says about Eretz Yisrael and about the Torah – they are a Morasha – legacy that will continue for future generations of Jews, even if the legacy has to skip a generation or two.

It is a statement to all of us that we need not be shackled and bound by past habits and attitudes.  That we have the freedom to step out, and grab hold of Hashem’s outstretched redemptive hand, and let it guide us to meaning and truth-filled lives, until the final redemption, speedily in our days.

The burning of Notre Dame - pre-Passover rumination

(Printed in the Queens Jewish Link, April 18, 2019)

On those occasions when I could break away from Pesach preparation over the last few hours, it seemed that all the news centered on the burning of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. It was amazing to me to see how many people were outraged or saddened or pained by the burning of this building. On my visit to Paris a few years ago, my tour bus passed the cathedral several times, and despite the many impressive buildings in Paris, it stood out.  Hailed by some as the “most important building in Western Civilization, the iconic, massive and grandiose structure hundreds of years old was certainly quite a sight, and perhaps that is why it has saddened so many.   Perhaps it was because this has only been the most recent and famous houses of worship being attacked in a spate of tragedies throughout France. 

But as a Jew from New York transplanted to Israel, I was not quite able to process how this seemed to be so much more than many other fire tragedies that occur. I looked around a bit and found that there are some interesting things for us to ponder. Notre Dame was built in the 12th century at the time of King Louis IX, later known as St. Louis, who was a virulent anti-Semite. He engineered an infamous debate between four of the Baalei Tosafos, led by the great Rav Yehiel of Paris and Rav Moshe (the Count) of Coucy and Christian scholars led by the evil apostate Nicholas Donin, a student of Rabbi Yehiel before converting. As Baruch C Cohen from Los Angeles wrote earlier today, 

 “Donin recommended to the King that if he wanted to get rid of the Jews once and for all, the only way to do that was by destroying their Torah. The King and the Church had all copies of the Talmud confiscated in March of 1240 and placed in the Place De Greve, a public square in Paris, which is the current location of city hall and the mayor’s office. In all, there were 24 cartloads of Talmud, thousands of volumes.

One must understand that this was before the advent of the printing press – each one of those volumes was painstakingly handwritten, and in many cases, was the only copy we had of that particular section of Chazal. 

“The King invited the four rabbis to debate Donin, the fate of the 24 cartloads hanging in the balance. Transcripts of the debate exist, and even according to the Latin transcript it was by no means a win by Donin. The disputation revolved around whether the Talmud commands Jews to despise non-Jews and Christians. The results of the debate were predetermined, and although Donin wasn’t able to prove his position, the fate of the volumes of Torah was a foregone conclusion, and in 1242 the Gemaras were burnt. 

The Jews were shocked, never imagining that the Church would commit such an act. On 9 Tammuz 5002 (1242 CE) bloodcurdling, hate-filled cries echoed through the streets of Paris. “Bring the books!” shouted the frenzied mob. Twenty Four wagons, filled with close to 12,000 handwritten manuscripts of the Talmud, are brought to a stake that has been set ablaze in a public square, opposite the Notre Dame Cathedral. The proceedings were overseen by the priests, who had front-row seats to view the event. Royal guards lifted the seforim from the wagons and cast them into the raging fire.

The ramifications of this were tremendous. Each one of those volumes was handwritten, and many of the volumes had the actual handwritten glosses of the Baalei Tosafos written in their margins, to be lost forever. 

The Maharam M’Rutenberg, known as the last of the Baalei Tosafos, (not so well-known as my ancestor)  was a 27-year-old student at the time, and wrote one of the most stirring Kinos that we say on Tisha B;Av, שאלי שרופה באש, (She who was burnt in Fire asks..) to mourn this tragedy, which was one of the worst days in medieval Jewish history.

It is evident in this Kinah that he saw this event potentially as the end of Torah as we knew it. (In subsequent Responsa he refers, at times, to the fact that there were no seforim available for him to research a Halachic issue).He woefully compares the glory of the giving of the Torah to its current state. He laments “no longer will I hear the voice of your singers” the voice of Torah has been stilled, and there will no longer be any Torah scholars. The Torah is the glue that keeps us going throughout golus, that binds us together and to our Father in Heaven. In fact, this event was – for a long time – the end of the Torah community of French Jewry; the Ashkenazic center of Torah moved to German cities, including Ruttenberg. But Netzach Yisrael lo Yishaker - the tenacity and resilience of the Jewish people cannot be overestimated. As the Maharam himself predicts at the end of the Kinah, Torah will prevail. 

 In the midst of the Kinah, however, he makes a remarkable prediction 

עוֹד תִּגְזוֹר לִשְׂרוֹף דָּת אֵשׁ וְחֻקִּים וְלָכֵן אַשְׁרֵי שֶׁיְּשַׁלֶּם לָךְ גְּמוּלָיִךְ

צוּרִי בְּלַפִּיד וְאֵשׁ הַלְבַעֲבוּר זֶה נְתָנֵךְ כִּי בְּאַחֲרִית תְּלַהֵט אֵשׁ בְּשׁוּלָיִךְ

Praised is He who will repay your deed, My Rock will come with lightning and fire; It is for this that in the Final DaysYour eaves will be lit with fire 

We have no news yet as to why the fire occurred or who set it (if it was arson). It is interesting that this is only the latest of quite a few churches (and synagogues and mosques) being set on fire. 

But I do want to reflect on two interesting aspects of this spectacle:

First – Notre Dame has a mixed history with the Jewish people. Besides the terrible events of 1240 described above, one of the most famous works of art that were featured in the ornate sanctuary were two striking statues. "The statues, known as Ecclesia and Sinagoga, and generally found in juxtaposition, are a common motif in medieval art and represent the Christian theological concept known as supersessionism, whereby the Church is triumphant and the Synagogue defeated. Sinagoga is depicted here with head bowed, broken staff, the tablets of the law slipping from her hand and a fallen crown at her feet. Ecclesia stands upright with crowned head and carries a chalice and a staff adorned with the cross."  

It should also be mentioned, however, that Notre Dame also served as a hiding place for over 8,000 Jewish children during the Holocaust by the French Underground and the leaders of Notre Dame. 

All of this was very interesting and enough to pull me away from scrubbing the oven quite a bit, but it made me wonder – assuming the Maharam’s prediction was coming true - why now? What connection was there between long-ago events and today? 

Given that it is virtually Erev Pesach, I thought of the well known famous connection between Pesach and Tisha Bav. The Midrash tells us that based on a numbering system known as “At Bash”, one can draw parallels between the first and last letters of the Alef Bais (Alef and Tav – “At”), the second letter and the second from last letter (Bais and Shin – “Bash” and so on. Using this, they point out the first day of Pesach (Alef) falls on the same day of the week as a holiday starting with Tav that year – Tisha B’Av. The second day falls with a holiday starting with Shin – Shavuos…and so on. (see below for the full list)

At first blush, that sounds odd. Passover – the Holiday of Liberation and Freedom – of leaving the Exile – is to be juxtaposed with Tisha B’Av, the Holiday of Slavery and suffering – of Entering the Exile – what can this mean? 

Much has been written on this topic, and that oven (and my wife) are calling. However, one quick thought relates to another of the Kinos, in which we compare When we out of Egypt to When we went out of Jerusalem; a Kina that is usually song in a melancholy tune.
באתי ממצרים -- בצאתי מירושלים  

which is underscored by the fact that Tisha B'Av always falls on the same day as the first of Pesach (This year Shabbat).*

Furthermore, I did the math, 2019-1242 = 777 years since that day.

A gematria calculator revealed that 777 is gematria of:

       יתגלה הגאל בן דוד עם אליה הנביא

      The Redeemer and Eliyahu HaNavi will be revealed

 and

      כי משיח צדקינו יבא ויגאלינו  

that Mashiach will come and redeem us.

who knows? 

Hoping for a Geula Shelaima

חג כשר ושמח
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PS According to a well known numerology system the days of the week that Pesach falls on is the same as the other holidays of the year:

.א"ת, יום א' של פסח יהיה תשעה באב באותה השנה; 

.ב"ש, ב' של פסח יהיה א' שבועות; 

.ג"ר, ג' של פסח יהיה א' ראש השנה; 

.ד"ק, יום ד' של פסח יהיה קניין התורה והוא שמחת תורה; 

.ה"צ, ה' של פסח יהיה צום כפור; 

.ו"פ, ו' של פסח יהיה פורים שלפניו באותו השנה. 

.ז"ע, ז' של פסח יהיה יום העצמאות.

(ביום בו חל פורים יהיה ל"ג בעומר והסימן פל"ג (או"ח סי' תכ"ח א

No, Rabbi Kahane הי"ד Was Not a Racist

I have learned that writing about “political” matters is a thankless and usually purposeless task. People are so entrenched in their biases and opinions that they are almost never willing to hear what the other side has to say.

Nevertheless, I would like to comment briefly on the current brouhaha surrounding the Otzma Yehudit party, and the nearly universal strident condemnation of Prime Minister Netanyahu for helping broker a deal that will likely result in that party receiving one or two seats in the upcoming election, which will help Likud form a coalition  (should Netanyahu survive his legal troubles). *
According to media reports, the “American Jewish Community” deems Otzma Yehudit racist, fascist, and other lovely terms. In Israel, too, many have used the same epithets, with one prominent leftist rabbi – Benny Lau – going so far as to imply that to vote for Otzma Yehudit is to vote for a racist, fascist party that wants to enact the Nuremberg Laws.

(In fact, Otzma has no intention of introducing the “more extreme” types of bills that Rav Kahane advocated, such as making it illegal for a Jew to marry an Arab, or that Jews and Arabs should have separate beaches to discourage intermarriage.  Dr. Michael Ben-Ari, who is at the head of the Otzma list, served in the Knesset for years as part of the National Union and never raised any such bills.)  

I find it amazing how much people distort the views of Rabbi Meir Kahane, הי"ד . It is my experience that the vast majority of those who find Rabbi Kahane’s beliefs abhorrent have:

1) never actually read his books; 
2) tend to be liberal in their outlook to the extent that they are uncomfortable with Torah concepts that conflict with western liberal values; and 
3) are afraid of the political power Kahane represents.

This short article is not the place to argue the merits of Rav Kahane’s ideas. Personally, I agreed with at least 90 percent of what he had to say, although I believe some of his statements – particularly toward the end of his too-short life – were too extreme and the tone in which he said them was too harsh. I ascribe this tone and extremism to the bitterness he felt in being unfairly undercut and destroyed by his political enemies who were afraid of his growing popularity.

Those who oppose Rabbi Kahane remind me of the mindless, absolute rejection of President Trump by virtually the same groups that are vilifying Otzma Yehudit.

I would encourage any fair-minded person to actually read his books – the two most important of which, in my opinion, are Never Again and Why Be Jewish?. I promise it’s worth your time. Even if you end up disagreeing with him, you will at least come away impressed by the power of his arguments.  He was hated because he spoke the unvarnished truth and refused to kowtow to the false bromides that the Jewish majority liked to console themselves with.  (Here is a short but great example of his powerful and fearless speeches)

Those who vilify Rabbi Kahane remind me of the mindless, absolute rejection of President Trump by virtually the same groups that are vilifying Otzma Yehudit. In both cases, haters pick up on half-truths, which they distort and twist in order to vilify and politically murder their political opponent. Truth is irrelevant to them.

For example, both Rav Kahane and President Trump have been accused of being racist. In the case of Rabbi Kahane, critics point to his calls to drive the Arabs out of Israel. As for the president, critics point to his statement that there were good people on both sides of the Charlottesville debacle and his strong stance against illegal aliens.

Both these “proofs,” however, are bogus. Rabbi Kahane did not hate Arabs nor did he wish them to be treated with anything less than full civility as long as they left Israel. He argued that no self-respecting Arab would ever sing Hatikvah and salute the Israeli flag with full-hearted loyalty to Israel.

He argued that Arabs genuinely believe we stole their land and far too many of them would like to push us into the sea, or at the very least, use their growing birthrate to democratically vote the State of Israel out of existence. Living where I do – in the 70-percent-and-growing Arab Galilee – I can testify that the issue is real.

The crucial bottom line, however, is that Rabbi Kahane’s argument is based on practicality and history, not racism or animus. To refuse to deal with the issues he raised – and that Otzma Yehudit champions – is to refuse to deal with uncomfortable questions. (Another Kahane classic, incidentally – obviously unread by most Jews – is Uncomfortable Questions for Comfortable Jews.)

In the case of President Trump, he is not against immigrants; he’s against illegal immigration.   He does not consider illegal aliens “animals.” He used that term only to describe the murderers and rapists gang members of MS-13.

He also did not say that Nazis marching in Charlottesville were good people; he said exactly the opposite and condemned them severely. In his “good people” comment, Trump was arguing that many of the Confederate-statue-loving protesters were simply opposed to rewriting the history of the Confederacy.

It is too bad that – both in Israel and the U.S. – political discourse has been replaced by lies, smears, and innuendo. Let’s hope that less shrillness and more sanity returns to political discussion and that people start listening to – rather than vilifying – each other.

Published March 1, 2019 in the Jewish Press

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* Personally, I have not yet made up my mind who I will be supporting in the coming election; I am wavering between Moshe Feiglin's Zehut party and Otzma Yehudit.  I have thoroughly enjoyed the way that Otzma Yehudit brings their point of view to the attention of their opponents.  This must-see video was made while the left was blocking attempts to force the Arab muezzins to stop directing their loudspeakers to broadcast wailing from their muezzins at ear-splitting decibel levels at 4:30 AM.

While on the topic, I love this one as well.

Lavon receives a Visitor in Chief!

I have the great fortune of living in Lavon, a small but expanding upscale bedroom community near Karmiel in the Galilee.  Nestled high in the hills overlooking the Bet HaKerem valley, Lavon was formed as a secular Yishuv some twenty years ago.  There are no other Shomer Shabbos families here, and many of the founding families would like to keep it that way.  

The appearance of my wife and I – the “crazy Americans” – ten months ago was greeted with some bemusement and suspicion.  People wanted to know “איך נפלתם לפה ?” (How did you fall into this place?), wondering why we would want to live here.  We smiled and tried our best to blend in, not make waves, greet everyone with friendliness and warmth, and hoped that we would eventually be able to make a difference.

This past week we experienced what we hope was a watershed event.  Our move to Lavon was accomplished with the help and support of Ayelet HaShachar, an organization that – among many worthy activities – helps religious families move into secular areas, with the aim of bringing people together and lessening the social barriers between religious and secular people. 

Rav Shlomo Raanan, founder and director of the organization, has a close relationship with the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rav Dovid Lau Shlita.  Rabbi Lau has distinguished himself by setting the goal of bringing Jews of all types together at the center of his activities as Chief Rabbi.  Upon being ןnformed a few weeks ago that Rav Lau will be visiting the North, and may have an hour to visit a community that would benefit from his presence, Rav Raanan offered me the privilege of bringing the Chief Rabbi to Lavon.

I approached my good neighbor and friend who chairs the Yishuv committee to help me arrange the visit of the Chief Rabbi in the Community center.   After almost two weeks, she reported that after checking with various groups within the Yishuv, the consensus had been that the majority are not only not interested in the Rav’s visit, but they are opposed to it.  Therefore, the Rabbi was not welcome in the community center.  

At first, I was quite disheartened at this response.  But Rav Raanan encouraged us to persevere, and we invited the community to meet with the Rav in our home instead.  While many locals remained uninterested or even opposed, we invited everyone that we knew to come and join usfor an interesting hour.

Baruch Hashem, we had a splendid evening.  After my wife graciously welcomed the Rav and all of the 25-30 people who came, I remarked that some Divine help was evident in making this evening happen.   The first contact that Rav Raanan had with Lavon was about three years ago when someone had heard that Ayelet HaShachar helps various communities to build shuls wherethey do not exist.  Just recently, Lavon had had a series of tragedies; in particular, a  young girl had been killed in a horrific accident at the entrance to the Yishuv.  They asked Rav Raanan for help in establishing a Bet Knesset for the few families that had a traditional bent, that would perhaps bring some solace and meaning to the Yishuv.   As it turned out, unbeknownst to anyone planning the Rav’s visit, the evening of 26 Shvat was the yahrzeit of the tragic death!   It was incredibly moving that this event was now bringing exactly that sort of lightto the community!

He stressed that this could be accomplished best by not speaking “about” others, but rather “to” others – seeking to find and focus on what unites us rather than what divides us.

Rav Lau was warm and charming in his remarks, tailored perfectly for the secular but interested audience.  He spoke of his upbringing in Tel Aviv, and how while playing soccer he learned of the importance of inclusion; of seeing those who are not part the “in” group and seeking to make sure that everyone feels valued.   He stressed that this could be accomplished best by not speaking “about” others, but rather “to” others – seeking to find and focus on what unites us rather than what divides us. (He mentioned that this is all too rare in Israel – particularly in the hyper-political climate now preceding elections – but that this is a critically important message for us as a society).  He concluded by mentioning the famous prayer of R Elimelech of Lizhensk that “Adaraba – May You place in our hearts that we will see the virtues of our fellows and not their faults, and that we speak together pleasantly. We may disagree with others, and even see their faults, but we ought to strive to see the good that they have, and focus on what unites us.

In the very limited time that was left, the Rav fielded various comments and questions, including one from my dear neighbor, who had told me that he was allergic to anything religious in Israel.  While he lived in America he would occasionally attend a shul or fast on Yom Kippur.  In Israel, however, he was absolutely opposed to participating in any religious activity because of religious coercion and nasty things that have often emanated from the religious parties.  The Rav, with much wisdom and love, encouraged him to focus on his own relationship with the Almighty and Judaism, irrespective of the negative things others might have said or done. He further assured him that he has devoted his life to bringing Jews together and minimizing that sort of friction, which is why the mission of Ayelet HaShachar is close to his heart.

Rav Raanan brought the evening to a close by mentioning the terrible tragedy earlier that week, in which four Sifrei Torah were abused and desecrated in Kiryat Yovel.  In response, he presented us with a much needed Sefer Torah on long-term loan, what will be used in our community to strengthen our connection to Torah and Judaism.  (He hopes to find a home for three more Sifrei Torah in the very near future as well).

Feedback in the community was wonderful, with several community members expressing their appreciation not only for the Chief Rabbi’s visit, but letting me know how much they appreciated our being in Lavon, and their hope that we would stay in the community and help it grow for many years to come.

All in all, this was a wonderful event.  We hope that not only will it inspire our community of Lavon, but encourage other American Rabbis and knowledgeable lay people to come to one of many more communities in Israel that are waiting (whether they know it or not) for the right person to come and be a beacon of Torah and tradition with love and friendship.

(Published in the Jewish Press, Feb 8, 2019)