Last week, Ottawa experienced a
terrorist attack aimed at Canada’s democratic institutions. I didn’t know about it until our daughter,
who is working in Seattle, texted me the news.
I turned on a U.S. news outlet that was covering the story. Different news shows, with different talking
heads, were interviewing eyewitnesses, FBI anti-terrorist authorities, as well
as Federal and Provincial law enforcement. When I came home from work, our
children asked if I had heard what occurred in Ottawa that day. “I did”, I
replied. Then our son looked up at me and said, “Well I guess that means that
there is nowhere safe from terrorist attacks.” I asked him what he meant.
“Well, Israel has terrorist attacks, the United States has terrorist attacks
like 9/11.” When I said that there must be some country that has not had a
terrorist attack, he quickly answered, “Maybe but I would never want to live
there. I have lived in America, mommy talks about living in Israel, and we live
in Canada and I never heard about a terrorist attack in Canada until this
week.” I thought about what Prime
Minister Harper said about democracy and
combating fear, I thought about what Mayor Rudy Giuliani said soon after the
9/11 attacks about New York being open for business and living in an open
democratic society. Just like my son
quickly came to the realization that there is no such thing as an open
democratic society invulnerable to a terrorist attack, now another country,
Canada has to quickly come to the same realization and begin a different kind
of national journey. Thankfully, Prime Minister Harper has already begun the
journey as he has been an outspoken supporter of fighting terrorism, whether it
be ISIS or Hamas. He has not only used words but has used deed as well by
providing military and intelligence support to the United States in the war on
terrorism. With this recent attack upon
a solider in Quebec and then the attack in Ottawa, the world seems to look a
little different than it did a few weeks before. When my children look at the world
from their “Canadian lens”, they see a similar world as when they look through
their “American lens”. There are bad people, and bad ideas out there that want
to hurt people innocent people living decent lives in nice places. For my
children to arrive at that realization is a process and journey that will
require faith.
This week's Parsha is Lech Lecha. In it, God commands Abram
to leave his father, his homeland and everything he has ever known and go to a
place where God will show him later. Abram does. He heads down towards Egypt
because of a famine. Eventually, Abram leaves Egypt with money, flocks,
servants, and wealth. Lot, Abram's nephew, and Abram decide to part ways since
each their respective flocks not only become intermingled but their hired hands
fight among each other. Abram then fights against several kings in an attempt
to protect Lot. Then his wife Sarai, who is barren, tells Abram to make Hagar
(the maidservant) the surrogate mother. Abram listens and Hagar has a son named
Ishmael. She runs away and then returns. God tells Abram a prophecy. Abram will
become the father of a great nation, and that nation will become enslaved for
several centuries and then will return to the land that God promised Abram.
Then God instructs Abram to circumcise himself, his son Ishmael and all the
males of his household.
All these seemingly unrelated events are linked together by
the explanation offered by the Talmudic Sages. Beginning with Abraham receiving
the command Lech Lecha, to go, from his father’s home, his place
of birth and his country to a new land, God was testing Abraham’s worthiness to
receive God’s Brit, God’s covenant. (Mishnah Avot 5:4) Rambam, the great 12th
century Spanish physician, philosopher, commentator and Halachist, explains that
these tests were not for God’s benefit. After all, God know what the result of
the test will be. Rather, Rambam explains that the test is for the benefit of
the person being tested. The Parsha begins with a seemingly superfluous word, Lecha for you. Ordinarily a command should be Lech – Go. However God says
“Lech Lecha” – Go for you/Go for yourself. Meaning Avraham’s going and the ensuing tests
that Avraham will face is for Avraham’s sake. The test are designed to prove to
Avraham that he is worthy of this unique relationship with God. It’s one thing
when a parent, a teacher, or a mentor believes in us. However if we don’t
believe in ourselves, then it doesn’t matter how much confidence other may have,
we still may feel unworthy or unable to succeed.
The same holds true for communities
and countries. Like the United States democratic ideals, values and institution
were tested on 9/11, Canada now faces a similar test. Will Canada cower to the
terrorists? Like other democracies that experienced terrorist attacks,
Canadians inherently understand that the Democracy will only cower to terrorist
if it gives into fear. Should there be
more security? Certainly. Should Canada become a closed society where
individual rights are trampled in the name of security? It seems that Canadian
politicians and the Canadian electorate, need to embark upon a journey for the
good of the country, a journey that the United States began on 9/11, and
determine the delicate balance between security and reduced risk while
maintaining the sanctity of individual rights and freedoms. Like I explained to
my son, Canada, is still a safe place to live, and a good place to live.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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