On
the weeknights that we sit down to dinner as a family; I insist that the
network newscast joins us. Sure we ask the kids about school and friends.
However I want them to hear what is going on in the world, to respond, to ask
questions, and even to learn something, in particularly about the United States
(since they don’t learn about the U.S.
in a Canadian Jewish day school). Frequently they are left feeling
pretty good about the U.S. and just as frequently they are left feeling pretty
good about Israel. So earlier this week, our children were left with a feeling
that I never had to struggle with when I was there age. Never did I feel
that I had to choose between being Jewish and American, between Israel and the
United States. This week our kids felt as if the Jewish/pro Israel side was at
odds with their democratic/American ideals. The United States Supreme court
ruled that a person born in Jerusalem cannot have a U.S. Passport that says
born in Israel. Why? The President decides on recognizing Capitols of sovereign
nations. And this President, like all Presidents since Harry Truman, does not
officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. More disturbing was a report that John Kerry
believed the rise of ISIS, radicalized Muslim youths, and Jihad was a result
Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians and the lack of progress towards a two
state solution. Wow! Young Muslims are radicalized because of Israel? Wow!
Secretary of State Kerry is ascribing a lot of power to a very small nation
with population of approximately 6 million Jews; compared to over a billion Muslims
in the world (most of whom live under non-democratic rule). Kerry presented a
rather interesting perspective ignoring the US role in the Iraq invasion after
Sept 11, 2001, the failure to figure out a comprehensive and decisive strategy
in Syria, and any demonstrable concern for the plight of Libya, all of which
created vacuums in authority. Besides, experts will say that Muslim young
people become radicalized for much more subtle reasons much of which has to do
with their own sociological micro issues. Only afterwards does the “radical Muslim
Spiritual guide” link the individual micro with the macro geo-political
reasons. Yet, here is the Secretary of State of the most powerful country in
the world accepting the perspective of Radical Islam, Hamas and Hezbollah regarding
who is to blame for the problems of the Middle East. Needless to say, the jaws
of our children dropped to the floor when they heard this.
This
week’s Torah portion is Parsha Shelach Lecha. The Torah portion begins with the
narrative of Moshe gathering up twelve spies, one corresponding to each of the
twelve tribes, and giving them the mission. The spies are told to investigate
the quality of the land – fertile or barren, its inhabitants - warlike or
peaceful, the nature of cities –fortified or open? The spies go and investigate
and return. Ten spies offer a negative report and two, Caleb and Joshua, offer
a positive report. Bnai Yisroel listen to the ten spies with the negative
report and fell utterly overwhelmed at the prospect of entering into the land
that Hashem promised them. Hysterical,
the people beg to return to Egypt. Hashem wants to wipe them all out
immediately but Moshe defends the people just like he did after the Golden
Calf. So rather than wiping out an entire people Hashem punishes Bnai Yisroel
by prohibiting this generation from entering into the land. Eventually, when
the slave generation has died out, the generations born in freedom will enter
Eretz Canaan. The people hear the
punishment and decide they are ready to enter the land. Moshe explains that it
is too late since entry into Canaan is ultimately premised upon faith. Then Moshe begin teaching Bnai Yisroel laws
specific and premised upon settlement in the Canaan. First Moshe teaches the Libation Offering as
well as Challah. Next, Moshe teaches the laws of public atonement of
unintentional idolatry, individual unintentional idolatry, intentional
idolatry, a reminder about violating Shabbat and finally the laws of Tzitzit.
The
ten spies whom Bnai Yisroel chose to believe did not really bring such a
negative report. They explained that the land was fruitful and fertile, there
were trees and that it was really quite beautiful. The problem with the report was that it
revealed more about the spies and Bnai Yisroel than the land itself. When
seeing some of the inhabitants and the physical size of some of those
inhabitants. The Ten spies said Vanhi V’Eineinu Ka’CHaGaVim V’Chain Hayinu
B’Eineihem – we were like
grasshoppers in our eyes and so we were in their eyes. (Num. 13:33) How do
the ten spies know how the Nefilim (the Giants) perceive them? Did they ask the
Nefilim? The answer to both questions is “No”. No they don’t know how the
Nefilim perceive the Ten Spies and “No”, the Ten Spies did not ask the Nefilim.
The spies feel small because from their own perspective and self- image, they
are small. When they look in a mirror, they see slaves. They don’t see people
who stood at Sinai and received the Torah. They don’t see a people who carry a
Mishkan with Hashem protecting them and scattering their enemies. They don’t
see a people worthy of Hashem’s daily miracles of Manna, and water. Instead they carry with them the burden of
two centuries of slavery and being slightly less than human rather than being
slightly less than angels. Rabbi
Menachem Mendel of Kotzk (The Kotzker Rebbe) explained that this was the root
of the spies as well as Bnai Yisroel’s sin. They had no right to consider how
others viewed them, nor should they have been at all concerned. They should have all been spiritually strong
enough to realize and accept that they were “priests to the nations” and
“chosen by God”. The fact that such spiritual awareness was still lacking even
after all the miracles and promises that God made; meant that problem lay with
Bnai Yisroel. These former slaves were not ready for the responsibility of land
and people hood.
Perspective really is very powerful
and it certainly can substitute for objective reality. Unfortunately people will see what they want
to see. Maybe “honest” politicians are those that clearly state their agenda first
and then bend the objective reality to fit the agenda. Maybe the dishonest
honest politicians are those that claim no agenda at all. As I listened
incredulously to the report and tried to explain it to my kids, finally giving
up any desire to defend Secretary Kerry as a supporter of Israel, I reminded
our children that he is a former Senator, he is a politician, and politicians
want to be liked by somebody. In this case because Kerry is constantly trying
to improve relations in the Arab world, and Iran, better to blame the country
with 6 million as opposed to a billion Muslims. Ironically, even Saudi Arabia,
Jordan and other stable Arab nations are realizing that Israel is not a cause
of the rise of Iran/ Isis, but rather can contribute to being a deterrent and
therefore an ally to various Arab countries. Maybe Secretary Kerry needs to get
a new perspective and a new sense of reality.
Peace,
Rav
Yitz
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