Well we picked up our two teen-age daughters from summer
camp. I should have known what was in
store for us when we picked them up. We were about an hour late and they were
busy hanging around with the other staff kids. We had to look for them. There
was no hug, just a passing hello as they ran off crying with their friends. We
finally gathered them into the van. They
cried. They bemoaned the fact that they had to return to civilization. They
bemoaned the fact they were returning to school. They bemoaned the fact that
they couldn’t be loud, stay up late, and talk all night with their
friends. After the car ride and we
arrived home and now it seems that no matter what we ask of our daughters, no
matter what we do for our daughters, they snap at us, they yell at us and they
basically remind us how horrible we are since we took them from camp and they
have to wait another ten months before they return. Their mother and I grew up going to camp, we
know how terrific camp can be and how influential camp can be; and we know that
there is a requisite decompression time before they return to themselves. Yet I
can’t help but wonder that with another camp season passed, our influence has
diminished and the influence of their friends and peers have increased.
This Shabbat we read from Parsha
Shoftim. Moshe reminds B'nai Yisroel to
establish courts upon their arrival in the land. He reminds Bnai Yisroel that there
is no room for Idolatry, a crime punishable by death. He reminds Bnai Yisroel
to be aware of the elder that teaches Torah in a perverse manner. Moshe
prophesizes that Bnai Yisroel will want a king. However Moshe reminds the
people that the king of Israel must never be like other Kings. In order to
guarantee that the King of Israel behaves appropriately, he is commanded to
have two Sifrei Torah. One Torah is to remain in the palace for safekeeping and
one that he carries with him so that he can be reminded of what it means to be
king. Moshe reminds Bnai Yisroel about prophecy and how to know who is a true
prophet and who is not. He reminds Bnai Yisroel that they will have to fight in
order to conquer the land and there are rules for waging war and negotiating
for peace. He also explains that there will be cities of refuge established for
those accused of manslaughter and must flee from the avenging family member.
Finally he reminds Bnai Yisroel that a town has a responsibility for an
unsolved murder. In essence, Moshe reminds Bnai Yisroel that there is no excuse
to behave like other nations. Every aspect of life is governed my laws to
remind Bnai Yisroel of this fact.
While Moshe reminds Bnai Yisroel of
the myriad of laws that are established in order to prevent them from behaving
like the other nations; there are moments that extreme measures must be
taken. These extreme measures only exist
in the context of He’Arim Rechokot
Mimcha Meod-cities that are very
distant from you; those cities and those people should be wiped out: L’Maan Asher Lo Yilamdu Etchem La’Asot K’Chol
To’Avotam Asu Leiloheihem L’Adoshem Elokeichem –so that they will not teach you to act according to all their
abominations that they performed for their gods so that you will sin to Hashem,
your God. (Deut 20:15,18). What does it mean when the Torah mentions “a
city that is very distant from you”? This is not an issue of geography, nor is
it an issue of xenophobia or a simplistic version of racism. Rather, this
category of city has everything to do with a place whose inhabitants are so far
removed from the Noahide laws, so enmeshed in the idolatry that perverts the
fundamental value of the sanctity of life, such inhabitants, and such a place
should be destroyed. The Torah’s reason
is simple, so that this horrible influence shouldn’t be anywhere near the
Jewish people.
No, we don’t look at our daughter’s
summer camp experience as a “distant city” that needs to be eliminated.
However, just as such a city needs to be eliminated because of the fear of that
city’s influence upon Bnai Yisroel; we worry about those untoward influences upon
our children. We also know that less and less places are truly distant yet the
influences upon the Jewish people that are negative are plentiful. We cannot
rid ourselves of such influences by eliminated the people and the place. Rather
we can only eliminate the influence by strengthening Bnai Yisroel. As parents
we can eliminate the negative influences, rather we can strengthen our children
so that they have the tools to deal with those negative influences, even if it
some of those influences come from their friends.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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