This week we watched as another terrorist attack
rocked Europe, this time in Brussels. As our home had been preparing for Purim;
I couldn’t help but acknowledge the commonly held view of the Talmudic Sages
that there is Haman in every generation and there is Amalek in every
generation. Part of our Purim preparations involve my wife organizing and
making the Mishloach Manot, our kids loading the Mishloach Manot into cute
boxes, and my delivering the Mishloach Manot. Amid the preparations, and our
kitchen covered in Hamentashan dough, I was able to watch the various
Presidential candidates speak at the AIPAC conference. In case the Jews who
attended the conference, and those throughout the United States and Canada were
unsure if Purim was actually scheduled for this week or not, several of the
candidates were good enough to remind us. As I listened to the speeches and
re-read their speeches, I can appreciate the reasons why many support Donald
Trump. His rhetoric sounds very tough and very strong. We know that there are
many who genuinely gravitated to people who appear strong, whose words are
strong, who exude strength, and speak in a language that offers no apologies,
takes no prisoners, makes no excuses and
“tells it like it is”. As a business man, Donald Trump’s political rhetoric is
remarkably similar to his business negotiations. For the Donald, every deal is
about demonstrating power absolute terms. This means that after he finishes
negotiating, there is nothing left of the other side. For Trump, a negotiation
is really about destroying the other side. This “Art of the Deal” was a very
different negotiating style than the one I learned from my grandfather. For my
grandfather, a negotiation was very rarely a demonstration in power. He knew he
had plenty, rather it was to demonstrate the ability to withhold the use of
power. For my grandfather, a negotiation was never about vanquishing the other
side, instead he always made sure “leave something on the table” in order for
the counterpart to “save face”. My grandfather made sure never to humiliate his
counterpart because, as he explained to me, “you never knew when and if you
might need a favor from him or if have the opportunity to do more business.”
Many years ago, I once wrote my grandfather’s name as a write-in vote for a Presidential
election. It’s pretty safe to say, I would never vote for Trump.
This week we read from Parsha Tzav.
In it we learn that the Kohanim are responsible for their own offerings as well
as making offering on behalf of the people. God instructs Moshe to teach the
Kohanim their responsibilities in slaughtering the offerings, cleaning up, what
must be burnt, and what the Kohen may consume. After God completes the set of
instructions specifically for the Kohanim, God then instructs Moshe as to B’nai
Yisroel’s responsibilities as well. Finally God instructs Moshe to make the
required preparations for the Kohen to assume his position among the people.
This includes the bringing of sin offerings, achieving a certain spiritual
mindset as well as learning how to make all the offerings.
As the instructions are issued
concerning each offering, there is a general patter. V’Zot Torat [name of offering] Hakreiv –And this is the law of the meal offering (the peace offering, the
feast offering etc.) However the Sin Offering breaks with the Parsha’s
formula. Zot Torat Ha’Chatat Bimkom Asher Tishacheit Ha’Olah Tishacheit HaChatat
Lifnei Kodesh Kodashim Hu – This is
the law of the sin offering; in the place where the elevation offering is
slaughtered shall the sin offering be slaughtered, before God, it is most Holy (Lev.
6:18). Why is this the only offering that designates a specific place that is
exactly the same as another offering? If this offering to God is so important
why wouldn’t the offering take place separate in its own time and in its own
location? Precisely because it is so important, and this offering requires such
sensitivity, we are extremely concerned. One makes the Sin Offering after an
unintentional sin is committed. If someone points out a mistake that we make,
our first response might be defensive, to make excuses. This is normal if we
experience shame and embarrassment. However when we are not embarrassed, when
we are not humiliated then it is much easier to admit to the sin, or the
mistake and apologize in a humble manner. If the Sin Offering occurred in its
own location, then everyone else would know that those people had sinned and
were now making offering as a form of apology. People would talk and the
individual bringing the offering would perhaps be too embarrassed to work on
his/her relationship to God. This is tragic. So in order to preserve the
individual’s dignity, the Torah provides anonymity. Someone looking on would
never know if the individual making the offering is there with a sin offering
or an elevation offering. Torah creates an environment to allow the individual
be forthright, honest and still save face within the community.
As we continue to listen to Trump’s
rhetoric, as we continue to be told that “he loves Israel” and that he is great
negotiator; I wonder how his rhetoric will play in a part of the world that respects power as
the well as the threat of power. I wonder how his rhetoric will play in a part
of the world where tribes go to war when they feel as if they are humiliated
and have lost face. I wonder if he can speak with the subtle nuance that is
spoken between Israel, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, a language that allows Israel
to actually get along with several of her neighbors.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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