The
last few weeks, there has been a dramatic increase in dramatic increase in Anti-Semitic
attacks. Several dozen Jewish Community
Centers throughout the United States have received bomb threats. This week, the
bomb threat scare arrived in my hometown of Rochester, NY, and here in Toronto.
Both facilities evacuated and eventually determined the threat was just like
all the other bomb threats. Day Schools
in the United States have received bomb threats. Jewish cemeteries from St.
Louis, to Philadelphia from Brooklyn to Rochester, NY have been the site of
vandalism with numerous gravestones toppled. During one of the many news shows
that I watch, one of the political pundits who resides in New York City
commented that he saw a police officer standing outside a Jewish Day school.
The pundit asked the policeman why his presence was required. Was an important
official appearing at the school? The police officer responded, “It’s just
another day at school”. In response to
these Anti-Semitic incidents in New York State, Governor Cuomo went to Israel
to meet with the Prime Minister, show
support for Israel, and spend time with Israel’s security and law enforcement
industries and agencies. Then the governor did something to show his support
for the Jewish Community in New York. He spent last Shabbat at the Park Avenue
Synagogue, one of the wealthiest Conservative Synagogues in the United States. The
Governor’s message was simple. His was a message of tolerance and light, and he
wanted everyone, even those who gravitate toward intolerance and darkness, to
understand that tolerance and light will remain a constant in his administration.
Needless to say, all of our children were incredibly proud that Governor
visited Israel and celebrated Shabbat as a demonstration of support for Jews in
Israel and Jews in North America.
This
Shabbat we read from Parshah Tetzaveh. This Shabbat is also the Shabbat that
immediately precedes the celebration of Purim. The day in which the Jewish
people celebrate the redemption of Persian Jewry during the second or third
century BCE. This Shabbat is known as Shabbat Zachor – Shabbat of Remembrance.
Besides the weekly Torah portion, Tetzaveh, three verses (Deut. 25:17-19) are
recited. In those verses we are commanded to remember what Amalek did to the
Jewish people as they left Egypt. They attacked and murdered the escaped
slaves. The villain of the Purim story, Haman, according to Midrash (Rabbinic
legend) comes from the tribe of Amalek, the Torah’s symbol of evil. However the
weekly Parsha Tetzaveh has nothing to do with Purim, or Amalek. Instead the
Parsha focuses upon Aaron, Moshe’s brother, Aaron’s sons, their position as the
Kohen Gadol, (High Priest), their “work uniform” and their preparations. Just
like last week’s Parshah, Terumah, contained numerous details concerning the
construction of the Mishkan; Tetzaveh’s focuses primarily upon the details
concerning the Kohen Gadol’s uniform. From material to design, this aspect of
the Parshah is a tailor/fashion designer’s dream. Once the details for the
uniform have been taught, the Parshah concentrates upon the necessary
preparations that the Kohanim must engage in so that they are spiritually pure
enough to make offerings on the behalf of the people. Only then, when the
construction is complete, when the clothing is finished and the purification
process fulfilled, then God will rest God’s presence among the people.
Despite
the primary focus upon Priestly vestments, the Parsha begins with the
commandment of the Ner Tamid, an Eternal Light. Until now Moshe has been a
conduit: VaYiDaber Adoshem El Moshe
Leimor, Dabeir El B’nai Yisroel – God
spoke to Moshe, saying: ‘Speak to the Children of Israel’. Now, regarding
the Lamp, Moshe doesn’t speak to the children of Israel or to the Priests;
instead Moshe is instructed to command the priests. No long is he just a
conduit. Regarding the Lamp, the command emanates from Moshe. Regarding God’s
first command of Moshe, the Torah tells us,
V’Atah T’tzaveh et Bnai Yisroel
VYikchu Eilecha Shemen Zayit Zach Katit La’Maor L’Ha’Alot Neir Tamid – Now you shall command the Children of
Yisroel that they shall take for you pure, pressed olive oil for illumination
to kindle the lamp continually (Ex. 27:20). So why is it so important for
the command to appear as if it comes from Moshe and not God? Why is this
Moshe’s commandment to the priests? Shmot Rabbah (Talmudic Rabbis’ commentary
on the Book of Exodus) offers a figurative understand of the perpetual light
that Moshe commands to be lit. See how
the words of Torah give light to man when he is occupied with them. But whoever
is not so occupied and is ignorant, he stumbles…’The way of the wicked is in
thick darkness ’…. (Shmot Rabbah 36:3). Moshe is told to command the Aaron
and his sons to light the Ner Tamid in perpetuity. Light and learning, not
darkness and ignorance must be perpetual and constant. Light and knowledge must
provide a lamp for all those who are in need of light and all those who are
ignorant and don’t even realize it. Moshe, ever the teacher, ever the law giver,
has been tasked to the lamp, to bring light, knowledge and understanding in perpetuity.
I
suppose our children are more sensitive to and are more acutely aware of
antisemitism than I was at their age. Maybe I was more oblivious. Maybe society
was more polite and such “unpleasantness” was part of the extreme aspects of
society that scurried about in the dark shadows where polite people didn’t
venture. Nowadays society is far less polite and over the past year, we have
watched extreme aspects of society receive a warm embrace by what used to be
thought of as “mainstream”. As this week immediately precedes Purim, a
celebration that commemorates Persian Jewry’s victory over Anti- Semitism; we
are reminded that darkness and ignorance remains present even here and that we
need to remain vigilant. Generally, light is symbolic of wisdom and enlightenment.
The only way to combat intolerance and ignorance is to shine a light upon it, a
strong glaring light of an enlightened, educated, sensitive, and democratic
society that possesses a profound respect for its democratic institutions and the
strength of will to root out the Amalek, the evil, ignorance, and intolerance
that exists in every generation.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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