One of my politically astute children commented that the recent 35 day U.S. government shutdown was a result of Trump, Stephen Miller, Rush Limbaugh and Anne Coulter’s fear of strangers. According to these politically astute children, the intention of Trump’s wall seems to keep people who don’t look like Trump, Miller, Coulter or Limbaugh nor speak English like Trump, Miller Coulter or Limbaugh out of the U.S. Certainly, building a wall would be the fulfillment of a Trump campaign promise. Originally, however, he promised that Mexico would pay for the wall. After listening to these politically astute children, I did a little checking about this “wall business” and these “caravans” along the Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California border, and all the drugs, terrorist, and mayhem. I also did some checking about the border between Canada and the U.S. Guess what I found out? The border between the U.S. and Canada is far more open and porous than the Southern Border. The border between between Canada and the U.S. is much longer and has far less Immigration officers monitoring the border than the US Mexico border. My politically astute children reminded me that according to Trump, Canadians go to the U.S. to shop for sneakers (a Trump Tweet); Mexicans and South Americans bring drugs, MS13 and all the unwanted souls from these other countries. Interestingly enough over the past several years the U.S. Department of Immigration indicated that there has been more people leaving the U.S. and heading into Mexico. Immigration Canada statistics indicate that there has been nearly four times as many illegal border crossing attempts into Canada than U.S. So why does the President focus so much on the Mexican Border and Canadian border? My politically astute child said the reason was as clear as a beautiful sunny clear Canadian winter’s day? The president perceives that Canadians come from the same Western and Northern European stock as Americans. For Trump, Stephen Miller, Anne Coulter, Rush Limbaugh and 44% of Americans who support “the Wall”, the people trying to cross the Southern border are truly strangers. They don’t look like Trump, Miller, Coulter, Limbaugh and the 44% nor do they sound like Trump, Miller, Coulter, Limbaugh and the 44%.
In this week's Parsha, we read from Mishpatim. Moshe is still at Mt. Sinai. However the revelation synanomous with the Aseret Dibrot (Ten Commandments) has come and gone. Instead, God proceeds to present to Moshe the numerous mundane laws that affect daily human interaction. There is no shofar blowing nor is there an anticipation of encountering God at the mountain. Rather, there is only God telling Moshe how to decide various legal matters including the damages to be paid if an ox owned by one person gores the ox owned by another person. Or two men are fighting near a pregnant woman and she gets hurt, how does Moshe determine liability/guilt? How does one treat a Jewish servant, how are festivals to be observed?, What are the liabilities involved for a person asked to safeguard another’s property? What is the punishment for accidental death or manslaughter?These are just a few of the fifty three commandments (according to the Sefer HaChinuch). Moshe transmits these laws to B’nai Yisroel and they respond with the words Naaseh v’Nishmah – we will do and learn. The Parsha concludes with a glowing fire upon the mountain that Moshe ascends once again.
Following the awe inspiring revelation at Sinai in Parsha Yitro, it might seem like a spiritual let down as we read of one law after another. After the revelation of e Ten Commandments, listening to the rules and regulations that govern human interaction might seem tedious. However, buried beneath these rules and regulations is the most sacred of reminders regarding the foundations upon which these executive orders are based. V’Ger Lo Toneh V’Lo TilChatzenu Ki Geirim Heyitem B’Eretz Mitzrayim – You shall not taunt or oppress a stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. The Talmudic Sages in Baba Metzia 59b reminds us that the Torah cautions us regarding our treatment of the stranger no less than thirty six times. No other “executive order”, no other commandment, loving God, Shabbat, circumcision, forbidden foods, uttering a falsehood occurs as frequently as "loving the stranger" or "refrain from oppressing the stranger". The Talmudic sages understand this commandment in terms of the “stranger” (the idol worshipper turned proselyte). When the “stranger” ceases worshipping idols and begins the process of Torah study; no one oppresses, mocks or demeans his origins. Later Medieval commentators explain that the “stranger” is not only an idol worshipper turned proselyte, in other words, the spiritually defenseless. The “stranger” is the economically defenseless as well. RaShBam (11th Century French commentator and Rashi’s nephew) clarifies “Do not oppress him” as do his work since he has no champion. RaMBaM, the great Spanish commentator, adds a caveat to RaShBam. God defends the defenseless. God protects the widows and the orphans. In the previous Parsha, God reminded Moshe to tell B’nai Yisroel that they were to be a Nation of Priests, that is to say, B’nai Yisroel is supposed embody Godliness here on earth. Caring for the stranger embodies Godliness. Failure to care for the stranger embodies the Egyptian behaviour.
As we continued talking about the wall, we put ourselves in the shoes of th44%. My politcally astute childrent reminded us that it is human nature to fear the “other” to fear the “stranger”, to fear those who look different and sound different. Human nature has on full display in the White House. Yet Torah, Judeo-Christian morality, liberal democracy and the values with which we raise our children seems to appeal to something that transcends human nature. Instead, we are supposed to strive for something greater than human nature. We are supposed to transcend our fear of the stranger. We are supposed to transcend our trepidation of the “other”. We are supposed to be able to empathize with the stranger. After all, at some point in our history, we were all strangers. For the recently freed slaves standing at the foot of Mt. Sinai, Parsha Mishpatim explained how to create a civil, just, caring and humane society predicated upon law, trust, the sanctity of the human soul, and the necessity for empathy. I am willing to bet that no one has told Trump, Stephen Miller, Anne Coulter, Rush Limbaugh and many of the 44% that their respective ancestors who arrived in the New World wanting to build a new life were strangers also.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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