For the past few weeks, I have followed the latest in the cultural wars. The latest battlefront is the response to Critical Race Theory (CRT). Essentially Critical Race Theory suggests that social and legal institutions created by a white-dominated social and legal institution are intrinsically racist or racially insensitive to people of colour. This theory originated in law schools as a way of challenging the racial bias that occurs anywhere. The recent battle that we have been hearing about is not the CRT per se, but the assumption that unless CRT is eliminated, little white children will be taught a version of history that might make them either feel bad about themselves, somehow makes them less appreciative of their society or even unpatriotic. Obviously, the perpetrators of this highly emotional and utterly chaotic response are those incredibly hypersensitive white people who are afraid to acknowledge the past and are certainly anti-intellectual enough that they are incapable of learning from the past. Just imagine if Moshe had to bring that group into Eretz Canaan!
This week’s Parsha is Devarim, which is the first Parsha of the Book of Deuteronomy or Sefer Devarim. In very large brushstrokes, Moshe recounts the experiences of the generation that fled Egypt. Very few details are given. In fact, Moshe begins the story at the foot of Sinai; however, the name is changed from Sinai to Horev. In his recounting, Moshe speaks as a participant in this national experience not in the third person, as was presented in the Books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. This is quite different from the Moshe we have seen. Until now he spoke as a prophet. God spoke to him and he spoke to B'nai Yisroel. Now Moshe displays a certain amount of freedom as he shares the experiences of the past from his perspective. Parsha Devarim is the introductory Parsha to Moshe’s formal teaching of the Torah to this new generation. Moshe begins with a history lesson beginning with the most recent events and working backward to the Exodus. Moshe Rabeinu, now only a few weeks from the moment of his death, imparts his teaching and his wisdom upon B’nai Yisroel like a dying grandparent or parent would to his/her children. This re-telling or repetition of history and laws to a new generation inspired the Talmudic Sages to call Sefer Devarim (The Book of Words- Deuteronomy) the Mishnah Torah or the repetition of the Torah.
Moshe does not whitewash anything. He is not terribly worried about offending historical sensitivities. While addressing this generation who is about to enter Eretz Canaan, he holds no punches. He points out that their parents and grandparents were unworthy. He points out that their parents and grandparents were spiritually weak. The first issue that Moshe discusses is the reason for wandering forty years. He recounts the incident 40 years earlier with the twelve spies. Moshe does not sugarcoat their parents and grandparents' response to the spies' report. V’Lo Avitem La’Alot VaTamru et Pi HaShem Elokeichem But you did not wish to ascend, and you rebelled against the word of Hashem, your God. VaTeiragnu V’A’Haleichem VaTomru B’Sinat HaShem Otanu HoTzi’Anu M’Eretz Mitzrayim LaTeit Otanu B’Yad Ha’Emori L’Hashmideinu- You slandered in your tents and said, ‘because of the Hashem’s hatred for us did he take us out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorite to destroy us.” (Deut. 1:26-27). Who is the “you” that Moshe refers to? Clearly, he is speaking to the generation that is physically before him, that is with him on the eastern bank of the Jordan River preparing to realize the covenant. Is Moshe confused? It seems doubtful. Clearly, he is talking about the parents and grandparents of the current generation. Why does he address them as “You”? Clearly, Moshe is not too terribly worried about hurting feelings, destroying love of country, or creating anti-patriotic feelings, nor is Moshe concerned about self-loathing. No, Moshe had one very real concern. If the generation that experienced the miracle of the Exodus, the Revelation at Sinai, Miriam’s Well, Manna, and God’s constant presence, could lack faith, then each and every generation after could also lack faith. So, Moshe wanted this current generation to learn from their parents' and grandparents' mistakes and not repeat them. By referring to this generation as “you”, Moshe has inserted them into the past and holds them responsible for the future.
When I listen to the critics of Critical Race Theory and their fear of teaching history so that everything is whitewashed (no pun intended); I realize that is so antithetical to Judaism. First of all, how do we teach Jewish History? Our history is not only a history of oppression at the hands of dominant and frequently anti-semitism, the Rabbinic Sages look at history as self-inflicted wounds, and shortcomings in faith (Tisha B’Av and the destruction of the First and Second Temples), as well as moments when we rose to such challenges. Judaism does not have saints. Moshe points out that our ancestors had real shortcomings, Moshe had a nasty temper, King David committed numerous morally questionable acts (and paid the price for those morally questionable deeds), King Solomon had numerous non-Jewish women in his concubine that led him to engage in idolatry. Joseph’s brothers conspired against their father and lied to him about Joseph. In the Talmud, our sages record the majority opinion and the minority opinion. Judaism doesn’t whitewash anything. We struggle with the words, we struggle with the text, we interpret, we re-interpret, and interpret some more. Our Sages understood and established a tradition of learning from the successes and the failures of those who preceded us. For our Sages, the reward for learning these lessons was a vibrant Jewish society built upon learning, a society that took care of its most vulnerable, and a society that aspired towards holiness. Maybe all those overly sensitive white parents need to be reminded that the purpose of studying history is not about making sure that their fragile egos are soothed or that their fragile children feel good, but rather learn from the past in order to take responsibility for the future.
Rav Yitz
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