If Only I Could Be Less Blind; If Only I Knew What To Find ( Phil Lesh & Jerry Garcia - "Mindbender Confusion's Prince")

For some reason, when Israel has elections, I feel compelled to reach out to a few friends who have made Aliyah.  This week was no different. I reached out to a few of my friends, a Brit and several Americans all of whom are all politically quite savvy and quite cynical. I spoke to them about a week before the elections and then immediately after the returns were finalized. With the results in, it appears at this point that Prime Minister Netanyahu does not have enough support to form a government. Perhaps the most fascinating result of the election was the fact that friends on the political left of the issue of peace and Palestinians and friends on the political right of the issue of peace and the Palestinians were both hopeful that Bibi would not remain Prime Minister. Both pointed out that Bibi has a cynical pattern: increasing tensions with Hamas which allows Bibi to threaten or militarily engage Hamas. My friends explained that this decision to respond militarily is completely justified; both sides point out the fascinating coincidence that tensions and incursion seem to occur around an election. They pointed out that a couple of weeks before this election there was increased tension with Hamas. My friends explained that rising tensions and a military incursion allow Netanyahu to portray himself as “Israel’s Protector”.  My friends also pointed out that Bibi tends to make extravagant promises regarding Israel’s security. Approximately a week before the election, Israelis heard President Trump’s talking about a defense treaty with Israel and Netanyahu’s pledged to annex the Jordan Valley. “So”, I asked, “What’s different this time?”

This week's Parsha is Ki Tavoh. For the past several Parshiot, Moshe has been listing and explaining all the precepts and laws. Last week's Parsha and the first part of Ki Tavoh explains the rewards. We will inherit the land; we will keep the land. Our enemies will be rendered weak. We will be fruitful and multiply. However, the second half of the Parshah explains all the curses that would befall us if we neglect to observe these laws. Every curse, of course, is the diametric opposite the previous blessings. So if we were promised bountiful harvests and many children, then our curse will be drought, famine, and bareness. Traditionally, the Aliyot that contain the curses are read in a softer voice. However, as horrible as these curses are, we must understand that it is up to us. We can either follow these laws or not, and as a result, we will bear the consequences of our actions. This is not necessarily a bad lesson for us as well as our children to learn. We are responsible for our actions, and we must bear responsibility for the consequences of those actions.

            One of the curses is most poignant given what my friends in Israel were explaining to me regarding cynical and corrupt leadership.  Arur Mashgeh Iveir Ba'Derech, Va'Amar Kol Ha'Am Amen - Accursed is one who causes a blind person to go astray on the road. And the entire nation said 'Amen" (Deut 27:18). If we read this literally then we are talking about a guide or a seeing-eye dog that would lead the blind astray. However, this curse is symbolic. We know that the Torah is light and the word Derech (way) is usually in combination with the Way of the Lord (God's Laws). On a metaphorical level, the curse is upon those leaders of a community that causes the less knowledgeable to go astray. If that knowledge causes those who are blind to go astray, then that leader should be cursed. Implicit to that statement is that the one who causes the blind to go astray sees the light, has the knowledge and teaches or guides the community away from God. Our Talmudic Sages offer an Aggadah about the teachers/Rabbis who were the leaders of their communities. "If there are two teachers, one who covers much ground but is not exact, and one who does not cover much ground but is exact, Rav Dimi b. Nehardea maintained that the one who is exact and does not cover much ground is to be appointed. The reason? A mistake once implanted (in the mind or in behavior) remains [a mistake]. (Talmud Baba Batra 21a-b). The Talmudic sages essentially understood the first rule in education. It is terribly difficult to undo that which has already been incorrectly taught.

It appears that the Talmudic Sages also understood quite a bit about Israeli political campaigns as well. My friends, both on the “right” and the “left” explained that at least half of the country has started to see that the Prime Minister takes a cynical approach to campaigning and governance. They explain that at least half of Israel has become aware that he is concerned about remaining in power and avoiding any corruption charges rather than solving the issues that matter to at least half of Israelis. They also sensed that Bibi’s disdain for democratic institutions including the courts, the press, and Israel’s Declaration of Independence had become evidently troubling to many Israelis. My friends all agreed that it doesn’t bode well for a leader of democracy to outwards and cynically express disdain for the very institutions that ought to be defended. Nor does it bode well for a leader of a democracy to divide and weaken the very institutions that make Israel such an incredibly unique and special place. As we hung up, they were all left wondering if there will be a new Prime Minister and if not, hopefully, this Prime Minister received the message transmitted by friends and the rest of the electorate.  

Peace,

Rav Yitz

But The Darkness Never Goes From Some Men's Eyes (John Barlow & Bob Weir - "Throwing Stones")

Why did he have to do that? Why did Trump invoke Israel and antisemitism when siting four Democratic Congresswoman of color as, Socialist, haters of America and finally telling them to “go back where they came from” if they hate America so much? I am not a fan of three of the four congresswomen. I don’t like Ocasio-Cortez; I don’t Tlaib, and I don’t like Omar. I don’t like their policies regarding Israel, I don’t appreciate their comments regarding Jews and Israel. I also know that I would never have voted for them. They are 4 votes in the Democratic Caucus and if they were smart and so politically astute, they would focus more on keeping quiet,  trusting Nancy Pelosi, and focus on getting rid of Trump, rather making provocative statements on Twitter in order to get more followers.  However, of all people to use  Israel and Anti-semitism as a standard when trying to find a convenient political target to replace Hilary Clinton and “Lock her up”.  Trump was the guy who managed to find moral relativism in Charlottesville. Trump and his anti-immigration, pro-conspiracy international kabal inspired a gunman to kill Jews in Pittsburgh, and inspire another crackpot to manufacture pipe bombs and send them to at least two Jewish liberal billionaires who support left-wing liberal causes.  Trump is the guy that racists love. Trump is the guy that Neo-Nazi and white supremacists love. Trump is the guy that is praised by David Duke. So why did the guy that white supremacists and neo-Nazis love so much, why did he need to cite ‘anti-semitism’ and ‘love for Israel’ as part of his “America, love it or leave it” racial scree? Make no mistake, I can’t tell you how many observant Jews have said, “you know the President is right, they (the four freshman Democratic congresswomen of color) are anti-semitic and anti-Israel.”  I wince as I remind them of Charlottesville, Pittsburgh, and Poway because I understand that Trump has managed to weaponized Israel and Anti- Semitism among Jews, thereby making the Jewish community even more disunified.

                 This Shabbat we read from Parsha Balak. Balak was a Moabite King. After watching what B’nai Yisroel had done to the Ammonites, Balak was distressed. He realized that fighting B’nai Yisroel with a regular army was doomed to fail because he realized that God had blessed them. Being a clever king, Balak surmised that the only way to fight B'nai Yisroel was to fight them on a spiritual level. Since God blessed Bnai Yisroel, Balak wanted to find someone to curse them. There lived a prophet, a “Prophet Consultant,” a “hired gun” if you will, named Bilaam. King Balak hired Bilaam to curse B’nai Yisroel. Bilaam is visited by God and told not to curse B’nai Yisroel. Bilaam ignores the visitation. On his donkey heading towards B’nai Yisroel’s camp, and preparing his curses, the donkey stops. Although Bilaam could not see the angel standing in the middle of the road with a sword drawn, the donkey did. As a result, the donkey refused to continue forward. Finally, Bilaam realizes that there is a divine force in the middle of the road and must confront it. Bilaam listens and heads toward the camp. Looking down upon the encampment, Bilaam blesses B’nai Yisroel with words that we say upon entering into any synagogue, words that we teach our children at the youngest of ages. Ma Tovu Ohalecha Yaakov Mishkenotecha Yisroel – How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places O Israel – Kinchalim Nitayu K’ganot Alei Nahar K’Ahalim Natah Adoshem Ka’Arazim Alei Mayim – stretching out like brooks like gardens by the river, like aloes planted by Hashem, like cedars by the water (Num 24:5-6). Try as he might, Bilaam is unable to curse Bnai Yisroel, rather he blesses them.

The Jewish people always have one or two questions when assessing people and governments. “Is it good for the Jews? Is it good for Israel?” Obviously, depending on the definition of “good”, the answer will vary. Also depending on which version of Israel matters, democracy or Jewish,  the answer may vary. Even how one understands “Jew” will cause the answer to the question, “is it good for the Jews” to vary. Certainly, Bilaam must be good for the Jews. Yes, he may have started off as wanting to curse the Jews, but that was because Balak hired him to do it. In the end, he not only offered a blessing, but we invoke that blessing every morning. Mah Tovu Ohalecha Yaakov – How Goodly are your tents O Israel. Those words of praise must be good for the Jews and good for Israel, right? Bilaam can’t be such a bad guy. No, the real bad guy must be Balak, the king of Moab, he is the guy that wants to curse Israel.  In the Talmud, Tractate Taanit 20a, R’ Samuel Bar Nachmani, suggests that the blessing isn’t really such a blessing. Bilaam invoked the mighty Cedar by the river when he blessed the Jews. Cedars do not grow in well-watered areas, its stock does not drive up new shoots and it has few roots. A wind from the South will uproot the Cedar and lay it flat on its face. Soon after this episode of Bilaam blessing B’nai Yisroel, he will devise the plan for Balak’s attempt to destroy B’nai Yisroel. It is Bilaam who brings the daughters of Moab in order to entice the men of B’nai Yisroel so that they begin acting like Moabites and the other idol-worshipping nations and dividing a nation.  So maybe Bilaam is not such a friend to the Jews after all.

                How bad is Trump for the Jews and Israel? He is awful. I don’t want Israel to be political fodder for the Republicans or Democrats. Support for Israel is in America’s best interests. When Israel gets weaponized by one political party against another, it is bad for Israel and it’s bad for the Jews. That’s how a right-wing, anti-immigration anti semite walked into a synagogue in Pittsburgh and started shooting. That is how and anti-semite, who believes that there is an international conspiracy taking over the world, walked into a synagogue in Poway and began shooting. Yes, it’s bad for the Jews because Trump and his weaponization of Israel and Jews create additional rifts within a Jewish community that will always be divided because of observance. It’s bad for Israel because it creates increased alienation between it and the less observant diaspora Jews. This phenomenon is played it in terms of generations and observance and contributes to the concern why Israel receives tepid support if any from the young, non-observant Jews. So regarding four woman of color, one of whom represents a district that historically was a Jewish neighborhood in Minneapolis, they are four women with four votes in Congress. They can have a twitter following of millions and millions but, only the people in their district can vote for them. So if the people in their district don’t vote for them, they are no longer in congress. If they decide to run for the Senate, even with all their millions of twitter followers, only those in corresponding states could vote for those women if they decide to run for Senate.  However, the President can affect foreign policy. The President can create an atmosphere that legitimizes racism, that looks at all brown skin people trying to immigrate to the United States as “illegal”, can appoint Supreme Court Justices, can sell the virtues of American and pervert is Democratic ideals in order to enrich himself. And that is bad for the Jews. Anything or anyone that threatens liberal democracy is ultimately bad for the Jews. History teaches us that we don’t do well in totalitarian governments. We didn’t do well in Communist Imperial Russia nor did we do well in Fascist Nazi Germany.  So maybe being loved and praised by Trump isn’t such a good thing especially when all the racists and white supremacist agree with him.

Peace,

Rav Yitz