No matter what you do it’s never good enough
Sometimes even when you completely capitulate and give in it’s just never good enough. The state of Israel is a dynamic country trying to survive in the midst of a chaotic world. They must contend with allies who often act like foes and internal strife that seems to never dissipate. And amazingly they continue to seek a path of peace, but that too, usually gets thrown back in their face.
Recently I read that Israel opened up the Ramon Airport in Eilat and allows Palestinians to circumvent the hassles related to flying abroad. Until now, Palestinians had only two options. Either they could fly from Ben Gurion Airport but that requires a myriad of paperwork which often delays their departure or they could fly via Amman, Jordan. However, going to Amman requires the Palestinians to enter Jordan via the King Hussein Crossing; a border crossing that makes Tijuana look good.
So in spite of the political ramification of opening up an airport for Palestinians the Israelis decided this good will gesture was worth the risks. However, the Palestinian Authority were adamant in their opposition. They desire their own international airport and believe that an alternative Israeli airport will lessen that scenario. Hence they strongly advised Palestinians to refrain from using Ramon Airport. And the Jordanian’s for their own self serving interests are also vehemently opposed to an airport being made available to ease the suffering of the Palestinians. More than a half million Palestinians currently travel via Amman; the loss of revenue to Jordan’s economy will be devastating. But it’s interesting that regardless of the concessions the Israelis try to make, it’s never good enough and often it creates greater problems than it seeks to alleviate.
It reminds me of this week's Torah portion that opens with the words “Behold I place before you today, a blessing or a curse”. Almost every commentator explains the verse as the living having two options; if you choose the correct path, life will bring an abundance of blessings and rewards, if you choose the wrong path, life will bring curses and punishment. I don't think this is unique to Judaism as all monotheistic religions have a similar philosophy.
However, I want to posit a different approach; an idea that may not be the actual explanation of the verse but may nonetheless be true. During the Pesach Seder we read the section of the four sons; the wise, wicked, simple and ignorant. Once again, most people understand the four children as four unique individuals. I, however, always understood the four sons as one child with four different characteristics. In other words, in every person there are components that are good and bad.
I believe the same is true in blessings and curses. It’s not necessarily either or, it can often be both. Behold I place before you today an issue that will be both a blessing and a curse. The choices are therefore not black and white and often what seems like a blessing might indeed be fraught with more negative consequences than imagined. Conversely, that which may have initially been perceived as a curse may ultimately be the greatest of blessings.
The Biden administration recently passed legislation that will forgive repayment of some student loans. For those who are burdened by student loans it’s a blessing (and for their parents and grandparents it’s an even bigger blessing). But for those who don’t have any loans or already repaid them it’s a curse that will probably require them paying higher taxes. However, it’s possible that even for those whose loans will be forgiven there could be negative consequences. It certainly relieved a financial burden but at what price? Will they learn to be fiscally responsible going forward or assume that they will be bailed out? Will their schooling result in their being academically advantaged or will their knowledge of a free ride reduce their incentive?
I can’t answer the question because individuals will always react differently. However, ultimately I believe that in every situation there can be multiple scenarios that can play out in a myriad of different outcomes. The Torah may state U’vacharta bachayim or you should choose life over death. Yet, life over death is not comparable to good over evil. Life and death are polar opposites; there are no exceptions to the rule. Yet good and evil often coexist; we can do something that is good that may also be evil.
Yesterday we went to the Begun Museum in Jerusalem and were inspired by the passion of a prime minister who believed in life over anything else. He was mono focused on ensuring the survival of the Jewish people in the land of Israel. He personally went through the Holocaust and lost his parents and members of his family. He decided that life is of paramount importance even if it sometimes causes havoc; even if ensuring survival will entail evil.
I’m sitting in my hotel room overlooking the beautiful city of Jerusalem realizing the truth in his prophetic words. Sometimes no matter what you do it’s never good enough but you still have to do it. Israel will continue facing this conundrum for eternity but will always resolutely respond u’vacharta bachayim “and you should choose life” albeit inherently aware that in choosing life we also potentially place before us both a blessing and a curse.
Shabbat shalom and Am Yisrael Chai,
Rabbi Jack Engel
