B"H
Insanity in the Holy Land
Upon returning from a whirlwind visit to Israel, I’m left with contradictory emotions. I’m on a spiritual high after celebrating Sukkot in Jerusalem. The festival is pulsating, and even the Arab waiters wish everyone a Chag Sameach. Conversely, I am dismayed by behaviors and attitudes of radical Jews that are morally repugnant and counterproductive to Israel’s global strategy of accepting religious diversity.
Walking through the narrow streets of Jerusalem I was overwhelmed with a sense of belonging. The joyous atmosphere was pervasive, and it just felt comfortable to be among my people. Individuals' religious affiliation seemed to dissipate in favor of communal cohesiveness. Streets were closed to traffic to accommodate the hordes who came to enjoy the street performers and party atmosphere.
One could have had a sense of relief that regardless of what is written in the world press, Israel is on the right path. On the way home from shul, we bumped into one of Israel's lead negotiators in the Abraham Accords. While he couldn’t share state secrets, he was encouraged about the prospect of peace with Saudi Arabia. When I asked him if he was personally involved, he responded that everyday brought new challenges but he was not at liberty to divulge his whereabouts when traveling outside of Israel. Deep inside, I had the feeling that things were looking up for Israel and the Jewish world.
Alas, the wake up call from this joyous time in Jerusalem was devastating and shocking. All citizens of a democracy are entitled to opinions that may be radical and dangerous. However, there is a distinction between having radical thoughts and acting on those thoughts. The consequence of the arrest of five Israelis for spitting on Christians will unfortunately increase global antisemitism and possibly wreak havoc on Israel’s international standing. As much as I detest Christian missionaries trying to influence Jews in Israel, I also acknowledge that Christian groups have been instrumental in their activism and support of Israel. Regardless of one's deep emotional beliefs, there is never an excuse to act in a manner that desecrates the sanctity of man, the holiness of our land, or the name of God. No individual or group of individuals have the moral authority to act in a manner that lowers the esteem of the global Jewish community.
Just as the inability to control one’s spittle is inexcusable, Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef’s denigrating statements targeting secular Jews are demoralizing and unnecessary. A few days ago the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel called secular Jews “pitiful and stupid.” His words only serve those who seek to divide the Jewish people and are an embarrassment to the majority of the Jewish people. And if a rabbi spewing vitriolic diatribe against secular Jews is immature, self-serving and dangerous, then a rabbi making a public statement against the king of Morocco is insanity. Recently an Israeli rabbi wrote an op-ed in which he blamed the earthquake that devastated Morocco on King Mohammed VI's assertion that Jerusalem should be the capital of the Palestinians. (Personally, I think the king was wrong, but if we are to blame natural catastrophes on the evils of humanity, then Iran and Syria would have ceased to exist many years ago.)
I’m well aware that Israel is blessed with a plethora of morally bankrupt individuals. Of course, it’s far more than a select group of rabbis whose behaviors are unconscionable. Perhaps, the narrowness of my condemnation is unjust, but it’s the actions of my peers that gnaws away at my sensitivities. Just last week the insanity in Israel was not found in the rabbinical hierarchy, but on the contrary, the lunacy of the secular fringe reared its ugly head. On Yom Kippur even secular Israelis experience a modicum of religion and spirituality. Yom Kippur is often referred to as Yom Haofanaim or the day of Bicycles. The roads are quiet as almost all Israelis respect the sanctity of the day and refrain from using automobiles. And then that sanctity was shattered when left wing protests in Tel Aviv led to the desecration of the holiday and the denunciation of a public prayer. Of course, protests are a symbol of democracy, but is nothing sacred?
Einstein’s theory on relativity, E = mc2 is beyond my comprehension, but his statement that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results isn’t that difficult to grasp. While Israel is in the throes of internal nonsenses (little difference from the shenanigans taking place in the USA), I have no doubt that common sense will ultimately prevail. However, it seems that some leaders have a death wish and would choose to single-handedly bring Israel back to the brink. They believe that their (fanatical) ideal of Judaism can’t survive political stability or friendly international relationships. They think that proverbially getting in bed with the Saudis may promote values inconsistent with a polarized and isolationist form of Judaism. They believe that one step forward is actually two steps backwards. Thus, whenever the situation looks optimistically bright, we can count on the impetuousness of these select rabbinic leaders to ensure that peace and tranquility will wait for another day. It’s truly sad that those rabbis who publicly declare ani maamin bviat hamashiach - that I believe that the messiah will soon arrive, make it their lifelong ambition to ensure that the road Mashiach will travel on is eternally closed for renovation.
Shabbat shalom and Chag Sameach,
Rabbi Jack Engel
