delray beach orthodox rabbi

                                             
                                                                                            B"H
 The ultimate conundrum
 
Pinchas the biblical zealot is lauded by none other than the Almighty himself for his attack against a prince of Israel for acting immorally. Yet, his peers, unaware that God would opine, deemed his actions as majorly flawed and potentially dangerous to the Jewish people. It is so easy in hindsight to know what was the correct choice. It’s even easier when God himself opines on the subject.
 
However, nowadays God chooses to be less openly involved. He allows humanity to succeed or fail with less overt intervention. We rarely see or hear God being as forthcoming as he was in biblical times. Many wonder why nowadays Hashem distances Himself and it’s an answer that brighter minds than mine have failed to fathom. Therefore, decisions today are guided by human considerations fraught with the frailty of our foresight. If we knew the consequences or ramifications of our choices, life would be much less complex.
 
I woke up Wednesday morning reading about the elimination of Fuad Shkur in Lebanon. Supposedly, he was the mastermind of the attack that killed twelve children in a Druze neighborhood in Northern Israel. A few hours later I read about the death of the Hamas leader Ismael Haniyeh. My initial reaction was extreme pride that Israel succeeded in eliminating two radical Islamic extremists. However, after digesting the information, I questioned what the  consequences to these actions may be? Will Iran feel obligated to take revenge against Israel for an attack done on its territory? Will Hezbollah find it necessary to throw caution to the wind and avenge the death of one of its leaders?
 
I don’t know the answer to either question but I do know what began this morning as elation has turned into fear. Please make no mistake, I believe both of these terrorists are deserving of death and that Israel acted with moral clarity. I believe that Israel’s actions will ultimately lead to less Israelis dying in the long run. However, I worry about the immediate price Israel may have to pay. I worry about innocent civilians and soldiers being targeted in retaliation. I worry that a world apathetic to the security of Jewish lives will further condemn Israeli actions and threaten its leaders regardless how justified they are. I worry that the continuation of boycotts and disinvestment will further hurt the Israeli economy. I worry that the faux moral high ground by western countries will prevent the flow of needed military equipment. I worry that political uncertainty will lessen Israel’s support amongst their friends.
 
How easy it would be if God would once again shine his countenance upon humanity and give them the moral clarity to differentiate between who is just and who is unjust. How easy it would be if He unequivocally showed the world that He stands with Israel and the Jewish people. How easy it would get if God decided to return to the biblical theme of ד׳ איש מלחמה - that Hashem will fight our battles and be the protector of Israel and the Jewish people.
 
However, as easy as it might be for Him to intervene, for reasons beyond my comprehension, He decided to allow humanity to continue on its current trajectory. Thus, we may not have God fighting our battles or protecting us from the myriad of nations that seek our demise. We may never know what are the ramifications and consequences of our actions.
 
However, what I do know is that as a Jew any conundrum I may have is man made and not divinely inspired. What I do know, is what is right is right regardless of any consequences. We have to choose the moral high ground but knowing that our moral high ground may be vastly different from the morals and values of the world that surrounds us. What I do know is that for millennia Jews have continually been ostracized and condemned for reasons that defy logic and nothing has really changed. What I do know is that for millennia Jews have been blamed, scapegoated and stereotyped to justify injustices perpetrated against them and nothing has really changed. And as a Jew all I can do is hope that the world will finally perceive and understand that which our people have always already perceived and understood.
 
I certainly don’t have all the answers and continuously err in my decisions, but of this I’m certain: right and wrong are absolutes. Thus, I sleep at night no longer concerned with a conundrum.
 
Shabbat shalom,
 
Rabbi Jack Engel