Category Archives: thought

Parshas Shlach- Attitude is everything.

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What was wrong with sending spies to check out the land?

 

Rashi explains, quoting Chazal, that Hashem told Moshe to “send for himself” spies to check out the land, because Hashem himself was not altogether happy with the idea.

And indeed, we know that this action ended in disaster.

Yet, we find that when finally entering the land 40 years later, Yehoshua also went to spy out the land, seemingly forgetting this important lesson.

Furthermore, Moshe gives the spies precise instructions regarding what to look out for, including the nature of the inhabitants and their cities, and they seem to come back with  a report that follows those questions.

What exactly did they do wrong?

 

It seems to me, that as with many things in life, sending spies was not in itself a bad thing, but completely dependent on the attitude and intentions of the spies.

It is completely acceptable and even advisable not to rely unnecessarily on miracles and to take whatever steps one can take to prepare for whatever situation one might encounter.

 

Entering the land was not supposed to be subject to debate, but it was still up to the people to plan their strategy as to the best way to conquer it, and that depended very much on the nature of the inhabitants and their cities.

Had the spies had the correct attitude, realized that Hashem’s promise to take us into the land was not subject to question, kept their ultimate faith in Hashem’s ability to so, and merely used the mission as a strategy planning session, hence doing their part and then “letting” Hashem do his, the idea would have been very positive, and Moshe indeed saw It this way.

Yet Hashem, of course, knew their most intimate thoughts and understood that their intentions were not so correct, and thus disassociated “himself” from it.

The Ramban indeed  follows this approach- from the words of Rashi, I think that one can take it a step further as well, focussing not only on strategy, but also on  the importance of positive thinking.

 

In explaining the instruction to check out the land, Rashi comments :

את הארץ מה היא – יש ארץח מגדלת גבורים ויש ארץ מגדלת חלשיםט יש מגדלת אוכלוסין ויש ממעטתי אוכלוסין:

“There are some lands that breed strong people and some lands that breed weak people. Some lands breed large populations and others limit them.”

 

It is clear that the spies were instructed to see a large and powerful population as a positive sign, as proof that the land was good to its inhabitants, and would be equally or even better to us.

 

The spies were expected to go in with positive thinking, and interpret whatever they saw in a positive light, and come back and use the information to encourage and motivate the people – even a large and powerful population was supposed to be seen as a  positive sign.

 

Yet the spies did exactly the opposite , and used their findings of a strong and powerful population to frighten the people out of entering the land- their words ” we won’t be able to go up  to the nation because they are too strong for us”, gives them away.

Not satisfied with interpreting the people’s strength as a negative, they then proceed to talk bad about the land itself.

Instead of using this holy mission to plan their strategy for the promised entry into the land, and to find information that would help inspire and motivate the people to do so, they use the information they saw to frighten and scare the people and convince them that going to the land was a suicide mission, despite Hashem’s promise.

 

Our mission is to follow the guidelines Hashem has given us to the best of our ability, and to take whatever practical steps are necessary to help us fulfil that mission.

In addition, whatever challenges we face along the way should be interpreted positively, and used to further motivate ourselves to follow this mission.

Using the challenges  we encounter as excuses to absolve ourselves of this mission is simply not an acceptable option- we need to see the cup as at the least “half full”, not “half empty” appreciate the good in whatever challenges we face, and use it to inspire us to do more good.

 

This is no small challenge, and indeed, most of the greatest men of the generation failed this test, but it is no excuse not to at least try.

Collective punishment and mutual responsibilty-Parshas Nitzavim/Vayeilech

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“הנסתרות לה’ אלקינו והנגלות לנו ולבנינו עד עולם ”

“Hidden things are for Hashem, our G-d; and the revealed things, are for us and our children forever”

The Torah has already told us that we are all responsible for one another, and that when one see’s someone doing something wrong, he is obligated to rebuke him, gently, in a way that he will want to listen.

If one fails to do so, or does so in a way that makes him more rebellious or shames him unnecessarily, one shares some responsibility for his wrong-doing. (Vayikra/Leviticus 19/17 and commentaries there-on )

In the parsha we just read, Hashem warns us once again that people who forsake the ways of Hashem can bring collective destruction upon all of us. (Devarim/Deuteronomy 29/17-27)

After the Torah tells us that the result of people who betray Hashem’s covenant can be catastrophic for all of us, people might feel that if we all responsible for each-other’s numerous  failings most of which we are  unaware of, then there is no hope for any of us , G-d forbid.

To this- the answer is clear:

We are NOT responsible for things that we have no way of knowing about, or things that we have tried to correct and failed- “Hidden things are for Hashem, our God.”

However, failure to protest constructively against wrongs and  injustice , once one is aware of it, is the moral  equivalence of participation in it – “The revealed things are for us and our children forever…”

Standing up for whats right vs responsible speach

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There has been much debate in the community about Jews attacking one another in public.

It is truly disturbing that this is happening so much and being exploited by our enemies.

However, just like crooks and child abusers love to hide behind “loshon horoh” and rogue Rabbis love to hide behind “kavod Talmid Chochom” to avoid justice, those who are hurting their own people from within love to hide behind “Jewish unity” to keep their public image and support.

and just like the Halacha is clear that the laws of loshon horo do not apply when there is risk to someone else involved, and the laws of honouring a Talmid Chochom are pushed aside when that Talmid chochom is involved in public abominable behavior, so too, it is clear that when someone publically betrays his own people, he is to be shamed in public.

Our prophets never held back from publically rebuking the people when they were out of line.
some of them were persecuted or even killed for it, but who did history show to be right?

When my father attacked Jews who didn’t do enough to fight Apartheid from the pulpit, he was told not to make Jews look bad in public- who did history vindicate?

yet we must proceed with great caution and great יראת שמים and balance everything we do very carefully.

In the era of social media, very little is private anymore.
Everyone has to be careful what they post or even say or do in front of others, and know that it could be shared, screen-shot, and quoted everywhere.

It is a fine-line I tread with great trepidation, and ask my friends to hold my hand when I waver.

As Chazal warned us so long ago  וכל מעשיך בספר נכתבים
“and all your deeds are being written in  a book”
(Avos 2/1)

To influence others positively , you need to fear G-d.

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To influence others positively , you need to fear G-d.

ואמר רבי חלבו אמר רב הונא: כל אדם שיש בו יראת שמים – דבריו נשמעין, שנאמר: סוף דבר הכל נשמע את האלהים ירא וגו’.

“and Rabbi Helbo said in the name of Rav Huna: Any man who has fear of heaven- his words will be heard, as it says [Kohelet 12] “at the end of the matter, everything will be heard, Fear G-d…”

(Brachos 6a)

 

Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook זצ”ל once sent one of his students to convince the government not to destroy a Jewish settlement. He came back unsuccessful.

Rabbi Kook admonished his student, telling him that he must lack fear of heaven, as the Talmud clearly says that someone who has real fear of heaven will be able to convince people to do the right thing.

[Heard from Rabbi David Samson]

Whether one agrees with Rav Zvi Yehuda or not on the matter discussed , the message is clear.

If we want people to listen to us, we need to believe. We need to be genuine.

If people don’t listen to me even when I am right , I obviously have only myself to blame.

A 9 Av call from Nizaar

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A 9 Av call from Nizaar

Tonight, my wife took a phone call from “Jack”, who when I answered the phone, introduced himself as Nizaar.

I realized that the man “STOP THE BDS” had publically condemned for threatening to “petrol bomb ” the Cape Town Israel rally, had found my phone number, which is no secret, and knew that I was an admin of the South Africa “STOP THE BDS” page, which is also no secret.

He was calling in panic to tell me that someone had posted all his details and his wife’s details on the comments threade and he feared not only for his legal situation but for his and his family’s safety, which of course none of us had any intention of threatening.

He assured me that he was not serious, and pointed out that he had used the FB suffix “lol” after the threat.

We had a long, frank, and constructive conversation and I offered to convince STOP THE BDS international and regional groups to remove the post if he publically committed to renouncing hate-speech and violence and debating in a civil manner only.

He agreed in writing via FB message to one of the admins, and the post was removed.

shows how powerful FB is, how a civil and calm conversation can bring about desired results, albeit after much pressure, and how We live in an age where Hashem gives us the tools to stand up for ourselves.

We might just meet for coffee at the Cape Grace, or maybe even the King David, one day.

השבינו ה עליך ונשובה חדש ימינו כקדם

A 9 Av thats feels

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Reading Eicha tonight was somehow more meaningful to me than ever

There was no need to try and think back 2000 years- the events of the past weeks, however miniscule in comparison to the Holocaust described in this moving book, all seemed to be described here so poignantly and prophetically.

Almost every possuk had immediate relevance.

Here a few that jumped out at me ,leaving me either in tears or numbed with cold.

קלים היו רדפינו מנשרי שמים

“Our pursuers were swifter than eagles of the sky”

Eicha 4/19

I thought about missiles and 15 second warnings in Sederot.

 

על אלה אני בוכיה עיני עיני ירדה מים

Over these I do weep, My eyes keep flowing with water

Eicha 1/16

 

I thought of our boys, our murdered teens, our fallen soldiers, our dead

 

כל איבי שמעו רעתי  ששו

All my enemies heard of my plight and rejoiced

(Eicha 1/21)

I thought of those who hate us, in the Middle East, in Europe, in South Africa, in America , around the world, who are being targeted by the same terrorists as us, but hate us so much, they still have to condemn us.

 

כל רעיה בגדו בה

All her friends have betrayed her

(Eicha  1/2)

 

I thought of Obama and Kerry and the Brazilian government and some of our “allies”  in Africa  and South America who voted against us in the U.N. and some of whom even recalled their ambassadors.

 

חטא חטאה ירושלים

Jerusalem has sinned greatly

(Eicha 1/8)

 

I thought of our own Sinas Chinam (causeless hatred) for one another and for other people and how we were so busy fighting amongst ourselves since the last election that we didn’t pay attention to what Hamas was digging under our noses.

 

פקד עונך בת אדום גלה על- חטאתיך

He remembers your iniquity, daughter of Edom, he will uncover your sins

[Eicha  4/22]

I thought of all those who cover their inbred anti-Semitism with “concern for Palestinians”

 

השבינו ה עליך ונשובה חדש ימינו כקדם

Bring us back to you, Hashem, and we shall return, renew our days as of old.

[Eicha 5/21]

 

We need this now as much as ever!

 

As we go into Gaza

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And Yaakov was very afraid and he was distressed- afraid that he might be killed, and distressed that he might kill others.”
וַיִּירָ֧א יַעֲקֹ֪ב מְאֹ֖ד וַיֵּ֣צֶר ל֑וֹ – ויירא שמא יהרג, ויצר לו אם יהרוג הוא את אחרים
(Beraishis 32/8 and Rashi, according to Midrash Rabbah.)

The Torah tells us that when Yaakov went to meet his estranged brother Eisav, he was afraid that he might get killed by him or his men, but was also afraid that he might land up killing Eisav or his men.

When the Jewish people are attacked, we are commanded to fight the enemy with all our strength in order to defend ourselves, and if that involves killing them in the process, that is the sad and unavoidable cost of war.

However, we do not enjoy killing people- on the contrary, the thought terrifies us.

It does not stop us from defending ourselves in any way, but it does show that our preference is always peace, and we would much prefer to be able to achieve our objectives without having to kill.

As our beloved soldiers enter Gaza on foot, by air, and by sea, to stop the brutal and insane indiscriminate rocket fire at all parts of our land, and to destroy the terrorist tunnels and infrastructure being used to kill our people, we daven for their success, their safe return, but we do not sit eating popcorn while the enemy is dying- we are hurt and distressed by every person we have to kill, how much more so innocent young children who get in the way or are used as human shields by the barbaric Hamas overlords.

לשועתך קויתי ה

 

Jew don’t do that-Innocence lost again

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Innocence Lost again

When the Jewish underground bombed Arab Civilians, we said “Jews don’t do that”

When Baruch Goldstein massacred innocent Muslims while they were praying, we said “Jews don’t do that”

When Yigal Amir murdered Rabin, we said “Jews don’t do that”

When a mob of 400 rushed down Yafo street beating up Arab citizens, we were too preoccupied and angry to say “Jews don’t do that”

When a gang of Jews is arrested for burning a 16 year old boy alive in a savage fashion equal to that of ISIS, we still would love to be able to say “Jews don’t do that”

how long can we carry on kidding ourselves with self-righteousness? There are some pretty awful Jews out there, and unfortunately, they “do that.”

They are not the norm, thank God, and our society is not proud of them, but they exist, and might well be growing.

As our enemies continue to taunt us and the government continues to show paralysis, I fear that they will only grow and grow, as they try to show our enemies that they are not the only savages on this planet.

Make no mistake-they are worse than our worst enemies, for because of them, we can no longer say that ” Jews don’t do that .”

That is the victory Hamas has been waiting for, that all the rockets in the world cannot deliver: the death of our innocence

 

 

the Parah Aduma: It is Hashem’s will that purifies, not the magical power of a cow’s ashes

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The Red Heifer- its is G-d’s will that purifies, not the magical power of a cows ashes!

This weeks parsha introduced us to what the Torah itself describes as חוקת התורה ; The ‘law’ of the Torah.

A חוק “chok” Is generally understood as a commandment whose rationale is hidden from human logic and is solely in the domain of divine understanding.

Other common examples of these are the laws of forbidden foods and the prohibition of wearing mixtures of wool and linen.

This is in contrast to משפט “ mishpat “ or “rational law”, that can be explained with human logic, for example, the prohibition against stealing, or the command to give charity.

I was bothered by what it is that is so unique about this law that allows it to merit that status of “the ‘chok’ of the Torah”- the prototype of all chukim.
How is purifying people contaminated by contact with dead with a mixture of water and the ashes of the red heifer any less logical than the prohibition against mixing wool and linen or the laws of kashrus?

Just like one could make some weak attempt to rationalize kashrus by referencing self-control or arguable health benefits, one could justify the uniqueness of such a special rare species, completely dedicated to its holy mission, being used for purity ritual.

However, when one analyzes this more carefully, there is a property of this law that is completely unique and that no weak rationalizations of that type could possibly cover: The very same ashes of that heifer that purify the impure person, also cause impurity to the priest who performs the ritual.

Whereas logic can be found to show that a particular item sprinkled in a certain way on a typical person has a certain positive effect, no logic in the world could show that the EXACT same item, sprinkled on a biologically similar person, in exactly the same way, as a rule without exception, the only difference being his previous status of purity, would have the precise opposite results.

This is what makes this law the prototype “chok.”
[I later found this idea in a number of commentators including Seforno,Rabbeinu Bachya, and even in the Midrash.]

The ashes of the heifer have NO intrinsic magical or mystical powers in their own right- they cause purity, only because God says that they should, and when the same and only G-d says that they should cause impurity, then that is EXACTLY what they do.

The Torah uses this clear example to teach us the same rule about all laws in the Torah: An item is permitted or prohibited, pure or impure, because and ONLY because, Hashem gives it that status, not because of any special magical or curative powers of that item. When Hashem’s law makes that item permitted, such as in the case of danger to life, when something is nullified in a mixture of 60 times the amount (bittul) or the once-off ruling of a bona-fide prophet, that very same item loses its forbidden status and becomes completely permitted.

And although at times the Torah permits a kohain to become impure for a relative, but he nonetheless still obtains the status of impurity, even the purifying and defiling affects of an object are completely subject to the word of God, as we see from this beautiful law- the law of the red heifer.
As the Talmudic Sage, Rav, explains so clearly [Beraishit Rabbah 44/a], Hashem doesn’t objectively really care where one slaughters an animal from:” The commandments were only given to refine people.”