https://listen.jewishpodcasts.fm/yeshivaofnewark/105753
The humanitarian crises in Gaza are a result of the terrorist
attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Hamas’s continued behavior
demonstrates cynical indifference to the fate of the inhabitants of Gaza. Israel
was fully justified in responding militarily. Hamas and its partners –
including “civilian” collaborators who aided and abetted atrocities such as murder,
hostage-taking, imprisonment and torture – are ultimately responsible for the
horrific conditions in Gaza.
Yet this does not free Israel’s government from
responsibility for conditions within Gaza that it can monitor and improve.
These conditions are dire. Seventy percent of the buildings, including
hospitals and schools, have been reduced to rubble. Inhabitants have been
displaced many times. The war has continued for close to two years and
malnutrition is leading to famine.
We acknowledge the many millions of meals Israel has supplied
from its own resources as well as the vast amounts of aid from other agencies
that the army has allowed in during
these 22 months of war. Israel must continue to attempt to the utmost extent of
its capacity, to alleviate the lack of minimal food and medical care for
millions of people, men, women and children in Gaza.
We are not naive. We realize that some food aid will end up
in Hamas' hands and that this aid provides them with economic and social
weapons they will use to hold on to power. However, given that the policy of
withholding food aid was shown to be ineffective, erring on the side of mercy
is called for.
The evils perpetrated by Hamas have provoked much justifiable
anger amongst Israelis and Jews all over the world. However, this anger does
not justify vigilante justice and reprisals against the Arab population in
Yehuda and Shomron (the West Bank). All Orthodox Jews should protest the
lawlessness and cruelty of such behavior.
In the long course of this war, ministers with yarmulkes and
tichels have advocated strategies and tactics such as mass deprivation and
indiscriminate suffering. We repudiate such perspectives and positions as
inimical to the morality and ethics of a nation described as rachmanim, bayshamnim
v’gomlei chasadim - merciful, easily embarrassed and performers
of kindnesses (Yevamos 79b).
Orthodox Jewry, who are the most loyal supporters of Israel, have
a special responsibility to encourage maximizing humanitarian aid in Gaza and
to contribute to that aid. We must publicly declare that Judaism is committed
to the biblical teaching that all humans are created in the Divine image, and
that we are true descendants of the Avos who follow the path of Hashem
in living a life of righteousness and compassion.
In this regard, we quote from the the Netziv (Rabbi
Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin) zt”l’s introduction to Sefer Bereishis. In
explaining why Chazal refer to this first Book of the Torah as Sefer
HaYashar, he writes these still stirring and fundamental words:
This was the greatness of
our forefathers.
In addition to being righteous,
pious, and lovers of God to the utmost degree, they were also yesharim.
That means they were civil with the [other] nations of the world, despite [the
latter] being detestable idol worshipers. Our forefathers nevertheless extended
them love and evinced concern for their welfare, as this fortifies [God’s]
creation… we see how our forefather Avraham exerted himself greatly in
prayer for the welfare of Sodom. He desired their survival, even though he
totally detested them and their king due to their evil ways.
Avraham was the father of a multitude of nations. For even when one’s
son is not walking in righteousness, [the father still] seeks out his wellbeing
and benefit… We also see how magnanimous our forefather Yitzchak was with his enemies
and was reconciled to a much greater extent than befitted the insufficient minimal
words of appeasement submitted by Avimelech.
Our forefather Yaakov was
justifiably furious with Lavan who clearly wanted to murder him and it would
have happened were it not for God’s intervention. Yaakov nevertheless spoke
with Lavan in a gentle manner, and quickly accomplished a rapprochement with
Lavan, in a way that was extolled by our sages in Bereishis Rabbah (Parasha
74), “[Better] the anger of the forefathers than the modesty of the
descendant…”
This is the behavior that sustains
the world, which is the theme
particular to this Book, the Book that describes Creation. A Book known
as Sefer Ha-Yashar, highlighting what was embodied in so much of
our forefathers’ actions.
We, the co-creators of Rischa Daraiisa, call on Orthodox Jewry to model these attitudes and on Medinas Yisroel to put this legacy into practice in dealing with the civilian Arab populations of Gaza, Yehuda and Shomron.
Rav Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer
Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kivelevitz
We are joined in signing this statement by Rav Shmuel Phillips, author of Judaism Reclaimed
