https://listen.jewishpodcasts.fm/yeshivaofnewark/105753
Rischa D'Araisa on the Humanitarian Crisis 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
I respect your position, its a fair one. However, those who take the other approach are, I assure you, just as compassionate and righteous as you are. C'V to even think for a moment otherwise. A TC like yourself surely knows כל שנעשה רחמן על האכזרי, לסוף נעשה אכזר על הרחמנים. One can debate its applicability here, one can argue it does or does not apply. But to claim the other side is simply callous or is in favor of "indiscriminate suffering" is simply misrepresenting the other side.
ReplyDeleteLikewise, what you call "vigilante justice". Leaving divine hasgacha aside (as we must for such questions), the state of Israel would not have been born had it not been precisely for numerous such acts of "vigilante justice", many times, from the beginning of the Aliyah until 1948. Again, not to say your position is invalid. But its just one approach, and many great people don't accept it.
1. I reject the indiscriminate application of that statement. It was never meant to be applied to groups, only to individuals. I have no problem with its application to members of Hamas. Moreover, the other side - the men with yarmulkes and the women with tichels in the government - have made it clear that they consider indiscriminate suffering a useful and effective weapon in their arsenal.
Delete2. Whatever the merits of pre-state militant activities, once there is a State, law enforcement is a function of a State. As you yourself stop the buck at 1948. Or were the lynchings in the Wild West also admirable actions? I have no idea how Hashgacha is relevant.
Finally, I realize many people don't accept my position. For the past 20+ years I have seen one of my missions as the representation of certain positions by someone who is, however minimally and incorrectly, respected in the Jewish world. This way, a person who is disturbed by the other position need not feel that they must either fall into lockstep or leave the system. They find the perspective that they perceive to be more correct represented, and grounded in authentic Torah sources. That is all I - and my colleagues - hope to accomplish.
You wrote a response. It began with a gratuitous taunt. I don't drape myself in glory. The insinuation is insulting and undermines any meaningful conversation. The rest of your comment was in that vein. It has been deleted. If you wish to carry on a conversation do so with civility. Be well.
DeleteI will also delete at my discretion any subsequent comments that appear anonymously or only with initials. On such significant issues, people should have the courage to identify with their positions.
DeleteDo you recall a particular precipitating event 20 years ago that made you decide to speak up?
DeleteAre you concerned that people would not accept your psak in a din torah (or accept you as a dayan ab initio) because of unpopular-with-the-hoi-polloi opinions?
1. The exclusion of Edot HaMizrach girls from the Emanuel Bais Yaakov schools 2. It's not my parnassah, so the ramifications would be minimal. Regardless, if someone wants to passel any dayan for any reason other than personal integrity, they will invariably find a reason. In another one of those scandals from 20 years ago, Rabbi Nachun Eisensterin and the EJF wanted to passel any geirus on which a dayan sat who believed the world was anymore than 5770 or years old. Which would passel any geirus performed by the Tiferes Yisroel or Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, etc.
DeleteRav Bechhofer and Rav Kivelevitz have the courage to post this using their names despite being public figures. Yiyasher Kocham.
ReplyDeleteDon't give us that much credit. We're not such great public figures. Just two aging yeshiva guys who feel Mussar is still relevant,
DeleteHamas has won a stunning victory: Never before have B'nay Yisrael been reviled worldwide. Even the Germans in WW2 were unable to ""achieve" this.
DeleteBut hurling the most absurd accusations against any perceived foreign criticism is neither right nor wise.
And inciting violence against one's neighbors in Yehuda and Shomron long preceded Hamas''s barbarous attack on October 7. One of the lessons from Churban Bayis Sheiney is surely the role of the Biryonim in acting recklessly.
ה׳ יפרוס עלינו ועל כל עמו ישראל סוכת רחמים וחיים ושלום
Can you define "mussar", please? Specifically, who is the object of the mussar?
ReplyDeleteI don't understand the question. Usually the practioner of the middos in question.
DeleteBecause to be frank, I always saw it as a matter of self-improvement, but I increasingly see people using it as a cudgel to lecture others they deem not as moral as them.
Delete