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
