This week’s parsha teaches that G-d redeemed all of us Jews from Egypt, in order to give us the Land of Israel (ch. 6-7). If so why did He send us into exile, and why is He redeeming us to return today to Israel, even if we are not all so righteous?
We find an interesting midrash on Eicha (Rabba I, 20), “On the eve of the ninth of Av, Avraham entered the chamber of the Holy of Holies… and said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, my children, where are they?’ He said to him: ‘They sinned and I exiled them among the nations.’ Avraham said to Him: ‘Were there no righteous among them?’ He anwered: “She has performed her evil schemes” (Jeremiah 11:15)… Avraham said to Him: ‘You should have looked to the circumcision in their flesh’ (and saved them because of Brit Mila, His promise that we’re the Chosen People). G-d said ‘As you live, they repudiated it, as it is stated: “The sacred flesh is passed from you” (Jeremiah 11:15). MOREOVER, these rejoiced at the downfall of those, as it is written: “When you beheld evil, then you rejoice” (Jeremiah 11:15), and it is written: “One who rejoices at calamity will not be absolved” (Proverbs 17:5).’
Firstly, it’s surprising that circumcision, the first most basic mitzvah (to Avraham and to each child) that even the non-observant usually do to this day (and through which we merit redemption, Yalkut, Y’chezkel 354), was neglected in that generation. Secondly, what is the meaning of “moreover”, clearly connecting the previous sentence (neglect of the brit) with the next (celebrating the other Jewish party’s fall)? Our sages are teaching that the NATIONAL sign of circumcision inevitably expresses a solidarity among Jews (also why brit’s necessary to eat the Korban Pesach on our national birthday), and when that unity is neglected, Jews will even come to rejoice when their Jewish (!) adversaries fall.
Not only the sages, but also Josephus testifies that the Romans decided to pull back and let the Jewish factions “kill each other”, and that’s what brought the Temple’s destruction.
Our sages are not out to teach history, but to teach future generations that we’d be stupid to repeat the same mistake. We’d be even stupider to repeat the same mistake of just 3 years ago (around the sudden changes raised to be made in Israel’s legal system, which led 200 IDF pilots and high-ranking officers to refuse to accept commands from the elected Israeli government if Netanyahu is at the helm, clearly part of the IDF failure on that Simchat Torah), which led Hamas (logically, from their point of view) to attack us when they did. The G-d of Israel brings victory to His children but what do we expect Him to do when Jews fight other Jews?!
As another Tisha b’Av comes and goes, and we have apparently yet to achieve what Rav Kook terms: Ahavat chinam (“undeserved love”) for our fellow Jews, this is what should be preoccupying us. Especially as Israeli elections (the anti-thesis of national unity) are coming, this is the time to find a way to communicate and find the common ground and the positive ideologies in each camp, which can and should harmonize, rather than turning to Arab parties in order to form a coalition against your Jewish adversaries. If Naftali Bennet, Avigdor Lieberman and Beni Ganz would be willing to sit together with the Likud (as they ALL respectively did in the past!), there would be a record-breaking 80 seat coalition which today agrees on just about every issue, and only personal grudges (“just not Bibi”) is what’s holding national unity back.
Similarly, if the Haredi parties will also leave their new-found extremism and return to their traditional and original ways (to exempt only those learning Torah from the IDF) as ALWAYS held by their own greatest rabbis (Chazon Ish, R. Kahaneman, R. Shach, R. Ovadia Yosef, et al), the coalition will be almost 100% (!) among Jewish parties. With the awakening from Hamas, it’s really not complicated, just that every party must return from their RECENT EXTREMISM, and we will have unprecedented and almost UNANIMOUS unity!!
The butchering of ALL types of Jews on Simchat Torah about 3 years ago, and the united front we had to form on the front in unity against our barbaric foes, should stay as a reminder of the price that only Jews can defeat the Jewish people. Every camp must stop their new-found extremism, and see the good in the others, rather than speaking against them, as every Father wants to see His children getting along, and not have to side against any of us!
Chazal teach (Yalkut, 1020) that “Nachamu Nachamu Ami” refers to what G-d wants Israel to comfort Him (!) and now we understand why, and how to comfort ourselves as well! Shabbat Shalom! Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)
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