Friday, March 15, 2024

Synagogues are Complicit

The raging conflict in Gaza has reached local synagogues in North America. Last week, I was attending a cousin's wedding in my hometown of Toronto. I arrived at the shul where the wedding was held, and I initially thought I might be in the wrong place. I saw a few hundred people across the street from the shul waving Palestinian flags. As I reached closer to the area, I heard some epithets describing Israel and the Jewish People. Protesters were carrying banners that displayed the message of "Synagogues are Complicit in Ethnic Cleansing." There were Jewish counter protesters outside that were chanting words of defense for Israel. There was a significant presence of police officers who could contain the aggressive protesters. What might have triggered such an aggressive protest outside a shul? I later learned that the shul was hosting an Expo on Real Estate in Israel. If anyone wanted information on how to purchase a home or apartment in Israel, there was a platform available with information. The notion of Jews buying real estate in their historic homeland was apparently too much for Palestinian sympathizers to stomach. I read that the expo made its way to a shul in Teaneck, NJ, where it was met with combative protesters. The following night, the expo was scheduled to be held at a shul in Brooklyn. There was such an outcry from Palestinian protesters that the New York Police Department considered it a security risk, and the shul felt compelled to cancel the event. Let's try to digest the story. An event in a local shul that was intended to be informational about purchasing real estate in Israel turned into a "security risk." I think it can finally debunk any misconception that the aftermath of October 7 has nothing to do with Jews in our local communities. It underscores the words of King David in Tehilim/Psalms Ch. 83, עַֽל־עַ֭מְּךָ יַעֲרִ֣ימוּ ס֑וֹד וְ֝יִתְיָעֲצ֗וּ עַל־צְפוּנֶֽיךָ׃. This is translated as "they plot craftily against Your people and take counsel against Your treasured ones.” As Purim approaches, we are reminded that the call for a genocidal war against the Jews has happened before. It took Mordechai and Esther to rally and wake up the people for prayer and political intervention to reverse the tide. The expression of מי שענה למרדכי ואסתר הוא יעננו comes to mind. The translation of this passage is, May the One who answered Mordechai and Esther in Shushan answer us as well! Have a Peaceful Shabbos, Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Friday, March 8, 2024

Balancing Individuality and Community

Striving to maintain a healthy balance between the expression of every individual's creativity and the community’s need for unity is a challenge that we all face. It’s disheartening to feel as though we are all just marching robots to a boring monolithic tune. On the other hand, if everyone just created their own music without paying attention to the conductor of the orchestra, it would be chaotic. The weekly parshiyos that we study at this time of year provide great insight into this vexing issue. G-d instructs Moshe to enlist Betzalel and all the people who were skilled craftsmen for the construction of the mishkan. The Torah states: מִלֵּ֨א אֹתָ֜ם חׇכְמַת־לֵ֗ב לַעֲשׂוֹת֮ כׇּל־מְלֶ֣אכֶת חָרָ֣שׁ ׀ וְחֹשֵׁב֒ וְרֹקֵ֞ם בַּתְּכֵ֣לֶת וּבָֽאַרְגָּמָ֗ן בְּתוֹלַ֧עַת הַשָּׁנִ֛י וּבַשֵּׁ֖שׁ וְאֹרֵ֑ג עֹשֵׂי֙ כׇּל־מְלָאכָ֔ה וְחֹשְׁבֵ֖י מַחֲשָׁבֹֽת׃ “The craftsmen have been endowed with the skill to do any work—of the carver, the designer, the embroiderer in blue, purple, and crimson yarns,and in fine linen, and of the weaver—as workers in all crafts and makers of design.” The carver, designer, and embroider all had a different skill set, and each contributed in their own unique way. If the carver had attempted to do the task of the embroiderer and designer, things would have been a mess. Additionally, all the craftsmen were tasked with channeling their special skills to create a beautiful mosaic called the Mishkan. The Torah repeats criteria again and again with a certain phrase that reflects the overall mission. This phrase was especially communicated at the conclusion of Parshas Pekudei, which describes the process by which the Mishkan was finally erected. The phrase “כאשר צוה ה׳ את משה which is translated as G-d commanded Moshe, provides the necessary context of the license for the artist and craftsman to create their work to inspire Godliness. Yes, please utilize all your skill and ingenuity but it must be in the framework of “as G-d commanded Moshe.” In other words, there are many ways to connect to Hashem and all ways can get to you to the Promised Land , provided it’s within the Halachic and communal framework. Judaism places a great premium on unity but not uniformity. Let’s make our music and art while being mindful of the greater mosaic we are in this world to create. Have a Peaceful Shabbos, Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Part of Something Much Greater

A bedrock value in Judaism is the notion of kehilla or community. On a superficial level, it's hard to find anyone who would disagree with the value placed on the community. The reality is that it's harder to subscribe to the value of community than one might initially think. After all, we all have our own wants and needs, which might not align with those of others. The Israeli Knesset is famous (or infamous) for having 15 political parties sitting in its national legislature. That is, of course, in a country of about 9 million citizens. The amount of political parties reflects the sectarian thread among our people. While there are real differences among us, and I am not advocating uniformity in embracing one worldview on critical issues, nonetheless, the divisiveness comes with a significant cost. The weekly parsha of Ki Sisa provides a compelling thought on the value of community. G-d tells Moshe to instruct the Jews to bring a half shekel so they can be counted appropriately. The number of half shekels would translate into the number of people that were counted. An old question that has been asked in one way or another for thousands of years is why there was a requirement to contribute a half shekel and not simply a shekel. The poignant lesson here is that we all are just one part of Klal Yisroel and need to make space and respect for others. It's of course easier in a sense to splinter off and write others off but that comes at the cost of community building. The half shekel teaches us that we are all part of something far greater than ourselves. We are part of Klal Yisroel, and everyone's contributions are woven into the mosaic of our people. One of the bright spots since the tragedies of this past Simchas Torah is the renewed awareness of the importance of Klal Yisroel. No Jew has not been hurting in one way or another. The subsequent explosion of Jew-hatred around the world has made us realize we all have one shared destiny. From the Jewish university students in Berkeley to the citizens who live in Southern Israel to the Zaka volunteers who engaged in the most difficult and heroic work, we are all just a half shekel and part of something far more significant than each of us can ever accomplish on our own. Have a Peaceful Shabbos, Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Friday, February 23, 2024

The Power to Illuminate

A central feature in synagogues at the most prominent place in front of the Aron Kodesh (holy Ark) around the world is the Ner Tamid. The Ner Tamid, translated as an Eternal Light, first appears in this week's parsha. The Torah begins with the directive for there to be a Ner Tamid in the Mishkan, which was a lamp that was fueled with extra virgin olive oil. The lamp was burning 24/7/365, with there never being a time that the light was not burning. This practice was continued for several centuries in the Beis Hamikdash (Temple) in Jerusalem and synagogues worldwide for thousands of years. One can fairly ask why keeping a Ner Tamid/Eternal Light at the most prominent place in our house of worship was so important. It is also worth noting that the quality of the olive oil required for the Ner Tamid had to be of the utmost purity. In today's terms, we would classify it as not just any olive oil but extra virgin olive oil of the highest caliber. The Jewish People have been compared to זַ֤יִת רַעֲנָן֙ יְפֵ֣ה פְרִי־תֹ֔אַר קָרָ֥א ה שְׁמֵ֑ךְ. This verse from Yermiyahu (Jeremiah) is translated as "G-d called you a verdant olive tree, fair with choice fruit." While it is intended to be complimentary, there is some deeper meaning here. The Nesivis Shalom explains that not only is the liquid of the olive not visible to the person looking at it from the outside, but there is an element to the olive oil that makes it superior. Olive oil, in addition to being tasty in salads, has another important feature: its power to illuminate. Not unlike the liquid embedded in olives, the Jewish People are called upon to illuminate the world. It's important to note that olives can only extract the liquid that will illuminate when they are under pressure or squeezed. Similarly, the Jewish People continue to be under stress and pressure, and that is precisely when we can rise to the occasion and illuminate the world. The last few months have presented Israel and Jews around the world with challenges it has not experienced in decades. We have been squeezed and under pressure in uncomfortable and even painful situations. It is important to remember that we are compared to the olives that are pressed and even crushed, but that results in olive oil extracted that illuminates the world. The next time you enter a shul, it might be worth it to pause and look at the Ner Tamid and reflect on our mission to illuminate the world. Have a Peaceful Shabbos, Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Friday, February 9, 2024

Night followed by Day

Baskin-Robbins was founded in 1945 in Glendale, California by Burton Baskin and Irvine Robbins, ice cream enthusiasts and brothers-in-law, whose passion inspired what is now the world's largest chain of ice cream specialty shops. Baskin Robbins became synonymous with the number 31. The company initially had 31 flavors designed so everyone can have a different flavor every day of the month. What originally started with 31 flavors has grown to over 1400 flavors. A customer at Baskin Robbins will choose between chocolate cherry bark or pink bubblegum flavored ice cream. I mention this trivial data point to contrast this with more serious elements in life. As a faith community, we need to understand that faith is unlike going to the ice cream store. There are situations of pain, tragedy, and suffering that cannot be easily explained. While we remain steadfast in our belief in G-d, our faith is tested these days when Israel and the Jewish People are facing challenges we thought were behind us. We wonder about the suffering of the righteous and the ability for cruelty to become widespread. Israel finds itself in a seemingly impossible situation. If it fights to completely destroy the terrorists, the hostages will be in danger. If it agrees to have the hostages released in a brokered deal, it will likely mean surrendering to terrorists who will undoubtedly attempt to unleash future massacres against Israel. All this is just on the southern front in Gaza. There is an inevitable fatigue that sets in as Israel is even told by its "best friends" that it must accept impossible terms to be on a path to normalization and acceptance in the region. I am writing this not from a geopolitical perspective but from a perspective of faith when everything appears so unfair. To paraphrase the judge and prophet Gideon from the Book of Judges, we say to God at certain moments, "Where is your awesomeness." Based on the order of creation, the Rabbis teach us that night was created before light. As the Torah teaches us, וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר. This is translated as "And it was evening, and then it was morning." In a literal sense, it means that G-d created night and then day. For that reason, Shabbos begins in the evening and then continues to the following day, as night was created before day. On a deeper level, Rabbi Zadok of Lublin taught us that we must experience the bitterness of night before enjoying the radiant light. It would be easier to have light always and never experience the bitter night. This is a time to remember that faith is not like going to an ice cream store, and there are periods of pain and suffering that our people continue to endure in the middle of this long night. As a people of faith, we continue pray and believe that after an extended period of night, we will finally experience the radiant light. As the month of Adar begins, we are once again reminded of the Purim story whose Jews of that generation shared much light; as the Megilla states, לַיְּהוּדִ֕ים הָֽיְתָ֥ה אוֹרָ֖ה. (The Jews experienced the light.) As people of faith, we are regularly reminded that we are not in any ice cream store. Have a Peaceful Shabbos, Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Friday, January 19, 2024

Excruciating Decisions

The current war that Israel is fighting against a cruel and ruthless enemy has so many different layers. Arguably, the most difficult and gut-wrenching element is that there are currently about 130 hostages in the hands of terrorists. People of all ages, including Kfir Bibas, who turned one year old in captivity, remain captive. Understandably, there are growing voices in Israel and beyond to pressure the Israeli government into paying any price to get the hostages released. It is understandable that some would advocate this approach as the thought of family and friends incarcerated by Hamas terrorists in underground tunnels is a thought too difficult to bear. I was, therefore, surprised and intrigued to read about a group that has family members currently held as hostages that are advocating that Israel not strike a deal with Hamas that would release Palestinian terrorists in exchange for their freedom. Tzvika Mor is a parent of Eitan Mor, aged 23, who was taken hostage on October 7. Eitan was working as a security guard at the music festival when Hamas terrorists kidnapped him. Tzvika explained while cradling a photo of Eitan why he opposes freeing Palestinian terrorists jailed in Israel in exchange for his son's release. Tzvika said, "It's not just about my suffering as Eitan's father; it's about the nation as a whole. I can't let my personal hurt take priority over collective interests. Letting terrorists go free endangers Jewish lives. And Eitan wouldn't want that." Indeed, Tzvika relates that he had a conversation with Eitan about what approach to take if he was ever taken as a hostage. Tzvika relates that Eitan had said, 'If I am taken hostage, do not do a prisoner swap to let me free. Tzvika says he is sending a message of collective responsibility" so that Israel "doesn't repeat the error of the Shalit deal." Gilad Shalit, an IDF soldier taken hostage in 2006, was released in a prisoner swap in 2011 in exchange for 1,027 Palestinian terrorists and prisoners held by Israel. It was the most lopsided prisoner swap in Israel's history. At least six Israelis were murdered in the four years following the Shalit swap by terrorists released under the deal. Among those released was Hamas's Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the October 7 massacre. It can be argued that all the people killed and taken hostage on October 7 were the consequences of the Shalit deal. Mor argues that releasing over 6,000 Palestinian terrorists currently incarcerated in Israeli prisons would endanger the lives of seven million Jews currently living in Israel. The controversy around what is an appropriate price for Jews in captivity is, unfortunately, not a new issue. The Mishna in Tractate Gittin states אֵין פּוֹדִין אֶת הַשְּׁבוּיִים יוֹתֵר עַל כְּדֵי דְמֵיהֶן, מִפְּנֵי תִקּוּן הָעוֹלָם. This is translated as The captives are not redeemed for more than their actual value, for the betterment of the world. The rationale behind this difficult passage is that overpaying in attempting to get the captives released will encourage future terrorism and extortion. The latter part of the 13th century was full of persecution for the Jews of Germany, and they lived in constant fear for their property and life. One of the most prominent Rabbis of the generation was Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg. Rabbi Meir, who is also known as the Maharam, who until this day is considered one of the premier halachic authorities in the Ashkenazic world. In 1286, Rabbi Meir was imprisoned in the fortress of Ensisheim and held for ransom. The king knew that the Jews would give away their last mark to redeem their beloved Rabbi, and the sum of 20,000 marks was raised for Rabbi Meir's freedom. Rabbi Meir, however, forbade his friends and followers to pay any ransom for him. In his selflessness, he knew that once ransom was paid for him, every noted Rabbi in Germany would be arrested and held for ransom by the greedy and cruel German rulers of those days. Thus Rabbi Meir preferred to remain in prison and even die there in order to save many others from a similar fate. Rabbi Meir eventually died in prison and his body was kept there for many years. It is beyond my capability to weigh in on this most sensitive and controversial issue. I have asked myself to envision my position if it was one of my children that was a captive, and that was too painful to contemplate. What is most important is to continue sharing love, empathy, and prayers with all those families in this unbearable situation. Have a Peaceful Shabbos, Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Friday, January 12, 2024

Judicial Farce

“I have seen an upside-down world.” This is a quote from a story in the Talmud about a Sage who had a near-death experience and reported that he had witnessed “an upside world.” The last 100 days since the war launched by Hamas against the Jewish State and, in particular, the last few days, have made us feel as if we are living in an upside-down world. When one would think we have seen everything, we watch a judicial charade unfolding at the ICJ (International Court of Justice) in the Hague. South Africa has formally brought charges of genocide against Israel to ICJ. It accuses Israel of mass killings of Palestinians in Gaza. It was very telling in the opening arguments of the South African prosecutor, who referred to the allegations of genocide in the context of the so-called apartheid in Israel for the past 75 years. In other words, the Jewish People are guilty because they merely exist as a state in their ancestral homeland. The notion of South Africa somehow being the guardian of human rights is laughable. Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir was indicted for killing some 200,000 people in Darfur and South Africa. The self-appointed guardian of human rights opposed the indictment. While it is very easy to get discouraged and disheartened about the unfolding event and the sheer chutzpah, I believe this judicial farce has a silver lining. The Talmud teaches us that in the End of Days, the AlMighty will indict the Nations in the World for their cruelty and mistreatment of the Jewish People. As we are getting closer to that era, some nations historically have not interacted much with us and had not had the opportunity to be cruel and antagonistic and are now getting excited to hurt the Jews. Every lopsided vote in the UN that once again damages Israel is being recorded in the heavenly ledger. The trouble that many nations have with the Jewish People predates the existence of a modern Jewish State. As we are in the fourth quarter of history, many countries that did not meet or interact with us are attempting to get their last licks on Jew-hatred. As a people of faith, we believe that the days when the words of Torah, “הַרְנִ֤ינוּ גוֹיִם֙ עַמּ֔וֹ”(translation: Nations, proclaim God’s People), is declared to every corner of the World. Until that time, let’s remember to fasten our seatbelts for the bumpy ride ahead. Have a Peaceful Shabbos, Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Synagogues are Complicit

The raging conflict in Gaza has reached local synagogues in North America. Last week, I was attending a cousin's wedding in my hometown ...