Words From Rabbi White

Dear Chevra Shaas/Spanish

This has been a difficult week for our family, as Mr. Mel Novogroder, father of my son-in-law Azriel (whom many of you remember) passed away after a long, debilitating illness. My son-in-law and his two sisters were super devoted in making his last years as comfortable as possible. 

Azriel has been a great role model for “kibbud `av va-’em,” honoring parents, as he would regularly make the arduous drive from home in northern NJ, over the GW Bridge, to attend to his father in the hospital in Southern Manhattan. “‘al tashlikheini le`et ziqnah.”

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After October 7, I have been paying closer attention to verses and classical commentaries that have an echo in current events. This week’s parasha begins with Balak, the Moabite, being afraid of the People of Israel, after he had heard (in last week’s parasha) how Israel had defeated the powerful Amorite kings Sichon and Og. So, the Moabites sent a message to the elders of Midian, implying that they would have to get together and defeat the Israelites. 

Rashi, quoting a verse from Genesis 36:35, infers that Midian and Moab had always been enemies, but made peace between themselves in order to stop Israel. (See also Rashi’s comment on that verse in Genesis.) Sadly, we have seen in recent months how so many people have turned against us. Especially troubling for Jewish families has been seeing how the safe haven of universities has turned from being Jew friendly "ivory towers” into terrifying encampments. 

I am writing this a few days after the attempted assassination of former president Trump, and just a few days before he is to accept the Republican nomination. Naturally, as reported by the Anti-Defamation League, this has inspired conspiracy theories. For example, the “Goyim Defense League” responded immediately that “Jews try to assassinate Trump.”

It is still beyond my comprehension why this event has not convinced the believers in the 2nd amendment that the purchasing of weapons, without a very valid reason and intensive background check, should be outlawed, as in Canada.

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This happens to have been my bar mitsvah parasha. The haftarah, from the Book of the prophet Micah, promises that the time will come when the remnant of the Jewish people will be among many nations like a lion, that can’t be stopped. So, you might think that Micah is telling us to be an aggressive, warrior like people. Therefore, that message is tempered by Micah’s admonition at the end of the haftarah, that HaShem has a universal message for all of mankind (ops! I meant personkind!) namely, that Hashem has three demands from us: to do justice, to love good deeds, and to walk modestly before God. 

Shabbat shalom, Shalom `al Yisrael,

Rabbi Menahem White

P.S.  An interesting lesson from that would be assassin Crooks. He thought he would become a hero to the “left,” by assassinating the former President. But he was condemned and vilified by the “left” as being an incompetent fool, for having missed his target.