Words From Rabbi White

A MIRACLE: “BA-Z’MAN HA-ZEH.” IN OUR DAYS

Dear Chevra Shaas and Shearith Israel,

Did you pay attention to the great miracle we recently experienced? 

I am writing this on October 7, the anniversary of that infamous Simchat Torah: the day when the dancing turned to grief, the day when everything changed.  What is the great miracle that Israel experienced recently? A few weeks ago, I was listening to a talk by a friend, a rabbi who is well connected with the high echelons of the Israeli army. He was at the time genuinely concerned for the future of Medinat Israel, as the tremendous amount of rocket launchers and missiles possessed by Hezbollah created a real existential threat to Israel. Hezbollah’s weapons of destruction were much more than the Iron Dome could handle. However, the other day, my friend said that the destruction of launchers and elimination of Hezbollah leadership has considerably reduced the threat. The example my friend gave was if you buy a bag of walnuts, but have no nut cracker, you can’t eat the nuts! Thus Hezbollah, without its launchers, cannot shoot the tremendous amount of their rockets. Of course, they still are a threat, but at least a manageable one!

As the Israeli dreidels proclaim: “nes gadol hayah poh!”

Did you hear Rabbi Doron Peretz speak to the UN this week? [He is the Chairman of World Mizrachi: one of his sons was wounded and one killed by Hamas.] As one who has studied and taught Aramaic, I was fascinated by his introductory remarks: as all students of Bible know, the word “hamas” appears in the beginning of the flood story in Genesis: the world was filled with “hamas.” That word is usually translated as “brazen theft,” and according to the ancient rabbis, it was the prevalence of “hamas” that caused HaShem to bring on the flood, which almost destroyed the world.

However, as Rabbi Peretz pointed out to the UN, the word can also mean “kidnapping.” A nation that sanctions stealing of people (kidnapping) [and by extension a UN that turns a blind eye] could lead to the destruction of the entire world order. 

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Our prayers never seemed so relevant. To give one of many examples: in the “‘avinu malkeinu” that we say every day [except Shabbat] from Rosh HaShanah through Yom Kippur, we ask HaShem “setom piyyot mastineinu u-meqatrigeinu,” “close the mouths of our accusers and adversaries.” Indeed, in all cities there are demonstrations calling against “genocide.” How stupid (or evil) are these people, who completely miss the mark: can’t they understand that it is Iran and her allies that are calling for genocide against us!! We are only trying to defend ourselves!

At the same time, we ask HaShem “neqom niqmat dam ‘avadekha ha-shafukh.” I never understood that line as much as I did this past Monday night, Oct. 7, when in my shul in Teaneck there was a showing of the film “We will dance again.” It was a gruesome film, describing the events of last Oct 7, but a film that should be required viewing for the “river to the sea” crowd,

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This past Monday, 4 tishrei, Prof. Ron Gehr of Jerusalem observed yahrzeit for his mother.

On 8 tishrei, Michael Rubin, for his grandfather Samuel Spector,

Also, 8 Tishrei, Robert Skolnick for his father Yoseph. May the neshamot have aliya.

Ketiva va-Hatima tovah to all. May we all have a year of good health, and good news from Israel.

Rabbi Menahem White