Words From Rabbi White

Dear Chevra Shaas/Spanish

THE BLOOD MOON: IF HE WERE THE DEVIL

A week ago, on the night of Sept 7, my grandchildren who live in Jerusalem, Shmuly and Sarah Novogroder, sent us pictures of their move from one Jerusalem neighbourhood to another. It was a pitch-black night, as Israel was experiencing a total eclipse of the moon, what is called in Hebrew a “liqui levanah,” or in English a “blood moon.”

The talmud (Sotah 29a) does say that this could be a bad sign, although thinkers such as Rambam said that this is simply a natural phenomenon. But, indeed, it certainly could be a warning to watch ourselves.

Sadly, the following day in Israel saw the terrible massacre at Ramon junction, which was followed in America by the assassination at the Utah college campus.

Many years ago, before I moved to Montreal, I often had to drive long distances. To keep myself awake, I would listen to the radio. One of the commentators whose style was very entertaining was Paul Harvey. After the Utah shooting, one of the local stations played a tape of a broadcast of his from 1965, titled “If I were the Devil.” That is, what the devil would do to destroy America. Most sadly, it seems that Mr. Harvey was prescient. Here is a transcript of his remarks, as briefly edited by me:

“If I were the devil...to the young, I would whisper that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what’s bad is good, and what’s good is ‘square.’ …..And then... I’d educate authors on how to make lurid literature exciting, so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting. ...I’d pedal narcotics to whom I could... I’d tranquilize the rest with pills.

“If I were the devil, I’d soon have families at war with themselves, churches at war with themselves, and nations at war with themselves; until each in its turn was consumed….. If I were the devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellects, but neglect to discipline emotions — just let those run wild, until before you knew it, you’d have to have drug sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door. …...I’d have judges promoting pornography — soon I could evict God from the courthouse, then from the schoolhouse, and then from the houses of Congress…. I would substitute psychology for religion, and deify science. I would lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls, …. “If I were the devil I’d take from those who have, and give to those who want until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious.

And what do you bet I could get whole states to promote gambling as the way to get rich? I would caution against extremes and hard work in Patriotism, and in moral conduct. I would convince the young that marriage is old-fashioned, that swinging is more fun; that what you see on the TV is the way to be…... In other words, if I were the devil I’d just keep right on doing what he’s doing.  Paul Harvey, good day.”

The Prophet Isaiah, 2800 years ago, (chapter 5) was already complaining about people who “call bad good and good bad.” Across the river here, in NYC, many Jews are supporting a man for mayor who has refused to condemn intifada, and pledged to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu, should he ever put foot in New York.

We must pray, “tichleh shanah u-qelaloteha, tachel shanah u-virkoteha,” may the curses of the past year come to an end, and may we see the beginning of a year with its blessings!”

AND REMEMBER THE THREE T’S: TESHUVAH, TEFILLAH, AND TSEDAQAH

Shabbat shalom, shanah tovah u-metuqah, a happy and healthy year

Rabbi Menahem White, Chevra Shaas