Introduction
When we experience terrible events our duty is to repent. As Maimonides codified in Mishneh Torah Hilchot Ta’anith Ch.1:3:
“…should the people fail to cry out [to God] and sound the trumpets, and instead say, "What has happened to us is merely a chance occurrence," this is cruel. That causes them to stick to their wicked deeds. If they do so, this time of suffering will lead to further suffering. This is written in the Torah [Leviticus 26:27-28]: "If you remain indifferent to Me, I will be indifferent to you with a vengeance." The meaning of the verse is thus: When I, G-d, 0bring difficulties upon you so that you shall repent and instead you say that it is a chance occurrence, I will add more of my vengeance to said chance occurrence.”
Oct. 7th is undoubtedly a tragedy for our nation. The divine command demands of us to try to understand the failures that led us to that horrific massacre.
Each society has a particular angle and frame that they engage the world with. I speak here as a Jew and Israeli. I can only imagine that those that stand from a different place will reach different conclusions. The basic universal principle of learning from experience manifests itself for each tribe differently. My prayer is that the repentance of all peoples from this terrible reality will come together as harmonious peace.
The relationship between sin and punishment is a rational one. Hence, the way to seek repentance is to search for the sin that caused the wound in the most direct fashion. Not to search the ones for which we might feel most guilty of. It is not about relieving the sensation of guilt, but the guilt itself.
The Creator of the World is the source of our divine inspiration. It is up to ourselves to be vessels worthy of G-d's overflow to hear the words clearly. Only with an open heart can we discern the words of G-d's voice in our punishment.
The difference between repentance and response to tragedy is thus: a response sees the crisis and believes that in order to mitigate damages or solve the current problem we must respond in a certain way. In contrast, repentance turns our attention to how we were before the crisis. It demands of us an explanation of how we allowed ourselves to be so vulnerable to such a disaster.
The act of repentance is an intentional one. It is an analysis of our past with an eye towards our flaws and a commitment to a better future with an emphasis on concrete change.
Israeli Society Pt. 1
When we seek the sin of Oct. 7th some things stand out for me. I do not proclaim “I know, and accept my opinion.” My word is not prophecy. But I strongly believe that what I point to should be considered. At the very least, it should be actively and precisely refuted if incorrect.
The first sin that I see is the relationship of us, the Israeli people to ourselves. It is no secret that Israeli society was in political turmoil up to the massacre. Can we do something other than ask ourselves if our harsh and cruel language was wrong? Were we treating our brothers as enemies? Did we build barriers between ourselves? We did half of the enemy’s work of 'divide and conquer'.
For many Israelis the war is a wake up call from this inner division. Of course, the reason we were all riled up was because important and precious values were felt to be on the line for all camps. That being said, the mode of our disagreement demands reconsideration and reflection. But it cannot be a temporary measure.
Part of this reconsideration must not only be on how we protest. It also has to do with what we are willing to do in the face of protest. If one only accepts extreme protest as a measure can they shirk the responsibility of the extremity of the protest?
Those like me, who ignored the protests, the counter protests, and the like are at fault as well. We were the potential peace-makers between estranged brothers. Instead we ignored the sirens. Worse, I mocked their fanaticism and mob mentality. Now I ask: How does one mock such weakness and not seek to heal it?
This is a warning against false teshuvah. As time passes it will be more and more tempting to claim innocence and point the finger at your brother or sister. "If only you had done this we wouldn't be here." Blaming is the easiest route out of taking responsibility. It is the act of immature children who cannot bear the truth. Children of Israel, a man who struggled with man and angels! Struggle against the discomfort of absolving yourself. Our stains can only be washed with the waters of repentance.
Israeli Society Pt. 2
Not only did we fail as a divided nation- community against community against community. As individuals we must see a harsh rebuke in the mirror as well. At times of tragedy and desperation, where survival is on the line, we Jews respond with such beauty and urgency. We feel the pain of our family, and reach out to help. But where was our society before the massacre of Oct. 7th? We were sipping our colas on the beaches of the world. We were entranced with our own selfish pleasures. Each individual can see how what they are now contributing was possible to some scale as part of their normal life. Whether it is financial charity, or physically helping others with hospitality. We see our best selves shining now. Why did we need such a horrible alarm to do so?
It is important, again, to frame this as repentance. Otherwise, it is experienced only as a measure of response to tragedy. But this cannot be the way. We must see the Divine Rebuke, and search for our faults as to correct them permanently. We must change the normal habits of our lives- not just respond to emergencies.
The culture of Netflix and pleasure seeking has been shown to be an empty hollow shell. It is a drug, but not a source of life. People are turning to be active and contribute to their neighbors and family.
We feel in our bones what is good and what is bad. We know that the act of giving is infinitely more potent for the quality of life for the giver than another whimsical TikTok video.
It is not that the luxuries of life are not important. Contrariwise-
“if there is no Torah what good is flour?!”
(Avoth 3:17)
Survival is only the base upon which beauty is to flourish. But there are luxuries and then there are luxuries. There are luxuries of connection, of growth, of activity of meaning. And there are luxuries of isolation, of narcissism, of sloth and of nihilism. And we have slowly been cultivating the weeds instead of the trees in our garden.
The repentance is at arm's length. What we have seen in ourselves shine so brightly needs to be watched and cared for like a baby. We cannot allow ourselves to regress back to indifference. We need to actively pursue the best way of life.
Arise- stewards of the holy! See your brothers and sisters and how they shine. Keep this memory fresh in their hearts, so they can see what wonders they can strive for. Show them their beauty in the mirror, so that they will not allow themselves to fall into an ugliness of sloth.
Israeli Politics
I hesitate to speak on the political level. But there is something that must be said here. Today- we all know of Hamas’s evil brutality. It is no secret that they are wicked to Jews and oppressors of Palestinians. We hear their rhetoric and see their actions. But I ask myself why I was so silent until today. And the response to the rebuke cannot be a continued silence.
Until Oct. 7th, the danger of Hamas to Israel was felt as minor. Yes, some rockets and some damage; but don't we have Iron Dome? And yet at that time, no one asked what Hamas was doing to Gaza. My heart was cold and deaf to what was clearly a terrible situation.
It is not only the physical and material damage of Hamas to Gaza that I awake to today. There is no doubt that many in Gaza support Hamas. And is this not a corruption of the soul?
“Worse is the one who causes another to sin than the the one who kill him!” (Bamidbar Rabbah 21:4)
And when Hamas was corrupting Gaza did I speak out? Did I even care?
There was once a butcher cutting meat. His knife slipped, and with his right hand, he cut his left. “I will punish you for this!” he cried. Taking the knife in the left hand, he cut his right. The Jewish people are one body. Humanity is one body.
I know that there are voices who see my call here as ludicrous. Some will shrug off responsibility for enemies' vices. Others will claim how true repentance is the dismantling of Israel or the like. There are a thousand objections. But I ask you to reflect. Are you doubling down and vindicating yourself? Because G-d calls us to mindful repentance and change with tragedy.
Global
The explosions in the Holy Land reverberate on the globe. As a planet, with shared humanity, we must look at ourselves in the mirror and seek where our flaws caused this, and how we can rectify the shattered world.
I do not think that attention on our small sliver of land is the repentance of the world. In fact- I firmly believe that it is the opposite of repentance. Only because of the Diaspora of Jews and the Muslim and Arab obsession with the Holy Land do you see us on your screens. But what of all the silent pain?
Do not misunderstand me. I am not saying to ignore the pain of those that live in the Holy Land. I am saying that when our heart opens to one suffering soul, we must not close the door to the others. If your heart is open for those suffering from the massacre and aftermath of Oct. 7th, then open your heart to those suffering beyond. Not only to the injured and trampled bodies. Do not turn your eyes away from the souls corrupted by hatred. They scream in agony from the violent ideology that has captured their hearts. The scream may be heard in the mutilated corpses. Do you dare listen and respond?
A silly heart can be impassioned. It does nobody any good. A wise heart does not ignore justice. It does not ignore beauty. It does not ignore pain. But above all, it seeks truth. What good is it to passionately build terror with the best intentions? No, the way forward demands of us the most critical and patient judgment.
Never be indifferent to human evil. It can be cured. What are you doing to heal the souls of the Image of G-d?
Bless your work, Rebbe.
Last Friday evening, I went to the shabbat service at Temple Beth Or here in Raleigh. It has been a very long time since I was in a Jewish house of worship. I went for emotional release. I wanted to
express physically in person my love of the Jews I have known, living and dead, and my love for Judaism itself. I participated as best I could and spoke to a few people along those lines, without I hope making a great show of it.
The unanticipated singing and dancing at the close was just the release I needed to send me back out into the night.
Anyway, following, this past Monday night I went to celebrate the end of a feminist Jungian book club (me and four ladies!) at the home of the organizer, who cooked for us. She is Iranian. I spoke briefly and with feeling about the shabbat service. We ate. The following poem urged itself on me the next morning:
[For Maryam Mohaghegh]
In this meantime
Of horror
Red rage grey grief bottomless blue
We are gathered for a meal of aash
By the hands of Maryam
Tehran aash
Here in North Carolina
Where she can be Tehranian
Beans lentils spinach spices
Only Maryam and God know what else
Chopped boiled drained stirred
Offered by the hands of Maryam
We taste the green
Eyes roll up
Fingers point up of their own accord
Earth touches heaven
Foundation exalted without words
By the magic of the aash
No words
In this meantime
Of laughter and great joy
What can we do but
Love one another?
In the Tanakh we read many times that God chastened the people of Israel by sending evil upon them.
Why should not this process be continued? We read in the book of Job that if God allows Satan room to act, then the evil comes from the Devil yet God could have prevented it but did not.