Insights and Inspiration
from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend in Karmiel"
from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend in Karmiel"
November 2nd 2012 -Volume 3, Issue 3 –14th of Cheshvan
5773
Parshat
Vayeira
Vote for…
I hate politics. I like politics. I hate
liking politics. I like hating liking politics...For those of you living in a cave you may
have not noticed Election season is at its peak. In Israel I can tell you that
even in caves that I have visited there will be political graffiti on the wall.
“The nation is with Bibi” “Kahana Chai!” “There is a future
with Atid” “Gimmel, the party of the Rabbis”. I first got interested in
politics when my parents used to force us to watch the evening news at dinner
each evening and I realized that the more I engaged them in a conversation
about politics and world events the less chance they would remember to ask me
about the test I took in class or the homework I never completed. Later on my
interest grew and developed as I started working on college campus and realized
that I had a choice to make- it was either going to be connecting with my
college students, who assumed I was this closeted Orthodox Rabbi, over college
football conversation or politics. Frankly, the thought of having to talk about
7 foot tall angry madmen killing themselves over a ball as they ran around a
field jumping all over one another made me want to lay down flat on that field.
So instead once again I pursued and engaged in many deep and earthshattering
political discussions. So I guess you can see like every good politician I got
into politics for my own self-interests. No homework. No football. If only our
politicians would be so honest.
The truth is I hate politics. I am cynical by
nature, especially when it comes to politics and I get annoyed hearing the lies
the bad-mouthing, and the innocent and naïve passion that many people talk
about a particular party or candidate with. As if voting for this person or
party will dramatically alter the universe bringing either world peace, love
and harmony and social security benefits, while the other will bring World War
III, the collapse of the financial world as we know it and extend the ban on
fountain soda soft drinks to the entire planet. I found it ironic that in this
season when everyones candidate is promising the world, that Hashem sent this
devastating hurricane to remind us how little control we really have.
At the same time I enjoy the fact that people
are actually engaged in conversation that has to do with the well being of the
world. Election time is when we try to figure out how we can improve tomorrow.
It’s a time when we can examine where we are and what we have succeeded and
failed in accomplishing. Years of Yeshiva and Talmudic training has taught me
the significance of the “conversation” and brainstorming that comes when two
opposing views are forced to match up against one another. Politics has the
ability to do that and I enjoy the discussions that challenge my pre-conceived
notions and perhaps give me an appreciation of a new way of thinking.
Sadly though politics, promises and ideas
rarely lead up to the utopia that they promise. The great politicians change (or
reveal their true colors) once they get into office and the same old realities
of a world that is moving on its own pace, in its own direction, in my opinion
down...down...down still lacks the leadership that can bring it all together.
So I hate liking it because of that disappointment. Yet, at the end of the day
it turns me once again to that source of true direction-up above in my prayers-
each day.
“Return our judges (leaders) as it once was
and those that guide us as it was in the beginning and remove from us the grief
and misery. And rule over us You alone with kindness, mercy and justice”.
And once again I appreciate that Hashem gives
us this election day once again so that we may like hating liking it and long
for His true leadership.
Yet, it is election time and in honor of that
I will share with you two fascinating insights from this week’s Torah portion,
that address an incredible question I heard this year about two people who have
a political agenda. One fails. One succeeds. Who would you vote for?
The Torah tells us this week about Hashem’s
most major global decision since the Tower of Babel and the flood. He decides
to declare his war on evil, particularly the anti-chesed, licentious city if
Sodom and it’s 4 boroughs Amora, Adma, Tzvoim and Tzoar (not that there’s
anything wrong with living in a city with 5 boroughsL). Avraham, being the
religious spiritual leader of the not-so-free world is brought in on the
discussion to overturn these cities and he begins his political wrangling with
Hashem. Maybe there are 50 righteous people? 45? It won’t play good in the
press if you kill innocent and wicked together. Collateral damage is political
deicide. Maybe 30? How’s about 20? 10? Avraham, realizes that this conversation
was pretty much not going anywhere and Hashem had pretty much set his mind up
and if there were no righteous it really was a lost cause so he goes on home.
The divine plan is then set in motion.
But then salvation comes from a seemingly
unlikely figure; none other than our good friend Lot. Yes, Lot, who left
Avraham to seek out his fortune in this wicked of all cities. Lot, who was
willing to let the mob take and defile his daughters rather than lose his
reputation. (Lot,who is incidentally revered in Christian and Muslim tradition-
you can understand why there might be theological problems with these faiths.).
Yes, Lot upon fleeing the city turns to Hashem and asks him to save the city of
Tzoar
“I’m sacred to run to the mountain- this city
is close, it’s smaller, save it so I may live”
A very heartfelt plea don’t you think? But
what do we know? Sure enough Hashem responds
“I have found favour for this thing as well
for you. I will not turn over the city as you said.”
Pretty amazing! Avraham, the beloved of
Hashem, father of many nations for whom it says Hashem created the entire world
in his merit as he ended 2000 years of spiritual darkness can’t save the city.
But Lot almost on an aside conversation as he barely gets away by the skin of
his own teeth and as the Torah tells us only in the merit of Avraham is able to
pull the salvation of this city out of his hat. As we say in Yeshiva... What’s
Pshat?
The answer Rabbi Noach Weinberg says can be
understood in two ways. One, Avraham was looking for Tzadikim. Lot on the other
hand didn’t even bother trying to find Tzadikim he said it’s Mitz’ar- meaning smaller or younger- meaning it’s
sins aren’t as bad; they’re not as wicked. That is the merit that worked. Reb
Noach takes from that message that perhaps sometimes it behooves us to not
always look at the world as who is righteous or not. Hashem judges at times and
will give merit to the -"at least they’re not as bad as the other
guys" group as well. It’s a view to keep in mind when we approach our
political debates in not over-exaggerating the rhetoric about the terrible
opposing candidates maybe. No one is a Nazi or a murdering terrorist. Defining
the level of evil and perhaps even finding some untapped potential for
righteousness in that might be significant as well. On a more religious level as
well the message is that no one should ever feel that someone is beyond saving
or reaching out to. If Tzoar could be saved without any righteous people than
there is certainly no Jew out there that we should feel is beyond us trying to
connect with and sharing our special heritage with.
The other lesson that he suggests is that we
may approach the difference between Avraham and Lot in that for Avraham it was
a matter of global concern. As the Father of the nations and the person
responsible for bringing the knowledge of Hashem and his ways to the world, the
city of Tzoar had to make sense to fit into that plan. Frankly they fell very
short. And as much as he personally might have wanted to save them, perhaps he
foresaw that without the righteous people in the city to help them and guide
them they would just get themselves in more trouble. Lot on the other hand was
the ultimate politician. He wanted to save Tzo’ar for one reason. He needed to
a place to live and he was scared for his life; Your typical self-interest one
issue voter. When you have your life on the line and turn to Hashem with the
most heartfelt prayer ever- “Help me- save this city I have nowhere else to
turn” than even when the scales of justice are entirely turned against you.
Even when the decree has been finalized. The power of that one heartfelt prayer
to our Father in heaven can change it all. Lot felt his life was invested and
connected to the fate of Tzo’ar and his prayer was able to accomplish where
Avraham’s was not.
Was
it a good thing to save Tzo’ar this wicked city? Was Lot right? Discuss. It’s
your Shabbos table homework. Would you vote for Avraham or Lot? Well, if you
live a place like those five boroughs that might make a difference. But most
importantly how deeply do we feel about the issues that we are talking and
debating about in regards to our candidates. Are we wasting our time? If we
truly feel that issues such as Israel, the economy, Torah, health care,
justice, peace, security and most of all Hashem’s presence on this world are
important, than beyond sticking a ballot in a box are we prepared to do
something to make this world a better place? The lesson from Lot is that we can
change the world if we feel that are lives are dependent on it. We have so much
to offer and so much needs to be done. Instead of “passing the buck” to another
unworthy politician, to paraphrase Ronald Reagan- “The buck stops here”; by
each and every one of us. I vote for you.
Have
elect-rifying Shabbos,
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
RABBI
SCHWARTZ COOL PLACES IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK-
Mearat Tzidkiyahu- Right
outside the Damascus gate- Sha’ar Shechem is a cave that his been known for
generations as the cave of Tzidkiyahu the last king of Israel. The Medrash
tells us that Tzidkiyahu fled Jerusalem before the Baylonian army by the
destruction of the Temple in an underground tunnel that led out to Jericho. And
legend has it that this was that tunnel. The tunnel which contains the precious
meleke stone used in the building of the Temple by Herod and the later walls of
Jerusalem by Suleiman were all quarried from here. The freemasons believe that
King Solomon’s temple as well was quarried from this 750 foot long cave that is
on average about 50 feet tall. In fact they hold their annual induction
ceremony here. The cave was discovered by the archeologist James Barclay who
was walking his dog near here in 1854 under the Ottaman rule till the dog ran
away into the cave through a little crack that had been covered up, being the
first living being there in over 400 years- a true Bark-eologist (sorry I couldn’t
resist). Today one can visit this cave. It’s nice and cool in the summer and
great for kids or those who love to see something different in the holy city.
RABBI SCHWARTZES RABBI
SHLOMO CARLEBACH ON HIS 18TH YARTZEIT VIDEO OF THE WEEK
ON ISRAEL
Mosheleh gut Shabbos
The holy tailor
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAzZfM9vd-o&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAzZfM9vd-o&feature=related
"Everyone in the Hurricane's path should immediately make their way to their second or third home." I'm Mitt Romney and I approve this message.
Hurricane Sandy because God was also sick of Political ads.
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