Dedicated to all of those on the front lines of fighting for Klal Yisrael in every capacity.
This Dvar Torah is being written on the fuel of a thought, a
thought that kept leaking into my thoughts as I contemplated what to write…and
it is definitively political.
This week’s parsha, Parshas Pinchas, is often associated
with discussions of zealotry, even though Pinchus’ great act is recorded at the
end of Parshas Balak, which was read last week. Pinchus’ renown comes from the
fact that he took a spear and, with it, killed a Midianitess and a prince of
the tribe of Shimon in one shot. He didn’t do it as a reaction. He didn’t do it
in anger. He didn’t do it to show himself as smarter or stronger or holier.
Pinchus’ actions were spurred by an inherent understanding
of the order needed in the world and how the actions of Zimri and Cosbi broke
that order. Pinchus was that finely
attuned to the Divine will, even though he was the only one of his family who
had not been elevated to the kahuna. Of course, that leads right into this week’s
parsha’s actual discussion of Pinchus, which is that Hashem recognizes that Pinchus
has the inherent nature of his immediate family and makes him a kohain.
For some reason, knowing that it is Parshas Pinchas and that
this week is the opening of the 2024 Olympics in Paris strikes a chord. Pinchus
set himself into a dangerous situation – not only because those lured out by the
Midianite women were, one might assume, not quite in their right mines due to
enflamed passions, but also because those looking on might have reacted with
violence to his action as a natural next step. And yet he still did that which
was right.
One could, of course, immediately state that the Olympics
are striking example of goals that are far outside of a Torah lifestyle, but the
world is what the world is and the Israeli athletes who wish to represent the
Jewish nation have stepped out of their tent, so to speak, and into a seethingly
dangerous situation where once again passions are enflamed.
Balaam could not curse Bnei Yisrael, and so he found an
alternate route. The State of Israel’s enemies could not crush Israel, and so
they found an alternate route. Balaam sent women to seduce the men into sin. Just
as Balaam was able to recognize Bnei Yisrael’s weak point, so it is today, only
our weak point is international perception and, oddly enough, Israel’s own strength.
Today, Israel’s enemy has been using an exceptionally well-honed PR campaign as
well as professional protesters and they have enflamed the world.
Alas, today none of us are on a caliber anywhere close to
Pinchus, for we live in an era of hester panim, of obfuscation. However, we can
remember that what Pinchus did was, most importantly, a kiddush Hashem.
There is a general presumption that this upcoming display of
nations showing their best athletes, but really their national pride, will see
Israel met with ire that has a high likelihood of spilling into violence,
especially when we have seen it before.
As Israel heads into this fraught situation, and, in truth,
in the global situation that we now face, remembering Kiddush Hashem is
incredibly important. The Jewish people, individually and collectively, must
seek to be above other nations’ standards of behavior. This isn’t about whether
Israel is right or wrong in its actions in Gaza – that is certainly far beyond
my scope of understanding. Nor is this a statement of how one should react to
the protestors directly – again a complicated question. Kiddush Hashem is about
each of us as individuals.
We most often think of Kiddush Hashem as that which reflects
Torahdig behaviour to others. There is, however, another element – which is
inward. Facing a sea of hate and disparagement, we each have to know that our
neshamos have unique missions and our worth and our value and our identity come
from that, come from Hashem who assigned Bnei Yisrael a role. Remembering that
fact, even when everyone around you is either acting against logic or cowering
from reacting, leads to true kiddush Hashem.
May we each find the best way to fulfill our role in this
world and may Hashem reveal emes to the world.
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