When my son Ari was in kindergarten the teacher asked the
class “what would you like to be when you grow up?” When she called on Ari he
said “a fire truck.” Even at age five, Ari knew how to deliver an outrageous
line with a straight face. Over the decades he’s honed that skill. Because the
year was 1977, the teacher knew that Ari was testing her; therefore, she simply
said, “That’s interesting.” Ari, realizing that his teacher was up to the task
of teaching him, went on to have an excellent school year.
Forty years later, an inexperienced
post-Millennial teacher might have suggested therapy for such a child. The post-Millennial
parents would have been notified, and much discussion might have ensued. There
may have been serious concern that such a child was not developmentally “normal.”
I’ve noticed how normal can be made abnormal when things are over-analyzed and
magnified through the lens of emotion.
Now in 2021, according to the “woke
left,” there’s no problem “identifying” as a fire truck, a police car, or a
kangaroo. (Actually it’s not politically correct to be a police car in
Minneapolis these days.) All fantasies can now become realities. Facts are no
longer accepted as plain truth. In the woke mind, the impossible is now
possible. Inane irrational statements are treated with the utmost respect and
reverence. Abject absurdity has overtaken true scholarship. Two-plus-two can
equal nine if you simply redefine the value of each two. The inmates are
running the asylum. It’s a great time to be a “binary” fire truck!
I learned long ago not to argue or
attempt to rationalize facts when dealing with irrational or demented
individuals. Some people cannot be reasoned with. In some cases medication
helps. Too often, however, seriously disturbed people haven’t been properly
diagnosed and are therefore not on meds. Compounding the problem is a shortage
of straightjackets since a lot of material has been used to produce hundreds of
millions of face coverings to keep us safe from germs. But masks provide no
protection against a bigger threat, which is a warped and disturbed subculture
which has almost succeeded in redefining normal by silencing an intimidated
compliant majority.
Failure to fall in line with the woke
results in “cancellation,” shaming, or fear for one’s safety. Raising healthy
normal children in a 2021 woke culture is an immense challenge. Living in a
religious Jewish neighborhood and sending a child to a good school is not
sufficient to immunize them. Our homes must be safe havens of solid moral and
ethical values. How mommy and daddy interact with each other and with their
children is critical.
Witnessing a once great country
being systematically deconstructed is painful. I think of my parents’
generation: people with strong values who grew up in hardship and worked to
better themselves, their families, and the world around them. Tom Brokaw called
them the “greatest generation.” Certainly, in recent history they probably
were.
Currently we are reading the book of
Bereishis (Genesis), and Chanukah is fast approaching. Abraham in his time
stood firm against the heathen nations. Much later, the Maccabees had to battle
the pagan Assyrian Greeks. Obviously, some crucial historical lessons that
should have been learned (by the Jews and non-Jews) have, by and large, not
been fully embraced.
We are all created betzelem Elokim (in G-d’s image). We are therefore endowed with free will
and are empowered to make the best available choice in any given situation.
“Best available” does not mean the best. It sometimes means choosing better
rather than worst. A little over a year ago, the Gaon Harav Shmuel Kamenetsky
(may he be blessed) made this point in a discussion about the dilemmas of
casting one’s vote in the 2020 election and how he arrived at his decision.
We’ve all heard the anti-Semitic
statement “the Jews run the world.” In fact, in 2018, Washington D.C.
Councilman Trayvon White (who is now running for mayor) explained how the Rothschild
family (i.e., the Jews) control the government and even the weather in D.C. No,
you can’t even attempt to make that up! Anyway, in my opinion the Jews do influence some control over the world
– not in some nefarious, devious way – but by our actions and behavior. We can
bring goodness and blessing to humanity. The Jewish people has been tasked with
being a ‘light unto the nations.” (Isaiah 49:6) Yet well over a half century
ago, a rav from a great chasidic
dynasty, commenting on American Jewry, said, “Most are like the messenger who
forgot the message.”
That statement certainly describes
our current reality. What happens in the world is often an exaggerated
reflection of what’s happening within Jewish communities. When Jews aren’t
projecting a clear Torah-based message and acting al kiddish Hashem (glorifying G-d name), society at large has no
anchor. Religion and religious values have fallen on hard times. Nature abhors
a vacuum. Enter the new religion of the woke left. This, for me, is a message
that we Jews need to lift our game. Outside of our religious neighborhoods,
there is an alarming rate of intermarriage and assimilation. Even within our
communities we struggle with kids from good homes who are “lost” and searching
for meaning and purpose.
Here is the good news: For 4,000
years, since the time of Avraham Avinu, our enemies have risen and been
defeated. The Jewish people has always been challenged from within and without.
We are still here because Hashem made a promise to our ancestors. We learn that
the hallmark of Avraham was serving Hashem with complete devotion and joy while
demonstrating great hospitality to all. Yitzchak devoted himself to study and
prayer. Yaakov was an amalgam of his father and grandfather. He was sensitive
while strong. He was able to outmaneuver Lavan and defeat an aggressive angel
in an all-out struggle for spiritual survival.
The Maccabees galvanized a small but
dedicated army which defeated the numerically superior Assyrian Greeks who had
defiled the Temple and forced pagan culture upon the Jews. In every generation
the Jews are tested. Today, in 5782, we are surrounded by many who claim that
individuality and personal preferences are a sacred and an absolute right. Objective
morality doesn’t feature. It’s about “me” and what I feel and want now! For
observant Jews, personal choices are aligned with the moral and ethical values
of the Torah. When we Jews are able to subdue our egos and do G-d’s will, we,
as small in number as we are, become an ohr
lagoyim” (a guiding light to the nations).
As Chanukah approaches this might be
a good time to look inward and consider which mitzva we should polish, and
where we can upgrade in mitzvos bein adam lechaveiro (between man and his/her
fellow). Wasting time with pointless political debates, in person or on social
media, is not the answer. It simply frustrates us, raises our blood pressure,
and distracts us from our vital mission. We have role models throughout four
millennia of Jewish history, none of whom led lives of leisure.
If, like me, you are deeply
concerned about what’s happening around us, then we need to do something about
it. Each and every Jew counts. Every mitzva counts. Let’s lead by example, by
consciously demonstrating ahavas Yisrael (love for others) through chesed, hospitality, charity, kindness, thoughtfulness, and consideration.
One of the mitzvos of Chanukah is to publicize the miracle – not because we won
the ground war against the Assyrians but because we fought and struggled for
our spiritual survival against seemingly overwhelming odds, and we prevailed.
When the Bnai Yisroel found
themselves caught between the terrifying Egyptian army and the sea, one man,
Nachshon, with firm emunah went
forward. Only after the water reached Nachshon’s nostrils – meaning he had done
everything within his power –did the sea split, allowing all of Israel to be
rescued.
Never underestimate the power of one
Jew. We may not see ourselves as Miriam, Ruth, Yael, or Queen Esther – or as Avraham,
Yosef, Moshe, King David, or Nachshon. Nevertheless, each of us has the
capacity to step up and be all that we can be. It is said that when we stand
before our Creator after 120 years, we will not be compared to others; we will
only be held accountable for the unique gifts we were given and asked if we
utilized them.
With each (rapidly) passing year, I
remind myself of Rava’s six questions (in Talmud Shabbos 31): Did I maintain
high standards of integrity in my business transactions? Did I fix times for
Torah study? Did I build a Jewish home? Did I actively do deeds which will
hasten the coming of our Redemption? Did I work to pursue wisdom and
understanding? Was I in awe of G-d’s work of creation?
As we approach Chanukah, let’s
redouble our efforts to bring more light into an overcast world. Chanukah samei’ach.
