Rabbi's Blog

Dear OZ family,

The first comment of Rashi to this week’s Parsha connects the beginning of this week’s Parsha with the end of last week’s Parsha. Last week ended with Miriam’s Lashon Hara against her brother, Moshe and Rashi connects that to the story of the negative report the 10 scouts gave about Israel. They at first spoke about the beauty of the land and its fruits, but then said it was all worthless in view of the hardships that would be involved in returning to the land promised to Avraham. Miriam questioned Moshe’s disregard of his marital obligations, and wondered why he justified doing so as God’s prophet. After all, she and Aharon were also prophets, yet they maintained their marital connections. Miriam failed to realize how extraordinary Moshe was. Because of Moshe’s humility, a characteristic mentioned within the context of Miriam’s slander, Miriam never realized how close Moshe was to God. She attributed to Moshe what she considered true of herself and Aharon, and thus questioned Moshe’s actions. If Miriam and Aharon really meant well, they should have separately spoken to Moshe, not to each other.

In this week’s Parsha, the scouts speak as actuarial strategists regarding their mission. By all odds, the mission must fail. There is no way we can do what Moshe expects of us, given the data before us. They first spoke well of the land, but then disparaged it, and Rashi tells us that this is what connects Miriam’s slander to the scouts. They failed to see how special the relationship between God and the land is, just as Miriam failed to realize how special the relationship was between God and Moshe. They could have reported everything in the opposite order and that would have been fine. Let them start by describing all the incredible hardships, describing the risks of failure, and the odds of misfortune. Then say that all of that is worthless in the face of our Divine support. Their report maligned the land just as Miriam’s words maligned her brother.

Anyone following most news outlets here in the US, to say nothing of Europe and the Arab world, knows how viciously Israel has been maligned for the simple exercise of defending her citizens. Every other country on the planet, especially in the Arab world, would have flattened Gaza in one day if under similar attack. They do the same to their own populations under much less provocation. Make no mistake. Every single one of the 4,000 missiles lobbed into Israel was meant to kill indiscriminately. Is the world so upset, that because of Israel’s superior technology, those 4,000 missiles didn’t do enough harm? I think that if anyone had any doubt about this before, the coverage these past few weeks, have removed that doubt. It is time to cancel any connection we have to the New York Times. Their coverage of the recent war in Gaza was despicable, malignant and willfully defamatory. They have been reporting on Israel this way for years, but their coverage these past few weeks have broken new ground, even by their own dismal standards. The paper of record is responsible for how the war is covered in many other ways and burgeoning anti-Semitic acts is a natural result.   

In the end, we know that our survival is dependent on the special relationship we have with the land and the Divine protection it receives. Military academies tend to teach their students the lessons of previous wars, but they also disregard the lessons of Israel’s wars because there is nothing to learn from them, because they are all miraculous. We still have our part to do it starts by defending Israel wherever we can.

In the meantime, Simcha does continue through the cycle of life. Please join me in wishing Mazel Tov to Ora and Eli Gewirtz on the birth of Ariana Rayzel. Mazel Tov to Jessica and Aharon Herring on the Pidyon Haben of their son, Yoel Betzalel. Mazel Tov to Arielle and Jack Berlin on Benji's Bar Mitzvah. Mazel Tov to Andrew Greenby on his engagement  to Dorit Ziv. And, Mazel Tov to Jenny Michael on the marriage of her granddaughter Michal to Shane Herskowitz.

Be safe.  Be healthy.   Be excellent.

Rabbi Allen Schwartz

Rabbi Allen Schwartz

Congregation Ohab Zedek

118 West 95^th Street | New York, NY  10025-6604

Phone 212.749-5150, ext 200 | Fax 212.663-3635

E-mail ras@ozny.org

Website:  www.ozny.org