Shattered False God

Many false gods have been shattered since October 7. Sometimes, we find ourselves stunned when these false gods disintegrate before our eyes, and sometimes, I wonder if we should even be surprised. The latest false god to hit the dust has been the institutions of higher education, including the universities in the vaunted Ivy League group. The disconnect between its stated purpose and mission and the reality on the ground is vast and pathetic. For example, the Mission Statement of Brown University (one of the eight Ivy League schools)" is to serve the community, the nation, and the world by discovering, communicating, and preserving knowledge and understanding in a spirit of free inquiry, and by educating and preparing students to discharge the offices of life with usefulness and reputation." The reality at Brown University is quite the opposite. In a capitulation to the bullying protests and threats in favor of Hamas, Brown University became the first university to consider divesting from Israel officially. It will convene a vote if it should formally divest from Israel. The decision was celebrated by the Pro Hamas coalition of students and others who hailed this decision as a "great victory." The charged atmosphere has resulted in Jewish students being concerned for their physical safety. There are too many schools to mention that have become a cesspool of hatred and bigotry. (Of course, other schools, especially in Florida, are not kowtowing to the bullying tactics of agitators, but they appear to be the outliers.) There is a widespread custom to study Pirkei Avos, the foundational text of Jewish Ethics, on Shabbos afternoon in the weeks following Pesach. The first Mishna begins with a rather bizarre introduction, stating that Moshe received the Torah at Sinai and transmitted the teachings to Yehoshua, which started the transmission of sacred Jewish belief. The famous sage from the fifteenth century, Rabbi Ovadiah of Bartenura, wrote this introduction in Pirkei Avos, which is necessary to teach us that our ethics and values emanate from the original transmission of the Torah at Sinai. The Oxford Dictionary defines wisdom "as the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment." The notion of someone acquiring wisdom at any of these institutions of higher education seems remote. It may be an opportune time to re-acquaint ourselves with the ancient wisdom of Pirkei Avos. Have a Peaceful Shabbos, Rabbi Yaakov Fisch