Excruciating Decisions

The current war that Israel is fighting against a cruel and ruthless enemy has so many different layers. Arguably, the most difficult and gut-wrenching element is that there are currently about 130 hostages in the hands of terrorists. People of all ages, including Kfir Bibas, who turned one year old in captivity, remain captive. Understandably, there are growing voices in Israel and beyond to pressure the Israeli government into paying any price to get the hostages released. It is understandable that some would advocate this approach as the thought of family and friends incarcerated by Hamas terrorists in underground tunnels is a thought too difficult to bear. I was, therefore, surprised and intrigued to read about a group that has family members currently held as hostages that are advocating that Israel not strike a deal with Hamas that would release Palestinian terrorists in exchange for their freedom. Tzvika Mor is a parent of Eitan Mor, aged 23, who was taken hostage on October 7. Eitan was working as a security guard at the music festival when Hamas terrorists kidnapped him. Tzvika explained while cradling a photo of Eitan why he opposes freeing Palestinian terrorists jailed in Israel in exchange for his son's release. Tzvika said, "It's not just about my suffering as Eitan's father; it's about the nation as a whole. I can't let my personal hurt take priority over collective interests. Letting terrorists go free endangers Jewish lives. And Eitan wouldn't want that." Indeed, Tzvika relates that he had a conversation with Eitan about what approach to take if he was ever taken as a hostage. Tzvika relates that Eitan had said, 'If I am taken hostage, do not do a prisoner swap to let me free. Tzvika says he is sending a message of collective responsibility" so that Israel "doesn't repeat the error of the Shalit deal." Gilad Shalit, an IDF soldier taken hostage in 2006, was released in a prisoner swap in 2011 in exchange for 1,027 Palestinian terrorists and prisoners held by Israel. It was the most lopsided prisoner swap in Israel's history. At least six Israelis were murdered in the four years following the Shalit swap by terrorists released under the deal. Among those released was Hamas's Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the October 7 massacre. It can be argued that all the people killed and taken hostage on October 7 were the consequences of the Shalit deal. Mor argues that releasing over 6,000 Palestinian terrorists currently incarcerated in Israeli prisons would endanger the lives of seven million Jews currently living in Israel. The controversy around what is an appropriate price for Jews in captivity is, unfortunately, not a new issue. The Mishna in Tractate Gittin states אֵין פּוֹדִין אֶת הַשְּׁבוּיִים יוֹתֵר עַל כְּדֵי דְמֵיהֶן, מִפְּנֵי תִקּוּן הָעוֹלָם. This is translated as The captives are not redeemed for more than their actual value, for the betterment of the world. The rationale behind this difficult passage is that overpaying in attempting to get the captives released will encourage future terrorism and extortion. The latter part of the 13th century was full of persecution for the Jews of Germany, and they lived in constant fear for their property and life. One of the most prominent Rabbis of the generation was Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg. Rabbi Meir, who is also known as the Maharam, who until this day is considered one of the premier halachic authorities in the Ashkenazic world. In 1286, Rabbi Meir was imprisoned in the fortress of Ensisheim and held for ransom. The king knew that the Jews would give away their last mark to redeem their beloved Rabbi, and the sum of 20,000 marks was raised for Rabbi Meir's freedom. Rabbi Meir, however, forbade his friends and followers to pay any ransom for him. In his selflessness, he knew that once ransom was paid for him, every noted Rabbi in Germany would be arrested and held for ransom by the greedy and cruel German rulers of those days. Thus Rabbi Meir preferred to remain in prison and even die there in order to save many others from a similar fate. Rabbi Meir eventually died in prison and his body was kept there for many years. It is beyond my capability to weigh in on this most sensitive and controversial issue. I have asked myself to envision my position if it was one of my children that was a captive, and that was too painful to contemplate. What is most important is to continue sharing love, empathy, and prayers with all those families in this unbearable situation. Have a Peaceful Shabbos, Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Judicial Farce

“I have seen an upside-down world.” This is a quote from a story in the Talmud about a Sage who had a near-death experience and reported that he had witnessed “an upside world.” The last 100 days since the war launched by Hamas against the Jewish State and, in particular, the last few days, have made us feel as if we are living in an upside-down world. When one would think we have seen everything, we watch a judicial charade unfolding at the ICJ (International Court of Justice) in the Hague. South Africa has formally brought charges of genocide against Israel to ICJ. It accuses Israel of mass killings of Palestinians in Gaza. It was very telling in the opening arguments of the South African prosecutor, who referred to the allegations of genocide in the context of the so-called apartheid in Israel for the past 75 years. In other words, the Jewish People are guilty because they merely exist as a state in their ancestral homeland. The notion of South Africa somehow being the guardian of human rights is laughable. Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir was indicted for killing some 200,000 people in Darfur and South Africa. The self-appointed guardian of human rights opposed the indictment. While it is very easy to get discouraged and disheartened about the unfolding event and the sheer chutzpah, I believe this judicial farce has a silver lining. The Talmud teaches us that in the End of Days, the AlMighty will indict the Nations in the World for their cruelty and mistreatment of the Jewish People. As we are getting closer to that era, some nations historically have not interacted much with us and had not had the opportunity to be cruel and antagonistic and are now getting excited to hurt the Jews. Every lopsided vote in the UN that once again damages Israel is being recorded in the heavenly ledger. The trouble that many nations have with the Jewish People predates the existence of a modern Jewish State. As we are in the fourth quarter of history, many countries that did not meet or interact with us are attempting to get their last licks on Jew-hatred. As a people of faith, we believe that the days when the words of Torah, “הַרְנִ֤ינוּ גוֹיִם֙ עַמּ֔וֹ”(translation: Nations, proclaim God’s People), is declared to every corner of the World. Until that time, let’s remember to fasten our seatbelts for the bumpy ride ahead. Have a Peaceful Shabbos, Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

True Empathy

I am fortunate to celebrate another birthday, so I wanted to share a reflection. I am unclear about the appropriate etiquette of revealing my age as my birthday approaches. Without revealing my exact age, I will suffice it to say that I am now closer to sixty than thirty! A larger point is that once you reach a certain age that you can buy alcohol, rent a car, or run for president, the exact age is less important than the maturity of the individual. I know some pretty sharp and wise thirty-one-year-olds. I am also, on occasion, disheartened to see the lack of maturity of a seventy-one-year-old. It matters less how many years one has lived on this earth than the life lessons internalized and wisdom the individual absorbed. This important lesson is found in this week's parsha. Our weekly parsha introduces arguably the most extraordinary person ever to live on this earth. I am, of course, referring to Moshe. The life of Moshe began with an immediate crisis as his mother was rightly concerned that her newborn infant would be killed as per Egyptian law. She casts her infant in makeshift raft and puts him in the Nile with a heavy heart. The daughter of Pharoah discovers him as she is in the river and takes him back to the palace. She raised him in the Egyptian palace and cared for him there. The uncanny turn of events had the future leader of the Jewish people growing up in the palace of someone who had a campaign of genocide against the Jews. There are numerous angles and layers to this fascinating story. As Moshe grows up, the Torah states twice, ויגדל משה. This is literally translated as, "and Moshe grew up." The message of his growing up is not limited to reaching a particular age milestone. Rather the Torah states, ויצא אל אחיו. This is translated as "he went out to his brothers." It's more than a rather innocuous statement. The Torah teaches us that while Moshe may have been growing up in the Egyptian lap of luxury, he identified as a Jew and went out to assist them in the best way he knew. Moreover, he was sincerely empathetic to their plight and identified with their struggle. The idea of a Jew who is living a life of relative ease identifying with the plight of our brothers and sisters in crisis is something that weighs on me. Of course, we are not immune to hardship and challenges. That being said, the conversation is totally different when it comes to our brethren who may have a family member held hostage in Gaza or may have just buried a young son who served in the IDF. Moshe taught us many great lessons. He taught us the importance of being empathic to our brothers and sisters in crisis in his early years. He taught us that this is not just "news" but our problem and should occupy a significant amount of our headspace. He taught us what it means to grow up. Have a Peaceful Shabbos, Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Beautiful and Painful

As there seems to be a never ending supply of news from the war in Israel, many important headlines tend to be overlooked. One headline this week that I think should have gotten a lot more attention was from the Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. He reportedly said that Israel currently finds itself on a seven-front war! Let that digest. It's rare for a country to fight a two or even a three-front war. A seven-front war has been unimaginable. Gallant told the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, "We are in a multi-front war. We are being attacked from seven different arenas: Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Judea and Samaria, Iraq, Yemen, and Iran." He later added that Israel has responded to six of these areas. Another news item about the war that is not at the top of the news cycle but nonetheless worthy of attention is the economic toll. Every day costs the Israeli economy in the area of 300 million dollars. Let that number sink in. The generosity of North American Jews has been remarkable. In just the first month of the war, it raised a billion dollars. The Jewish Federations of North America is responsible for $602 million; the rest came from various groups and friendship associations. I am not aware of any campaign in the Jewish world raising one billion dollars in a single month. It sounds beyond incredible. The reality is that money would last about three days in this war. At the end of this week, we will be entering the thirteenth week of the war and Israeli officials are preparing the public for several months ahead. Of course, the highest cost Israel continues to pay is in human life. Nearly every day brings reports of deaths to IDF soldiers. I am struck by so many photos of the fallen. Their faces project optimism, happiness, and strength. They paid the ultimate price so the Jewish People can continue to live in its embattled ancestral home. Amidst all the mind-numbing pieces on our news feed, an anecdote stood out to me as both exceptionally painful and exceptionally beautiful simultaneously. Several days ago, the heartbreaking news broke that Yotam Haim was among three hostages mistaken for terrorists and accidentally killed by the IDF in Gaza earlier this month. Iris Haim, the mother of Yotam addressed the soldiers of the unit that mistakenly killed her son. She said, "I wanted to tell you that I love you very much, that I hug you here from afar, and I know that what happened is not your fault at all. I ask you to take care of yourself." She added, "the soldiers are doing the best thing in the world that can help us, as the people of Israel. We all need you healthy". This war has brought forward tremendous amounts of both pain and brotherhood. Our People's faith has been tested for thousands of years and again in our times. As 2023 comes to a close, we pray for better headlines in 2024. Have a Peaceful Shabbos, Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Praying at Night

A couple of weeks ago, I traveled on a solidarity mission to Israel. My goal was to bring supplies and strength from America. What struck me most was that while the supplies were in desperate need, the strength was not. The Israeli people have bonded together in unity and faith in an incredible way. Israelis know they are living in dangerous times, but they also know deep in their core with unwavering certainty that their cause is just, and they will ultimately prevail with God's help. As you walk around the country, despite the heavy toll of war, there is an overall sense of conviction. Therefore, in an ironic twist, I left my support mission drawing from their strength rather than the other way around. What I am particularly blown away by is that usually, in dark times, people experience crises of faith; they wonder where God is and how to connect to Him when we feel so physically and emotionally battered. And yet, it seems that those of us in the Diaspora on the proverbial "sidelines" are experiencing this rather than the "in the game." Why is this? In this week's Torah portion, our forefather Yaakov prepares to go down to Egypt. He never wanted to go down to Egypt and was somewhat frightened by the dangers of leaving the Holy Land of Israel. A strange detail is included in the ensuing episode where G-d speaks to Yaakov as he is on the journey to Egypt to offer him support and words of strength. The Torah deems it important to mention that this conversation happened "B'maarat Ha'lailah" (vision by night). Rabbi Meir Simcha of Dvinsk (the Meshech Chachmah), a fascinating Torah commentator from the pre-war era, explains that the specific mention that this was happening at night was meant to be an allusion to dark times. Yaakov, in general, often connects to God in the night, such as when he wrestles with an angel and has the dream of the heavenly ladder. Moreover, our sages tell us that Yaakov is the forefather who implemented Maariv, our nighttime service of praying to God. Therefore, in other words, the Mescech Chachma explains that what we are talking about here is not so much a "time" but a state of mind or even events. The night represents darkness, which further signifies when we don't see the hand of God so readily. When Yaakov was going to Egypt, Hashem told him that He would be with him even in the dark times. Furthermore, it is critical to note that Rashi points out that the reason God came to Yaakov at this juncture was because Yaakov was feeling "Meitzar" (constricted). Although this term denotes stress and anxiety, it also literally translates as "constricted" which is a direct allusion to where Yaakov was headed (Mitzraim). It is not a coincidence that Mitzraim comes from the word constriction, as it was a dark place devoid of G-d. Right now, we feel as if we are in a dark place on a national level. But we must remember that in every generation, there is a "Mitzraim," and despite those hard times, God is with us just as he was with our forefather Yaakov who was feeling "confined." When he was 15 and a prisoner at Auschwitz, Elie Wiesel watched as three Jewish scholars put God on trial for indifference to the suffering of his people — and found him guilty. After the verdict, Wiesel said, there was silence, and then the participants all sat down to evening prayers. As we find ourselves in unprecedented times with a whole host of challenges, it is once again time to pray at night. Have a Peaceful Shabbos, Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Appreciating Everyday Miracles

One of the primary themes of Chanukah is revisiting the meaning of a miracle. The conventional understanding of a miracle is an extraordinary supernatural event that upends the natural order of the world, akin to the splitting of the sea or the plagues in Egypt. Our Rabbis have taught that our daily lives are filled with miracles, and we are the recipients of phenomenal and incredible miracles. We witness babies born, apples growing, and many other fantastic events that regularly occur. Somehow, because of the frequency of these occurrences, we become desensitized to these miracles and lose appreciation to G-d for orchestrating all these amazing realities. Only when we are deprived of these blessings do we begin to fully appreciate how special and fortunate we have been to be the worthy recipient of these miracles. I think of this during Chanukah as a response to the famous question posed by Rabbi Yosef Karo (1488-1575) as to why we celebrate Chanukah for eight nights. After all, if the Jews had enough oil for the first night, the fact that the fire remained burning for an additional seven nights should be the reason to celebrate Chanukah for seven nights! Why, then, do we celebrate Chanukah for eight nights? I want to suggest that with our expanded understanding of miracles, it would be worthy to celebrate all the miracles in life, including the hidden miracles. That means being attentive to all aspects of the Chanukah story and not just that oil burned for an additional eight nights. As we gathered around our Menora for the last eight nights, we celebrated not only the famous historical miracles that our people experienced centuries ago. It was also a celebration of the hidden miracles in our lives. As Chanukah comes to an end, let us recommit to being attentive to noticing the hidden miracles in our everyday life and give proper thanks to the Al-Mighty! Have a Peaceful Shabbos, Rabbi Yaakov Fisch

Ivy League Heads Strike Out

Just when we think we have seen everything, we get thrown a new curveball. I don't think it was news to anyone that college campuses, especially Ivy League campuses, were hostile to Jewish students. That being said, watching the congressional testimony of the leadership from premier universities was jarring and painful. The complete abdication of moral leadership was shocking. When asked repeatedly by a member of Congress if calling for the genocide and mass violence of the Jewish People would violate the university code of conduct, the university heads equivocated and couldn't outright declare that it would violate the code of conduct. One could only imagine, if the calls for genocide were directed at another minority or ethnic group, what the reaction would be. Part of me thought that perhaps we should not be surprised. In the Parsha we read last week, several dots are unusually placed over a word that indicates a larger message. The context of this verse is Esav's reconciliation with his brother Yaakov. After years of wanting to kill Yaakov, Esav's heart melted, and he embraced him with a kiss. The Hebrew word וישקהו, translated as "and he kissed him," has several dots over the word. Rashi quotes one of the commentaries that these dots indicate a larger message. He writes that it is a "halacha" that Esav hates Yaakov, but at that time, Esav was overwhelmed with compassion and embraced Yaakov. It seems odd that Rashi would choose "halacha" to describe his feelings for Yaakov. After all, the definition of "halacha" is Jewish Law! There doesn't seem to be anything legal about a hateful ideology! Recently, a notable speech given in the U.S. Senate by Senator Schumer shed some light on this issue. He was talking about the sting of the unfair double standard the Jewish People are feeling at this time. Senator Schumer quoted the late Israeli diplomat Abba Ebban by saying, Every time a people gets their statehood, you applaud it. The Nigerians, the Pakistanis, the Zambian, you applaud their getting statehood. There's only one people, when they gain statehood, who you don't applaud, you condemn it — and that is the Jewish people. We Jews are used to that. We have lived with a double standard through the centuries. There were always things the Jews couldn't do… everyone could be a farmer, but not the Jew. Everyone could be a carpenter, but not the Jew. Everyone could move to Moscow, but not the Jew. And everyone can have their own state, but not the Jew. To understand this irrational, hateful ideology, it is helpful to understand the word choice in describing Jew-hatred as a "halacha." Not unlike (but obviously not identical) the laws of physics, the Jew-hatred that exists today is equivalent to a reality that has existed in the world for thousands of years. We have wishfully told ourselves that those days are over and civilization is much more enlightened and less hostile to the Jewish People. Recent events have demonstrated that this "halacha" of Jew-hatred has mutated to unimaginable areas of society. As we gather to light the Chanukah lights this year, let us pray that these lights overpower the darkness. Have a Peaceful Shabbos, Rabbi Yaakov Fisch