AND LATER GENERATIONS WILL ASK - THE CHILDREN WHO WILL SUCCEED YOU, AND FOREIGNERS WHO COME FROM DISTANT LANDS AND SEE THE PLAGUES AND DISEASES THAT THE LORDS HAS INFLICTED ON THAT LAND. ALL ITS SOIL DEVASTATED BY SULFUR AND SALT, BEYOND SOWING AND PRODUCING, NO GRASS GROWING IN IT, JUST LIKE THE UPHEAVAL OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH, ADMAH AND ZEVOIIM, WHICH THE LORD OVERTHREW IN HIS FIERCE ANGER.

(Devarim 29:18-25)

 

Had not the Lord of Hosts left us some survivors, we should have been like Sodom, another Gomorrah.

(Isaiah 1:9)

 

Had not the Lord of Hosts left us some survivors - of His own initiative and by His own mercy, and not due to our righteousness. We should have been like Sodom - we would have all been destroyed.

(Rashi ad loc)

 

just like the upheaval of Sodom and Gomorrah - He compared their punishment with that of Sodom because their sin was comparable to that of the people of Sodom.

(Rabbi Yitzhak Shemuel Reggio on Devarim 29:22)

 

...according to our Rabbis (see Sanhedrin 109a) the people of Sodom bore all the bad attributes, but they were punished for the crime of not supporting the poor and impoverished. This was because they committed that sin more consistently than the others, and also because all peoples treat their neighbors and their poor charitably; none of the nations was as cruel as Sodom.

Know that the judgment of Sodom was due to the superiority of the Land of Israel since Sodom is part of the inheritance of the Eternal (II Samuel 20:19), and it does not suffer men of abominations. And just as it later vomited out a whole nation on account of their abominations, so it now anticipated and saw that this entire people behaved worse than all nations towards Heaven and mankind. It thus laid waste heaven and earth for them, and the land was destroyed forever, never to be restored, since they became haughty on account of the beneficence that was bestowed on them. The Holy One, blessed be He, thus made Sodom a token against the rebellious children (Bamidbar 17:25), that is, against the children of Israel who were destined to inherit it, even as He warned them: all its soil devastated by sulfur and salt... just like the upheaval of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which the Lord overthrew in His fierce anger (Devarim 29:22). For there have been among nations those who were evil and exceedingly sinful, and yet He did not do to them as He did to Sodom. However, it was all on account of the superiority of this land for there is the temple of the Eternal (Jeremiah 7:4).

(RaMBaN on Bereishit 1:7, based on Chavel translation)

 

In Praise of Galutiyut - and against Normalcy

Ronen Ahituv

The doctrine known today as "The Negation of the Galut [Diaspora]" developed in the first half of the twentieth century in the context of the Zionist movement's struggle to win the heart of the nation. Zionism used this doctrine to justify itself as the opposite of the Galut and as an alternative to it. In their writings, the fathers of secular Zionism described the Galut as an unfortunate mishap, and as a disease that had afflicted the Jewish People; Zionism, they said, was to be its cure. They claimed that life in the Galut had been responsible for a whole list of defects of Jewish existence, including economic, social, class, moral and even psychological failings. They said that life in the Land of Israel would foster the creation of a society cured of all these problems - a new rooted generation of Hebrews would arise, healthy of mind and body, untouched by the Galut's infirmities.

According to this doctrine the Galut bears significance that goes beyond its physical aspect of life outside the Land of Israel; it involves an entire way of life and world-view. As its opposite, Zionism also goes beyond mere geography and is founded upon a rejection of all the characteristics of the Galut. Some of the Zionist ideologues thought that the Jewish religion, the halakhah, and the life of Torah-study were also Galut phenomena that must be discarded.

Some opponents to Zionism claimed that the Jewish People was meant to be active within other nations; they praised the Galut as a situation offering contact with a variety of cultures that serves to fertilize and cultivate the Jewish People's special strengths. The ideological voice of Galut-supporters was almost silenced following the Holocaust, and the educational system in the Land of Israel continued and furthered strengthened the ideology of the negation of the Galut. The opening passage of Israel's Declaration of Independence is typical of this Zionist line, claiming that, "The Jewish People came into existence in the Land of Israel", etc., in contradiction to the Torah's testimony that the Jewish People came into existence in Egypt. These days, the term galuti [belonging to the Galut] is a term of opprobrium with which competing sectors of Israeli society attack each other.

Now we shall investigate the Torah's position regarding the Galut, deriving from it several positive aspects of the Galut - not as an historical concept, but as an existential outlook. In this way we shall be able to integrate the advantages of the Galut into a Zionist world-view. The parshiyot of Netzavim and Va'Yelekh emphasize a phenomenon found throughout the book of Devarim, which presents life in the Land of Israel as a challenge that it almost unsustainable in the long run. True, the entry into the Land of Israel is guaranteed, but no more so than is exile. Pained, Moses says, for I know that, when I am dead, you will act wickedly and turn away from the path that I enjoined upon you, and that in time to come misfortune will befall you for having done evil in the sight of the Lord and vexed Him by your deeds (31:29).

These verses are not unusual. The surprising thing is that throughout the Torah, the People Israel is represented as a nation without a homeland. Starting with Abraham, who left his homeland in order to live in Canaan - a land strange to him (when he sends his servant to bring his son a bride from Haran, he sends him to my land and my homeland [Bereishit 24:4]), on through Jacob and Joseph, who spent the best years of their lives outside the Land of Israel, the creation of the People Israel during the exodus from Egypt and the reception of the Torah in the desert, and ending with the representative figure of Moses, whose life ended in trans-Jordan.

Scriptural halakhah also emphasizes the notion that the Land of Israel is not the people's natural homeland. The laws of the Shemittah and Jubilee years impress us with the idea that the Land of Israel is not the natural place of settlement of the People Israel, but rather a yearned-for goal and challenge. The Torah describes the Jewish People as a nation that is not tied to a homeland, but rather one which tries to conquer it for itself and keep possession of it as long as it can, and to the extent allowed by God. The curse of life in the Galut thus winds-up serving as the national default state rather than as an unusual situation. This picture reappears in the prophets as well; they repeatedly foretell the exile and the miraculous return to the land.

The biblical position that the life and existence of the People Israel are not dependent upon the Land of Israel is also expressed in our actual history. The People Israel spent most of the years of its existence outside of its land. For the most part it did not enjoy territorial sovereignty during those centuries that it did dwell in its own land, but rather lived under the foreign domination of the Philistines, Babylonians, Persians, Seleucids and Romans.

The "normality" of life in the Land which Zionism attempts cultivate, stands opposed to all of these messages. However, the anti-Zionist view, which prefers life in the Galut over life in the Land is equally contradicted by them.

It would seem that the Book of Devarim presents the Galut as a threat meant to make us observe the Torah while we are in the Land, but the suggestion that the Galut serves as the foundation of Jewish existence directs us towards finding a positive evaluation for the Galut phenomenon.

What is the significance of the notion that the People Israel is an inherently diasporic nation? Can this characterization offer us any moral message that is relevant to our lives as Israelis? It is difficult to find an explicit answer to this in Scripture, so this will be the place to suggest some hypotheses.

In Pesahim 87b, R. Eliezer states: "The Holy One blessed be He only exiled Israel among the nations in order that they take on converts." It would seem that according to R. Eliezer, the exile was intended to spread the Jewish faith, to increase Jewish numbers in demographic terms. In the long term, it appears that during the course of the Galut the Jewish people gained fewer people through conversion than it lost to assimilation. In that case, a demographic explanation cannot serve as a reasonable answer; in any event, it has no bearing upon our life in the Land.

R. Eliezer's statement might be interpreted along different lines: life in the Galut, which involve a loss of national power and authority, allow the individual Galut Jew freedom from national cultural coercion. The Galut Jew can - and must - autonomously choose his own way; he is not subject to political decisions that determine his identity. In the Galut, the decision to be Jewish becomes significant, since every Jew is free to choose his own identity. There is no great difference between him and a convert, since both of them decide to be Jewish not as a matter of fate, but as a chosen destiny.

In contrast, when living in a stable and homogenous cultural environment our freedom of choice is limited and we are forced to adopt the identity determined by our social environment. Life in a normal homeland determines ideological and existential normativity.

The significance of life in the Land within a Galut consciousness of being strangers and residents is one of free choice, even here in the Holy Land. The cultural openness and the freedom of every person to choose his own religious and existential identity from amongst the array of sub-cultures within the Israeli (and world) society, are a blessing that deepens the significance of our choice. In this way an Israeli Zionist who believes in the importance of a homeland can also benefit from diasporic consciousness.

Dr. Ronen Ahituv lives in Mitzpe Netufa and teaches at the Oranim, Kinneret, and Western Galilee colleges.

 

It is not in the heavens

In the Torah it is written that It is not in the heavens nor across the sea - It is not in the heavens - it is not found in the arrogant; nor across the sea - not among those who journey across the sea. And so the Sages said: "Not everyone who does a lot of trading becomes wise," and they commanded: "Spend little time on business and be involved with Torah." The words of the Torah are compared to water, for it is said, O, all who thirsty come to the water, to tell you that just as water does not gather on a slope, but rather flows of its own accord into the low places, so too the words of the Torah are not found among the arrogant and not among those of prideful heart, but rather among the humble and modest who cling to the dust of the feet of the sages, who remove all desire for temporal pleasures from their hearts, working each day to subsist if they have nothing to eat, spending the rest of the day and night on Torah.

And anyone who decides to busy himself with Torah and to desist from work, living off of charity - he has desecrated the Name, and degraded the Torah, and extinguished the light of religion, and caused himself evil, and removes his life from the world - for it is prohibited to gain advantage from the words of Torah in this world. The Sages said: "Anyone who benefits from words of Torah removes his life from this world," and they further commanded, saying: "Do not make them a crown to aggrandize yourself with, nor a spade to sustain yourself with" and they further commanded saying, "Love labor and detest lordship" "and all Torah that is not accompanied by labor will be void in the end; it will bring sin in its wake. At the end of the day, this person will rob people.

(Tur Yoreh De'ah 246)

 

It is not in the heavens - The understandings and the actions to which it refers are not in the realm of the superhuman, the celestial; all the divine revelations necessary for its understanding and observance have already been given in full, and nothing remains of them in the heavens. Therefore you cannot say: "Where can be found that man with superhuman spirit who will penetrate for us the secrets of heaven, or will bring down from heaven a new revelation which will complete our comprehension...?"

For near to you is the word, exceedingly - The subject and the substance of Torah is very close to you; it is closer to you than anything else, for you yourself are the subject of Torah, and your worldly life is its substance. If you wish to understand the two, delve deep into your inner heart and see with open eyes your worldly-human relations...

These three words, lo ba-shamayim hee (it is not in heaven), are the most effective means of protection against anyone who makes a pretentious claim to supernatural enlightenment or Divine revelation in order to influence the Law and Teachings in Israel. Only hokhmah (wisdom) - not prophecy - only erudition, scholarship derived from the text and tradition, not some higher inspiration or prompting can lay claim to any validity regarding the teachings and keeping the commandments of the Torah since its completion by Moses.

(Rabbi Shimshon Rafael Hirsch, Devarim 30:12-14)

 

Prideful Leadership Leads To War

R. Yehuda said to Rav: When Moses, our teacher, was about to pass on to the Garden of Eden, he said to Joshua: "Ask me all things of which you are in doubt." He replied, "Rabbi, did I ever leave you for an hour to go elsewhere? Did you not write about me, But his attendant, Joshua son of Nun, a youth, would not stir out of the tent (Shemot 33)!?" Immediately Joshua became weak, and he forgot 300 laws, and 700 doubts arose, and all Israel rose up to kill him. The Holy One, blessed be He said to him: "It is impossible to tell you everything; go and keep them busy with war," as is written (Joshua 1): After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord...

(Temura 16a)

 

You were rebellious against God... until this day

He said this day in order to hint that he had only that day left to be with them; the plain meaning of the text is until this day. And it is written you were in the past tense, for they may have contemplated repentance in their hearts at that moment. This is similar to the law stating that if someone betroths a woman on condition that he is completely righteous, even though it may be discovered that he is totally wicked, we rule that she is betrothed, because he may have contemplated repentance at that very moment. (Kiddushin 49b).

(Or HaHayyim, Devarim 31:27)

 

Even Moses, our Teacher, was justified only in telling Israel You were rebellious - in past tense - with the implication being until this day. In his great despair and sadness, Moses foresaw that also after his death, the people would persist in their insubordination to God; yet despite this, he did not permit himself to tell them that they were rebellious at the time of his last words, because there is only One who is capable of reading man's innermost thoughts. From this we learn a great lesson in the subject of repentance, which is dependent upon man himself - at all times, without limitations of time or place.

(Y. Leibowitz: Sheva Shanim shel Sihot al Parashat ha'Shavu'a, p. 919)

 

 

If you enjoy Shabbat Shalom, please consider contributing towards its publication and distribution.

• Hebrew edition distributed in Israel $700
• English edition distributed via email $100

Issues may be dedicated in honor of an event, person, simcha, etc. Requests must be made 3-4 weeks in advance to appear in the Hebrew, 10 days in advance to appear in the English email.

In Israel, checks made out to Oz VeShalom may be sent to Oz VeShalom-P.O.B. 4433, Jerusalem 91043. Unfortunately there is no Israeli tax-exemption for local donations.

US and British tax-exempt contributions to Oz VeShalom may be made through:

New Israel Fund, POB 91588, Washington, DC 20090-1588, USA

New Israel Fund of Great Britain, 26 Enford Street, London W1H 2DD, Great Britain

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE NEW ISRAEL FUND IS NO LONGER ACCEPTING DONATIONS UNDER $100.

PEF will also channel donations and provide a tax-exemption. Donations should be sent to P.E.F. Israel Endowment Funds, Inc., 317 Madison Ave., Suite 607, New York, New York 10017 USA

All contributions should be marked as donor-advised to Oz ve'Shalom, the Shabbat Shalom project.

 

About us

Oz Veshalom-Netivot Shalom is a movement dedicated to the advancement of a civil society in Israel. It is committed to promoting the ideals of tolerance, pluralism, and justice, concepts which have always been central to Jewish tradition and law.

Oz Veshalom-Netivot Shalom shares a deep attachment to the land of Israel and it no less views peace as a central religious value. It believes that Jews have both the religious and the national obligation to support the pursuit of peace. It maintains that Jewish law clearly requires us to create a fair and just society, and that co-existence between Jews and Arabs is not an option but an imperative.

Oz Veshalom-Netivot Shalom's programs include both educational and protest activities. Seminars, lectures, workshops, conferences and weekend programs are held for students, educators and families, as well as joint seminars for Jews, Israeli Arabs and Palestinians. Protest activities focus on issues of human rights, co-existence between Jews and Arabs, and responses to issues of particular religious relevance.

5,000 copies of a 4 page peace oriented commentary on the weekly Torah reading are written and published by Oz VeShalom/Netivot Shalom and they are distributed to over 350 synagogues in Israel and are sent overseas via email. Our web site is www.netivot-shalom.org.il

Oz Veshalom-Netivot Shalom's educational forums draw people of different backgrounds, secular and religious, who are keen to deepen their Jewish knowledge and to hear an alternative religious standpoint on the subjects of peace and social issues.

Oz Veshalom-Netivot Shalom fills an ideological vacuum in Israel's society. Committed both to Jewish tradition and observance, and to the furthering of peace and coexistence, the movement is in a unique position to engage in dialogue with the secular left and the religious right, with Israeli Arabs and with Palestinians.