Monday, December 27, 2010

Exodus: Paranoia against the Jews begins> The Jewish conspiracy.

Exodus
12-24-2010                                                                                                
Sadly, one could not have asked for better timing with this week’s Torah portion and the hateful remarks against the Jewish people on Greek national television from Greek Orthodox Bishop Seraphim to learn how history repeats itself from its biblical roots to today. From the moment that Pharaoh declared the Jewish people in Egypt a dangerous threat to national security to the political and religious leaders throughout history leading up to the most recent example of a Greek Orthodox Bishop railing against Israel and the international Zionist conspiracy as the cause for the collapse of the Greek economy. It is the same old song of hatred and how disappointing that a prominent Greek Orthodox Bishop would say these things as well as hold Jews responsible for promoting single parent families and homosexuality.
Talking about demonizing Jews, the people who listened to Pharaoh revered him as a God-like person.  In the first chapter of Exodus, Pharaoh warned of the growing numbers of Jews in Egypt and the potential threat they posed to Egypt and how it was incumbent upon Pharaoh to devise a plan to contain them. This was the first time in Jewish history that we see a leader speaking of the Jewish conspiracy as a national threat  We could not know what the Egyptians thought about Pharaoh’s warnings. Were they convinced on Pharaoh’s say so alone? Similarly, the Greek public may not have been swayed by the Bishop’s unrestrained hate speech, but, do not think for a minute that many citizens heard him and privately shook their heads in the affirmative.
Why is this moment in Israelite history significant for us today? The answer is that this passage became a precursor to a history of anti-Jewish leaders portraying us as the danger or the problem people. It is also important to recognize that from this historic experience we must be proactive in responding with our narrative when we see hate mongering and not fall prey to this kind of demonizing of other peoples. So tonight I want to explore the origin of this myth in the Torah and how one medieval commentator responded to it. Finally I will discuss the current events of how hate speech challenges us to respond and use wisdom in doing do so.
 Pharaoh said in Exodus 1:9-10, “Look, the Israelite people have become too many and too strong for us.”
“Come; let us deal shrewdly with them
Lest they increase
And if war breaks out they will join our enemies,
And fight against us and leave the country.”
This is the first moment in Jewish history where we see the birth of the myth “the Jewish Problem.” We became the “Jewish Problem” people forever more and we still hear it in the words of Bishop Piraeus Seraphim. Let us tonight briefly review Jewish viewpoints throughout history. How does this verse play out in our consciousness today?

We see in this passage that Pharaoh was convinced that the growth of the Jewish people was potentially a real problem to Egypt’s national security. The text, at this point in the book of Exodus, does not tell us why this is so nor what he plans to do about it. Did he think about enslaving them or committing an act of extermination? We do not yet know the answer to these questions.
There is a difference of opinion in translation on an issue that relates to the intention of Pharaoh. In the phrase “the Israelite people have become too many and too strong for us,” there is a disagreement between Jewish and Christian translations. In the Septuagint and the Vulgate translations they translate the phrase mi menu as connoting “more than”. In other words these translations imply that Pharaoh believed that there were more Israelites than Egyptians. Jewish translations, on the other hand, from Mendelssohn, Hirsch, Buber-Rosenzweig translated it as they are too many and too powerful for us.” The Hebrew letter mem from me menu meaning “more than us” is one of relativeness. In other words Pharaoh is saying that the Israelites are getting too much for us to contend with. Does that mean politically, economically? We do not know the answer.
So then why does the Torah says in Pharaoh’s words, “Come let us deal shrewdly with them.” Why would Pharaoh feel so threatened? Surely he could have wiped them off the map of the earth? One commentator Ramban, Moses Nachmanides of 15th century Spain, believed that would be treason to smite all the Israelites without cause. He knew this was a people that had come to the land at the bidding of his royal predecessor.  He could not reverse such a decree from his father. Pharaoh had to come up with a reason that he implemented through policy and not genocide. The second reason was that his subjects might not agree with expulsion or extermination. Finally, Pharaoh was concerned that the Israelites would resist and fight against him.
Nahmanides sees that the policy of levying harsh taxes against the Israelites foreigners not of money but of forced labor was the first stage in Pharaoh’s grand plan. That is the beginning of slavery. Then the policy of forcing midwives to turn over the Israelite first- born. When the midwives rebelled, and then came the final solution by Pharaoh which was to command all his people to kill every male child. Ramban’s view is that Pharaoh used a camouflaged policy of increasingly repressive and deceptive policies so as to make it look like he was using legitimate force to deal with this problem people. That is how Nachmanides understands the set up and strategy of Pharaoh coming out of the verse, “Come let us deal shrewdly with them.”
The shrewd one is Pharaoh because he knows he cannot compromise his reputation and authority as the God-like leader of Egypt by simply murdering everyone. He must utilize the legitimacy of his unchallenged role to portray himself not as the aggressor but as the defender of Egypt. That is the political language of framing the enemy as the demon people. That kind of thinking canonized the strategy that so many kingdoms and religions would adapt in their demonizing Jews over history.
The myth of the Jewish conspiracy was born then. It has followed us since ancient times. Besides the infamous Protocols of the Elders of Zion text in modern times, Hitler used the same strategy with the Nuremburg Laws before he sent us to the concentration camps. He was ridding Germany of this dangerous people who threatened to pollute German racial purity.  But first he had to establish why doing so was in the national interest just like Pharaoh.
The really tragic aspect of this is when we read accounts of how Jews believed that a ruler would never expel us because we were so critical to the welfare of the state. Did the Jews in Spain think that way? We know that the Jews in modern German thought that they were so valuable to the German economy and country that Hitler would eventually get over his obsession with the Jews. We know how that situation worked out.

So that is why whenever we hear the same kinds of words portraying the perennial Jewish conspiracy mythos today, especially when it comes from a high ranking cleric, we would be wise to take it seriously. Bishop Seraphim is not Pharaoh. But he counts in the continuum of history’s anti-Semites with the same old obsessive fear and hatred that betrays the very foundation of faith and teaching that his Christian calling is supposed to model to his people and to the world. Certainly he brings shame to the Christian faith and to the culture of Christendom as a whole. And how sad as well as ironic is the timing of the Greek Orthodox Bishop’s remarks during the week leading up to Christmas.
I cannot help but mention that the recent decision of some municipal rabbis in Israel to issue an edict not to rent property to non-Jews is equally mean spirited. Condemned by the Israeli Prime Minister and many other prominent leaders, this kind of policy demonizes the Arab Israeli population which lives side by side with Jewish Israelis. It is another example of how we too are vulnerable to the same fears that underlie and promote policies of intolerance on all sides of the political spectrum-even the good guys.
If there is one lesson to be learned it is that we have to be swift to expose hate speech and policies that run against our own values. Second, we must be proactive in communicating our narrative to the public because we all know that there is a growing constituency out there in America and around the world who work hard at providing a completely different and false narrative about Israel’s existence and its role in the world. Finally, let’s not forget that our values and our history define us and no one else.

6 comments:

Rabbi Arthur Segal said...

Shalom and beracoth to you and yours, Rebbe Brad, my friend:

Excellent d'var bringing the Torah's parasha into our modern day experiences.

You wisely write: ''If there is one lesson to be learned it is that we have to be swift to expose hate speech and policies that run against our own values.''

Last Shabbat's sidre ended with Moshe imploring :Lord, why have You done evil to this nation; why, indeed, did You send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your Name, things have become worse for this nation; You have not delivered Your nation at all! (Ex; 5:22-23)

Much too often our people have been afraid to speak out, for fear that we will make matters worse. Years ago, circa 15, our own temple was damaged with vandalism and fire. Our Rabbi, Z"L, wished to speak out. The president, Z"L, silenced him for fear MORE anti semitism would occur.

Anti Semitism is like pregnancy. There isn't such a thing as being a little pregnant.

The RambaN is surprised with Moshe as God had told him redemption won't come easily...things will exacerbate before they alleviate. (Ex. 3:19-20).

The Midrash Shemot Rabbah 5, 19-20 tells us that when Pharaoh decreed that no straw would be given to make bricks, Moshe left for Midian for 6 months. Then God gave Moshe his second mission to go to Egypt, where our parasha for this coming Shabbat beings.

The RambaN speaks of two stages of redeption: "My beloved is like a gazelle" – just as a gazelle is visible, [then disappears,] and then is seen again, so the first redeemer came into sight, then was concealed from them, and then became visible again." (Shir Ha-shirim, Song of Songs, Midrash Rabbah 2, 22)

And when we read Ezekiel 20:6-10 of these times we can see that the Hebrews did not want to give up the false security of slave-life, for a chance of being free, with God.

So we learn hopefully from this portion, that , to quote you again,''we have to be swift to expose hate speech and policies.'' We do not, nor should not, wait till things get worse, to then speak out.

Praying in pews forces us to see only the back of our neighbors' heads. What if the norm in our congregations were to sit in circles and horseshoes where we could see each others' faces? What if early in every service, we paused to look with care at every face around the circle, murmuring to ourselves, "This face is the Face of God. And this, so different, is the Face of God. And this – And this – so different not only in lips and nose, in shape, in color, but so different in its past, its future, from all the others. This, and this, and this – all Faces of the One.''

And what if we take this lesson with us outside our Shuls each day?

The Greek Orthodox Bishop holds we liberal Jews responsible for promoting single parent families and homosexuality. Well, we have't gone far enough. We now allow Gays to fight and die, but not marry. What if all rabbanim and ministers and iman of good conscious, refused to marry ANYONE in a state,, that did not allow Gay unions? Moshe told God, he couldn't be a leader, because he had 'sealed, uncircumcised lips,' and God opened his mouth. Perhaps we too need to ask God for guidance on speaking out, when to, and how to.

Shalom uvracha,
Your Chaver, Avrael
Rabbi Arthur Segal
www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org

Rabbi Arthur Segal said...

Shalom and beracoth to you and yours, Rebbe Brad, my friend:

Excellent dvar bringing the Torah's parasha into our modern day experiences.

You wisely write: ''If there is one lesson to be learned it is that we have to be swift to expose hate speech and policies that run against our own values.''

Last Shabbat's sidre ended with Moshe imploring :Lord, why have You done evil to this nation; why, indeed, did You send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your Name, things have become worse for this nation; You have not delivered Your nation at all! (Ex; 5:22-23)

Much too often our people have been afraid to speak out, for fear that we will make matters worse. Years ago, circa 15, our own temple was damaged with vandalism and fire. Our Rabbi, Z"L, wished to speak out. The president, Z"L, silenced him for fear MORE anti semitism will occur.

Anti Semitism is like pregnancy. There isn't such a thing as being a little pregnant.

The RambaN is surprised with Moshe as God has told him redemption won't come easily...things will exacerbate before they alleviate. (Ex. 3:19-20).

The Midrash Shemot Rabbah 5, 19-20 tells us that when Pharaoh decreed that no straw would be given to make bricks, Moshe left for Midian for 6 months. Then God gave Moshe his second mission to go to Egypt, where our parasha for this coming Shabbat beings.

The RambaN speaks of two stages of redeption: "My beloved is like a gazelle" – just as a gazelle is visible, [then disappears,] and then is seen again, so the first redeemer came into sight, then was concealed from them, and then became visible again." (Shir Ha-shirim, Song of Songs, Midrash Rabbah 2, 22)

And when we read Ezekiel 20:6-10 of these times we can see that the Hebrews did not want to give up the false security of slave-life, for a chance of being free, with God.

So we learn hopefully from this portion, that ''we have to be swift to expose hate speech and policies.'' We do not, nor should not, wait till things get worse, to then speak out.

Praying in pews forces us to see only the back of our neighbors' heads. What if the norm in our congregations were to sit in circles and horseshoes where we could see each others' faces? What if early in every service, we paused to look with care at every face around the circle, murmuring to ourselves, "This face is the Face of God. And this, so different, is the Face of God. And this – And this – so different not only in lips and nose, in shape, in color, but so different in its past, its future, from all the others. This, and this, and this – all Faces of the One.''

And what if we take this lesson with us outside our Shuls each day?

The Greek Orthodox Bishop holds we liberal Jews responsible for promoting single parent families and homosexuality. Well, we have't gone far enough. We now allow Gays to fight and die, but not marry. What if all rabbanim and ministers and iman of good conscious, refused to marry ANYONE in a state,, that did not allow Gay unions? Moshe told God, we couldn't be a leader, because he had 'sealed, uncircumcised lips,' and God opened his mouth. Perhaps we too need to ask God for guidance on speaking out.

Shalom uvracha,
Your Chaver, Avrael
Rabbi Arthur Segal
www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org

Rabbi Arthur Segal said...

Shalom and beracoth to you and yours, Rebbe Brad, my friend:

Excellent dvar bringing the Torah's parasha into our modern day experiences.

You wisely write: ''If there is one lesson to be learned it is that we have to be swift to expose hate speech and policies that run against our own values.''

Last Shabbat's sidre ended with Moshe imploring :Lord, why have You done evil to this nation; why, indeed, did You send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your Name, things have become worse for this nation; You have not delivered Your nation at all! (Ex; 5:22-23)

Much too often our people have been afraid to speak out, for fear that we will make matters worse. Years ago, circa 15, our own temple was damaged with vandalism and fire. Our Rabbi, Z"L, wished to speak out. The president, Z"L, silenced him for fear MORE anti semitism will occur.

Anti Semitism is like pregnancy. There isn't such a thing as being a little pregnant.

The RambaN is surprised with Moshe as God has told him redemption won't come easily...things will exacerbate before they alleviate. (Ex. 3:19-20).

The Midrash Shemot Rabbah 5, 19-20 tells us that when Pharaoh decreed that no straw would be given to make bricks, Moshe left for Midian for 6 months. Then God gave Moshe his second mission to go to Egypt, where our parasha for this coming Shabbat beings.

The RambaN speaks of two stages of redeption: "My beloved is like a gazelle" – just as a gazelle is visible, [then disappears,] and then is seen again, so the first redeemer came into sight, then was concealed from them, and then became visible again." (Shir Ha-shirim, Song of Songs, Midrash Rabbah 2, 22)

And when we read Ezekiel 20:6-10 of these times we can see that the Hebrews did not want to give up the false security of slave-life, for a chance of being free, with God.

So we learn hopefully from this portion, that ''we have to be swift to expose hate speech and policies.'' We do not, nor should not, wait till things get worse, to then speak out.

Praying in pews forces us to see only the back of our neighbors' heads. What if the norm in our congregations were to sit in circles and horseshoes where we could see each others' faces? What if early in every service, we paused to look with care at every face around the circle, murmuring to ourselves, "This face is the Face of God. And this, so different, is the Face of God. And this – And this – so different not only in lips and nose, in shape, in color, but so different in its past, its future, from all the others. This, and this, and this – all Faces of the One.''

And what if we take this lesson with us outside our Shuls each day?

The Greek Orthodox Bishop holds we liberal Jews responsible for promoting single parent families and homosexuality. Well, we have't gone far enough. We now allow Gays to fight and die, but not marry. What if all rabbanim and ministers and iman of good conscious, refused to marry ANYONE in a state,, that did not allow Gay unions? Moshe told God, we couldn't be a leader, because he had 'sealed, uncircumcised lips,' and God opened his mouth. Perhaps we too need to ask God for guidance on speaking out.

Shalom uvracha,
Your Chaver, Avrael
Rabbi Arthur Segal
www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org

Rabbi Arthur Segal said...

Shalom and beracoth to you and yours, Rebbe Brad, my friend:

Excellent dvar bringing the Torah's parasha into our modern day experiences.

You wisely write: ''If there is one lesson to be learned it is that we have to be swift to expose hate speech and policies that run against our own values.''

Last Shabbat's sidre ended with Moshe imploring :Lord, why have You done evil to this nation; why, indeed, did You send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your Name, things have become worse for this nation; You have not delivered Your nation at all! (Ex; 5:22-23)

Much too often our people have been afraid to speak out, for fear that we will make matters worse. Years ago, circa 15, our own temple was damaged with vandalism and fire. Our Rabbi, Z"L, wished to speak out. The president, Z"L, silenced him for fear MORE anti semitism will occur.

Anti Semitism is like pregnancy. There isn't such a thing as being a little pregnant.

The RambaN is surprised with Moshe as God has told him redemption won't come easily...things will exacerbate before they alleviate. (Ex. 3:19-20).

The Midrash Shemot Rabbah 5, 19-20 tells us that when Pharaoh decreed that no straw would be given to make bricks, Moshe left for Midian for 6 months. Then God gave Moshe his second mission to go to Egypt, where our parasha for this coming Shabbat beings.

The RambaN speaks of two stages of redeption: "My beloved is like a gazelle" – just as a gazelle is visible, [then disappears,] and then is seen again, so the first redeemer came into sight, then was concealed from them, and then became visible again." (Shir Ha-shirim, Song of Songs, Midrash Rabbah 2, 22)

And when we read Ezekiel 20:6-10 of these times we can see that the Hebrews did not want to give up the false security of slave-life, for a chance of being free, with God.

So we learn hopefully from this portion, that ''we have to be swift to expose hate speech and policies.'' We do not, nor should not, wait till things get worse, to then speak out.

Praying in pews forces us to see only the back of our neighbors' heads. What if the norm in our congregations were to sit in circles and horseshoes where we could see each others' faces? What if early in every service, we paused to look with care at every face around the circle, murmuring to ourselves, "This face is the Face of God. And this, so different, is the Face of God. And this – And this – so different not only in lips and nose, in shape, in color, but so different in its past, its future, from all the others. This, and this, and this – all Faces of the One.''

And what if we take this lesson with us outside our Shuls each day?

The Greek Orthodox Bishop holds we liberal Jews responsible for promoting single parent families and homosexuality. Well, we have't gone far enough. We now allow Gays to fight and die, but not marry. What if all rabbanim and ministers and iman of good conscious, refused to marry ANYONE in a state,, that did not allow Gay unions? Moshe told God, we couldn't be a leader, because he had 'sealed, uncircumcised lips,' and God opened his mouth. Perhaps we too need to ask God for guidance on speaking out.

Shalom uvracha,
Your Chaver, Avrael
Rabbi Arthur Segal
www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org

Brad Bloom said...

Shalom Arthur,
Thanks for your comments. I appreciate the time you take to respond to my blog. You always bring in the sources mixed with your own insights. I wish more would respond.
I believe that combining torah texts and modern applications is critical to enrich our understanding of Torah's relationship to our lives. The challenge is to do it in a responsible manner.
Not easy.

Rabbi Arthur Segal said...

Shalom R'Brad:

Many folks are intimidated , for fear of being 'wrong', to have deeper communication with rabbanim. The reality is however, there is no 'wrong.' We have 3300 years of texts, many many not in agreement with each other. Even our TaNaK, starting with the very first parasha of Beresheit, has textural verses out of sinc with each other.

In my class with Hebrew College via Shamash, the number of all adult talmidim is now 1398. It takes time. Its my 4th class with them, started in 2008. Do all 1398 respond?...of course not. The Yeshiva rabbinic students do as that is their 'gig.' But many adults and rabbis do... but not with any definite pattern. And my class this year is on Talmud Tractates Derek Eretz Zuta and Rabbah.

If our words, teaching the simple will of G!d for us, touches just one person, it is more than enough. Remember too, you have your Bimah, your bi-monthly Torah class, your temple's news letter , your Packet column et.al. Your words reach many even though you may not get 100 emails of fan mail.

Slowly but surely you will help uncircumcise many hearts, and have congregants with unsealed lips, speaking words of our sages, and wanting to live by those ethical and spiritual principals. Ellen and i can see changes already due to your mitzvoth.

We need to remember too that our texts, as well as most religions' texts, can be used for good or for bad. When I see the adage of we rabbis or Jews not to use the Torah as an axe to cut with, nor a shovel to dig with, I don't just see the warning against making money 'off God's words', but rather telling us to not use our texts to promote war, or ill among people, and to certainly not be used to kill and bury people.

We Rabbis and Jews must be careful of using our texts to declare "Deus Vault" like Pope Urban II.

So again, my prayers for Ha Shem to continue to grant you koach as well as chochma, to keep on your blessed chosen path.

Shalom uvracha:
Avrael
Rabbi Arthur Segal
www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org