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"You have reached your destination" chirped a mechanical voice. Leon turned off the car, and he and Jonas headed for their first vacation spot: the Dead Sea!
Jonas and Leon were delighted to find that the Dead Sea mud was everything they had imagined it would be. Slimy, salty and soothing! After immersing themselves in that sensory experience for the better part of an hour, the two decided that it was time to head for their hotel. They got up and went to look for their car.
Jonas had a fairly decent sense of direction, which is why he was a little surprised that the car wasn’t were he thought he had left it. After ten minutes of looking in increasingly greater concentric circles around the spot where he was sure he had parked the car, Jonas came to the painful conclusion that their rental car had been stolen! And it wasn’t just the car. Their change of clothing, passports, food, wallets – everything was in there.
Some Israelis noticed the hapless tourists, and inquired as to what had happened. The tourists eagerly shared their story. It didn’t take long for the Israelis to take action. They brought the tourists to the nearest police station, and assisted them in reporting the theft.
The police got right to work, and ordered pizza for the unfortunate tourists. A social worker, who became involved in the case, publicized the situation. In a short time, the owners of a hotel in Arad offered hospitality to the father and son, free of charge. The two had barely entered the hotel, when they were barraged by a steady stream of Arad residents, who brought money, food, treats, and whatever else they thought the stranded tourists might appreciate. Leon and Jonas were overwhelmed by the kindness that they experienced, and were shocked that such good people exist in the world.
Was it, in fact, proper, for Jews to bestow such kindness on German people, considering that, scarcely eighty years ago, people from that very nation killed millions of Jews?
Answer of Rabbi Yaakov Ariel, shlita:
The residents of Arad definitely did a great mitzva, and kiddush Hashem (sanctification of G-d’s name). The question of our relationship with Germans is, in fact, an emotional question, and not a halachic (Jewish law-based) one.
Rabbi Meshulam Roth, zt"l (who himself was a Holocaust survivor) was asked, a number of years after the Holocaust, whether it was proper to decree that Jews should never walk on German soil. Rabbi Roth answered that, while it was proper to make such a decree, on philosophical and political grounds, halachically, there was no basis to make this ruling. (Responsa Kol Mevaser, siman 13)
It is not clear that the Germans of today are anti-Semites, any more so than any other nation. Similarly, the Germans today are not the same individuals who murdered Jews during the Holocaust, and, therefore, it is difficult to determine what, precisely, our relationship with them should be. Personally, ideally, I do not buy German made products. However, this is not a matter of Jewish law, but, rather, a matter of emotion. However, in our situation, in which there were people who were in need of help, it was proper to not make any calculations, and to simply help the people who were in need.
I will add that there is no prohibition of "lo tichanem" (not to give free gifts to non-Jews) in this case because this was a matter of helping people who were left with nothing, and, as Maimonides wrote (Hilchot Melachim 10, 12) even regarding idol worshippers, our sages commanded us to visit their sick, to bury their dead with the dead of the Jews and to provide their poor with a living together with the poor of the Jews, due to the ways of peace, as it says "G-d is good to all and his mercy is on all of His creations" and it says "its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its paths are peace."
In summary: The people of Arad did a good thing, in helping the German tourists, and, in doing so, they sanctified G-d’s name.
Translated by Avigail Kirsch
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: The Goal of an Agricultural Yeshiva – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
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P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Realtor’s Fee on Large Commercial Building – part I
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: The Goal of an Agricultural Yeshiva – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
Re'e NEVER EXTREME EXCEPT ISRAEL
Parshat Re'eh
Judaism is against extremism, so how can we understand the seemingly extreme statements found in our sages in favor of living in the Land of Israel and against living in Chutz laAretz? The article deals with the seeming contradiction between the strength of Free-Will and the strength of being influenced by our surroundings.
Ekev DANCE FOR ISRAEL- FOR YOUR BENEFIT
Parshat Eikev
Description: The 7 Haftarot we read after Tisha B'Av ("Shiva D'Nichemta") surely get us excited that they're coming TRUE, and awaken us to yearn, dance & join the return to Zion! The short article also deals with the problems and solutions facing the American Jewish community as discussed at a recent panel, as well as the question why Jews come from America to Israel to help when we face problems, but Israelis don't come to aid Jews in America when they face anti-Semitism.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
