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From a practical point of view, this is indeed the role of the government and operational echelons. But we can contribute to public pressure that will lead to a harsher and more correct response.
Psychologically speaking, this is the time to look at Chukat, the Torah portion that we will read this coming Shabbat. It [Chukat] deals entirely with death and crises – ritual impurity of those coming into contact with the deceased; the death of Miriam; the sin of Mei Meriva (the water of dispute where Moshe hit the rock); the death of Aharon; the plague of the fiery serpents. In life we encounter "chok", i.e., the limitations of reality; a head-on collision with a seemingly impassable wall: disasters, human evil; sins and passions; injuries, and foremost among them is death.
But it turns out that death can also be defeated! The commandment of the red heifer is to take the total power of life that a "large cow", full of redness, "upon which a yoke was not placed" – and to sprinkle its ashes onone who was made impure by coming into contact with death. In other words: to add living flesh and blood in this world, to break the yoke of the bondage of death. In a world where the image of "nechashim serafim", fiery serpents, gives the feeling that reality is managed by random "nechashim" [which also means guessing in Hebrew] that "soref", burns us from the inside – we look up to Heaven and overcome. We will continue the lives of Elisha, Harel, Ofer and Nachman may their blood be avenged– by saying that "God will avenge their blood": we will avenge their spilled blood by increasing Torah learning, prayer, settlement, family and life; that way the authorized authorities will carry out the death penalty on those who deserve it.
The bodies of Elisha, Harel, Ofer and Nachman are not with us; their souls are bound in the bond of life of all of us, and we will meet them in the end, in the place where everyone meets after death.
The bad will pass.
The good will prevail.
With God’s help
Rabbi Haggai Lundin
Family and Society There Will Not Be A Civil War!
(Told to the students of the Hesder Yeshiva in Holon)
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Israel and the Nations A Few Minutes & Many Innovative Ideas on Antisemitism & What to do About It
As we approach the High Holidays, this short lecture (18 minutes) deals with the unfortunate situation of how Israel and the Jewish People stand against antisemitism, analyzing its cause according to Rav Kook, and how to deal with the issue pragmatically & via our prayers.
Ha'azinu PURSUIT is PERFECTION
p. Ha'azinu, Shabbat Shuva
Rav Kook deals with the question of the seemingly hopeless nature of Tshuva. For G-d Himself knows that He created us with free will, which inevitably means we will sometimes make mistakes and choose wrong. This can easily be frustrating, freezing us into inaction and ye'ush (loss of hope). If one sins even once, does he chalila have no choice but suicide?! Moreover, our Godly conscience demands justice, righteousness and perfection, but we all know this is impossible, so what's the solution? Rav Kook's innovative thinking, strongly based on chazal (our sages), offers an inciteful and important aspect to this topic, especially this time of year!
Sukkot Bug-Free Sukkah: Essential Halachic and Practical Schach Guide
How to inspect, clean, and store bamboo mats and palm branches to protect your mitzvah and holiday meals.
