Sign In Forgot Password

Yitro 5783 ~ February 10, 2023

As our Torah reading concluded last Shabbat, we were forced to deal with the question of our enemies in real life.  When they experience tragic events, such as the Sea’s waters drowning them, how should we respond? Moses and the Children of Israel sang a song of tribute to God; Miriam and the woman followed suit. In the Midrash, we find the angels and God in conflict with that response. They may be our enemies, but should we cheer not only their defeat but also that they perished?

One of our congregants at Dinyan on Wednesday evening found it difficult to read the English words of a prayer that describes God’s wrath at the Sea of Reeds against enemies, especially the innocent. I have experienced the same for quite a while, finding it difficult to recite the actual Song of the Sea in our morning prayers or in its being recounted in our evening Tefillah.  During our Pesach Seders we actually use our pinkies to spill out a drop of wine as we recount the plagues for that specific reason.

In our Torah reading for this Shabbat, Yitro, the Children of Israel experience the revelation of God at Mt. Sinai and receive the Ten Commandments. And while none relate precisely to how we should respond to our enemies’ tragedies, in many ways just their reality reminds us of the importance of ethical values that may be found throughout the Torah. Sometimes it is not what is said, but what is implied that is profound enough of a message.

I have been wondering how to respond to the tragedy unfolding in Syria and Turkey. Thousands have perished by the opening of the earth in more like a Korach way that we read about much later in the Torah. When Korach revolts against Moses and Aaron, the earth opens and swallows him, his family and his followers. Perhaps in a similar fashion, the Egyptian army was swallowed by the waters of the sea that engulfed them.

But is that how we as a Jewish people should respond to the needs of the Syrians and Turkish? Should we sing and praise God saying “mi chamocha ba’elim Ado-nai,” “is there one who is comparable to You Ado-nai,” coming to our rescue and defeating our enemies?

Such a statement of appreciation might be one that is appropriate for warriors sent into battle; then again maybe not as stated before, but it is not appropriate for the innocent whose lives are endangered not only by misguided politics, but also by an earthquake -- “Nisht” the Jewish way. It is the ethics symbolized by the concept of the Ten Commandments that remind us how to act and how to respond.  And what seems most interesting is that, behind the scenes, those governments whose leaders continue to wage a war with Israel, either with words of propaganda or literal, encouraged their agencies to request assistance from the State of Israel. As we all know from the tragic collapse of the apartments in Surfside, FL, and the world knows as well, too, Israel has best trained itself for such circumstances.  We can be proud that more than 150 members of Israel’s search and rescue team are on the ground in Turkey. Through Operation Olive Branch, more than 250 doctors and medical personnel are providing medical care. And while Syria formally denies that it has made requests, humanitarian assistance is working to bring needed supplies to those in Syria who have been affected by this natural disaster.

The ethics of the symbol of this week’s parasha, remind us how impressive it is that Israelis have made their way over the borders as part of a search and rescue team. But then again, we should not be surprised. Why not?  Simply because we know that Israel has always provided medical and other assistance to Palestinians when called upon in moments of tragedy, providing medical care even to those who call upon the destruction of the State of Israel. Seems rather an odd thing to do. Yet, for the most part, it is simply innocent people who are caught in between. 

It is most interesting that in our Torah reading, after Moses recounts the exodus from Egypt and the events at the Sea of Reeds to his father-in-law Jethro (who was the priest of a nomad religion), Jethro offers a sacrifice to God, in gratitude. What does Moshe do? The Torah tells us that Moshe sits in judgement of the people. While the text might be dealing with a court of law where individuals bring issues they are facing before Moses to adjudicate, perhaps the message might be more symbolic. It might be reminding us of the need to find the right path, the ethical path, especially when people might disagree on a response regarding assisting the enemy even in a moment of calamity.  And in this instance, we can be proud as Jews of the State of Israel and the mission that is followed through the Aseret Hadibrot, the Ten Commandments and their symbolism.

Shabbat shalom,

Rabbi K

Thu, March 28 2024 18 Adar II 5784