What lessons can we learn from these recent waves of yisurin sweeping the world, and especially Eretz Yisroel?
This week, we read a double Parsha, Achrei-Mos - Kedoshim. Is it not noteworthy that the segment thereof corresponding with Yom Reviyi, including the very Parsha of forbidden relationships we read on Yom Kippur at Mincha, corresponds to the fifth of Iyyar, the date of the founding of the Medinah (aka the State of Israel)? What are some lessons that we should perhaps be gleaning from that?
First, a few observations about this aliyah:
1. This aliyah opens (18:22) with the prohibition against the one forbidden relationship - the act of sodomy - specifically identified - in its individual enumeration - as a To'aiva, an abomination. As noted by the Maharal (on the Gemara Chullin 92b, regarding Marriage De-definition), this teaches us that sodomy is an abomination even among abominations.
2. Parshas Achrei-Mos closes with the warning not to repeat the sins of immorality perpetrated by the Canaanites, so that we need not endure their punishment of being "vomited out" of the land (18:28). The Ramban explains that HaShem will not (for long) tolerate in His Holy Land the presence of those who worship Avoda-Zorah or who perpetrate immorality.
3. The aliyah continues straight into parshas Kedoshim, beckoning us to attain high levels of holiness - just after exhorting against descent to the lowliest abominations.
4. The aliyah ends with the prohibition of Lifnei- iver, closing with an alert for Yiras Shomayim.
In recent months, Jews, especially in Israel, have been facing unprecedented, relentless yisurin ("tzoros tzruros"). This demands serious introspection. (See in particular Gemara Shabbos 139, line 3, and Ben Yehoyada.)
Perhaps a partial solution to the myriad of escalating dangers Eretz Yisroel is facing - and has been enduring in some measure ever since the founding of the State - is hiding in plain sight: seeking common ground in resisting the immoral policies perpetrated by the State and its misleaders, particularly those policies of a spiteful nature, להכעיס, as alluded to by the prohibition of תועבה in 18:22 being a sin described as le'hach'is, spiteful, in Rashi Ha'azinu (Devarim) 32:16.
Perhaps this year, in light of current events, including the unprecedented Mideast war, we're best served by modifying the way we look at things, and restoring Torah priorities in a manner that would be more practical, effective, and, yes, "inclusive." Specifically, perhaps we'll gain more by focusing more on fighting for foundational moral values - on which we should all agree - instead of exclusively fighting over that which we don't.
Perhaps we ought consider that the solution to the many problems we face is, fundamentally spiritual, and self-inflicted, thus more easily alleviable than we may imagine.
Why should all the Orthodox factions in Israel not sincerely advocate for a few policies that would align with positions we all actually agree on, in principle - which would simultaneously reduce the kitrug described by the Torah at the end of Achrei-Mos, namely:
1) To'aiva:
End Israeli governmental promotion of immoral policies sanctioning and enabling those forbidden relationships, especially the very politically-correct abomination opening the aliyah of reviyi (18:22 - sodomy), infamous for its relentless quest to mask its evil via ever-expanding abbreviations. Given the monumental threat posed by the Alphabet Mafia, everyone, not just the No'am Party, needs to be ensuring that Israeli society doesn't follow the western world down the drain of State-driven depravity. Included in this is vigorous opposition to the Pride parades regularly defiling the Land.
And now, specifically, the Orthodox community must unite in opposing the recently announced LGBT Sodom festival (https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-893319) - scheduled for the beginning of June (Sodomist Pride Month) near the Dead Sea. The combined pressure of Orthodox factions could exert a lot of pressure on the hotel industry and the Israeli government to stop this extremely dangerous kitrug-festival.
According the the Akeidas Yitzchak on Parshas VaYaira, 20, in Sodom, they sodomized unwanted visitors because sodomy was recognized - even by those perverse people - as disgusting and degrading. The inhabitants of Sodom, despite their wickedness and perversity, did NOT sanction sodomy as a normative mode of conduct, and certainly did not celebrate it - as do many Israelis and others. (The saying goes: "If HaShem doesn't wipe them out, Sodom will be owed an apology.")
2) Abortion-at-whim:
Combat the wholesale killing of preborn babies (abortion-on-demand), especially within the Army. Legalized abortion has killed over two million babies since Israel's Declaration of Independence 78 years ago.
• That policy shift would also reduce the level of immoral activity that goes along with abortion-on-demand
• Additionally, reducing abortion-at-whim would also alleviate the demographic crisis and the much touted manpower shortage, which are both inexcusably self-inflicted.
3) Female Draft:
End, at the very least, the forced military conscription of girls - all girls, regardless of their level of observance - or their level of protexia. That alone would dramatically reduce the institutionalized enabling of immorality that invariably accompanies drafting girls into the exploitive, male-dominated Army milieu.
• Ending the mandatory female draft would also garner more leftist support, and perhaps even survive a future, even more leftist government, despite the Supreme Court's perpetual passion for paradigm perversity.
• Any substantial reduction in the female draft would also help alleviate the institutionalized abortion-at-whim policy perpetrated via the Army.
• Additionally, when the non-Chareidi communities would finally see that Chareidim care enough to fight to exempt all girls - not only "their girls" - from the Army - that would help reduce anti-Chareidi sentiment, currently being whipped up via antireligious elements (leveraging various self-focused elements of the Chareidi community).
4) Immoral Mixing in IDF:
End the exposure of all male conscripts to females in the Army, not just "Chareidi," or even just "religious" soldiers. We need to be hearing vocal complaints about this from everyone, not just from those who enlist in the IDF.
~~~~
And, in other areas, arayos needs to be combated as follows:
5) Forced Divorces:
Expose and end the forcing of Gitten in ways that disqualify the Get, resulting in legalized adultery and mamzeirus. It's no favor to either spouse - especially the wife - to allow her to remarry without an authentically kosher Get.
6) Retroactive Marriage Annulment:
Stop the falsification of Halacha in the arena of retroactive Marriage Annulment, as perpetrated by Sholom Kamenetsky about a decade ago, in the infamous Tamar Epstein scandal. It perpetuates both adultery and mamzeirus via ziyuf HaTorah. The pirtzah of the Epstein case triggered others outside the Chareidi community to continue on that path with impunity.
7) False Conversion:
Oppose and expose phony conversions, like those of LGBTQ-evangelist Adam Mintz, for one prominent example. Mintz has converted people who's actions confirm more loudly than words that they will continue to violate foundational Torah prohibitions against LGBT.*
(* as we've observed when he was interviewed on Zev Brenner's Talkline)
8) Safeguard Bais-Din:
Restore the integrity of Rabbinical Courts, so they not redefine various abominations (including but not limited to the aforementioned) as acceptable under Halacha.
9) Molestation:
Stop the toleration for the enabling of politically-connected molesters. That includes ending of financial support for those who knowingly enable such perpetrators. There are plenty of legitimate charities. Funding empire-builders who preside over the destruction of young people certainly isn't going to get donors into Heaven.*
(* For those who really want to get to Gehinom, there are plenty of less expensive mechanisms.)
10) Modesty:
Also fortify and restore communal standards of modesty, with regard to women in the workplace, dress, hair-covering, and other areas. This would help reduce arayos sins (albeit not communally-sanctioned) being committed by individuals within our communities.
~~~
Perhaps the response to the state-advancement of abominations - to which the first passuk in the aliyah may allude - is to concertedly act on the message of the passuk closing the aliyah, Lifnei-iver, saving Klal Yisroel from the State-actors endangering the neshomos of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and reservists, "religious" and otherwise.
1. To the extent that we would work to eliminate a major factor in current threats, namely the widespread commission, legitimization, and institutionalization of immorality, we would undoubtedly, albeit belatedly, merit Heavenly Mercy. By combating the cause, we'd reduce the negative effects.
Thereby, we could merit a reduction in regional hostilities and dangers threatening Jews in Israel. Such a reduction in hostilities would save many of those who are losing their lives, limbs, or family members to these never-ending military campaigns, in addition to the devastating financial losses being suffered extensively throughout Israel due to the forever-war environment.
How many more reports of Jews killed need we see before we realize that we need to do something different? And it's staring us in the face in the Chumash.
2. Additional beneficiaries of the reduction in hostilities would likely be the Jews in Iran. Their blood is no less red than that of those living in Israel (contrary to the attitudes of some Israeli supremacists, for which European Jewry paid a horrific price).
3. This type of reduction of hostilities would, BE"H, also reduce the escalating Jew- hatred now being fanned internationally via the Gaza and Iran/ Lebanon conflicts.
4. Furthermore, pursuant to a reduction in military hostilities, in the merit of reducing the Heavenly kitrug detailed in the Parsha, some of the existing policy fights in Israel could be more easily resolved, including the male-draft crisis. B'ezras HaShem, military conflicts could be eventually reduced to a level enabling a successful shift to a professional military, as exists in most modern countries, where no one would be forced to enlist. Financial incentives would be offered to those who wish to enlist, rather than punishments to those who refuse. That would also be healthier financially speaking, freeing up resources from enforcement and demonstration-management issues.
In short, by fighting for our commonly held Torah principles - and thereby fighting for authentic achdus - we would most effectively advance our interests as well.
The Gemara in Ta'anis 29a relates how the young Kohanim, in the midst of fires consuming the Bais HaMikdash, threw up their keys Heaven-ward, at which point the image of hand appeared, accepting their keys.
Apparently, the keys alluded to taking responsibility. I'm informed that there is an interpretation (by Rav Itzeleh of Volozhin, in the eulogy for his father) that they should have held onto the keys instead, to prepare for the restoration of the Mikdash.
Perhaps this Gemara alludes to the following: Prior to the ultimate restoration of the Bais HaMikdash, HaShem may offer Jews to take back the keys - for those receptive to take advantage of the opportunity.
Perhaps this reveals a deeper insight into why the Amora Ulla didn't want to personally witness the actual process leading up to the Redemption, as mentioned in the Gemara Sanhedrin 98b, stating, "Let it come - but let me not see it." (See Ulla in Brachos 58b, and also Rav Chisda in Pesachim 100b, Rosh 6, and our suggested explanation thereof.)
As various Gedolim explain (e.g. Rav Yeruchum Levovitz ZT"L in Da'as Torah), the lower the generation, the easier it is for us to accomplish great things spiritually, specifically because of the spiritual darkness against which we need to struggle - קלקלתו תקנתו.
Perhaps Ulla foresaw how many people would tragically squander amazing, beautiful opportunities to attain tremendous accomplishments - and reach spiritual heights - simply due to needless apathy, Yi'ush (despair), and the like.
Grand opportunities beckon. Are we really ready to take back the keys?
Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Noson Shmuel Leiter
