A Truly Jewish Message for America at 250
Editor,
On occasion of the 250th anniversary of the complete signing of the Declaration of Independence (considered to have occurred on August 2), here is a message we as Jews ought to be sharing broadly, as an expression of communal gratitude towards what remains of the Constitutional Republic founded by those brave men:
Americans need to direct national attention to this prescient warning of the preeminent sage Rav Shamshon Rephoel Hirsch O.B.M.:
"... Woe to the time when sexes do not keep themselves holy! Countries and states in vain seek for the cause of their decline and do not see that they cease to be states as soon as their homes are ruined."
(-- Rav Shamshon Refoel Hirsch (Germany, 1808-1888 CE), "Horeb" (translated by Isidor Grunfeld, 1962, Soncino Press, Eleventh impression 2016), Section 4, "Chukim," Chapter 65, p.307, paragraph 1)
Just a few days ago, Jews around the world learned the folio in the Babylonian Talmud, tractate Chullin (92) that enumerates the three mitzvos traditionally adhered to by the Nations of the World, including refusing to stoop to recognition of Marriage De-Definition ("not writing marriage contracts between men").
Over twenty years ago, Rav Shmuel Faivelson ZT"L (talmid muvhak of Rav Ahron Kotler ZT"L) observed that from that Gemara we learn that the entire right to existence of the Nations of the World is predicated on their historical refusal to accept such "marriages" - and that, consequently, any attempt to deviate from that mitzvah literally poses an existential threat to society.
His observation is amplified by the Midrash Rabbah on Achrei-Mos, 23:9, on VaYikra 18:3, declaring that the Generation of the Great Flood was not annihilated until they started writing marriage contracts for men marrying men -- and women marrying women. Thus, recognition of homogeneous "Marriage" triggered the annihilation of Civilization.
The Mahara"l, in his commentary on Chullin there, explains that while all of the forbidden acts listed at the end of Parshas Achrei-Mos (VaYikra 18) are categorized as "abominations" - in the very last several p'sukim - the act of sodomy is the only arayos transgression branded as an "abomination" in its' individual enumeration (VaYikra 22:18). This is to teach us that Sodomy is an abomination even amongst other abominations! And it's this Ultimate Abomination that is being celebrated as the substance of matrimony by To'aiva- Marriage proponents. This is an unfathomable rebellion against G-d.
Now, to discern the practical impact recognition of said fraudulent Marriage has already had on the West - one need not look far. The wholesale abuse of children exploited by homogeneous spousal imposters - under the cynical branding of "adoption" - stands out as an example of unforgivable state-mandated child-abuse - of Biblical proportions. The fact that one such person was appointed to the Cabinet - by a Republican president - renders the issue all the more incumbent on us as Jews to speak out against, especially as his name, photo, and exploits infiltrate our currency, our media, our institutions, and even our homes.
Additionally, with all of the grandstanding against the predatory crimes being enabled by the transgender advocates, precious little attention is given to identify its' cause: caving in on Marriage Redefinition - by the leadership of both political parties, and by our own communal leadership. By removing yet another obstacle to the pursuit of transgender-agenda, we ourselves advanced it, in a manner even more inexcusable than it was predictable.
While Biden (ostensibly) "signed" federal Mabul-Marriage enforcement in December'22 - Trump himself (not his auto-pen) celebrated it, days later, and, even worse, pledged that he's "fighting hard" for the gay community - after they ostensibly attained their "goal" of "Marriage DeQuality" (http://www.politico.com/news/2022/12/16/celebration-same-sex-marriage-mar-a-lago-00074441). Furthermore, said bill passed the legislative branch only in collaboration with Republican betrayal (by 12 GOP senators).
The same types of failures that led to passage of To'aiva Matrimony in NY State in June 2011 - courtesy of Arm-Twister-in-Chief Andrew Cuomo - were operative in yet another communal disaster: our failure to stop Physician-Facilitated Prescription Poisoning (euphemized "Medical (sic) Aid In Dying" (sic)) this year. Included were the failure to prioritize these burning issues over procurement of government largesse, and to do so in a timely fashion, when we had the ability to defeat political candidates over these issues.
As the six month training period for Assisted "Suicide" ends this week, the lethal legislation is scheduled to go into effect on August 5th, R"L. Consequently, all qualified clientele - along with untold numbers of others - can now "benefit" from the best killing services NY State has to offer.
So, ensure your doctors and health care facilities shun collaboration in this Aktzion T4 rerun. The "health"care professional whose career involves prescription poisoning probably won't be serving you well as the shliach to save the lives of your loved ones.
Regarding both of these legislative and societal calamities, we need recognize our own communal culpability - as well as resolve to do whatever necessary to counter these anti-Torah policies, including shunning any cooperation with those policies.
In closing, we cannot omit this most timely imperative:
"...
The greater the difficulty, the more biting the ridicule and sarcasm, and the more numerous the opponent -- then the holier is the principle, and the more sacred is our duty to defend it.
In my opinion, the halachic dictum bishas gezeras ha-malchus afillu mitzvah kallah ke'gon le-shinuyei Arkesa de-mesana, ye'hareg ve'al Ya'avor ... applies not only to political and religious persecution originated by some pagan ruler, but also to situations in which a small number of G-d-fearing and Torah-loyal people is confronted with a hostile attitude on the part of the majority dominated by a false philosophy."*
* from Rabbi Joseph Dov Soloveitchik, O.B.M., reprinted in Baruch Litvin, The Sanctity of the Synagogue, p. 111, quoted by Rabbi Mayer Twersky, in "Judaism and Deviant Behavior," appearing in Dialogue, Fall 2013, #4, page 239-240.
Thank you,
Rabbi Noson Shmuel Leiter,
Executive Director,
Help Rescue Our Children
