Words, Wickedness, and Charlottesville

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Words, Wickedness, and Charlottesville The World of Lubavitch A publication of Chabad-Lubavitch, Toronto SEPTEMBER 2017 Vol. 43 No. 2 (148) TISHREI 5778 Words, Wickedness, and Charlottesville By Shlomo Yaffe In classic Judaic philosophy, worldly existence is divided into four strata: The inanimate, the growing (vegetative), the liv- ing (animal life) and the speaking (human). It seems curious that we do not describe the human as “thinker” or “engineer” or by any other quality that humans exclusively possess. The answer seems to be that the true potential of humanity, for good or evil, lies in the capacity for speech. The individual human can accomplish but little. All the accomplishments and disasters wrought by humanity are by virtue of communication. The accomplishment of the first farmer or shepherd lay in inspir- ing a group of people to work together to create nutrition and raiment in a new way that one person thought of. This was through words, through communication. All of hu- man power has always been an expression of a plurality united and directed by words. Abraham and Sarah taught monotheis- tic decency by words. Pharaoh enslaved the people of Israel by words of fear and prejudice directed at the Egyptians. Beliefs promulgated by words held peoples in the thrall of autocracy, and beliefs expressed in words convinced yet others to throw off those chains. The fate of the Armenians in 1915-17 was woven of words— in hate-filled sermons and telegraphed instructions. The power of Hitler was in his words that convinced German people to join together in utter evil. It was words over radio that set in mo- tion the Rwandan massacre. Yet, it was the power of Churchill’s words that inspired the British people, against all odds, to turn back the German menace. It was words that caused Jews in the United States—in the depths of the Great Depression—to give of their often meager resources to the American Joint Distribution Committee and many other charities, thereby saving untold numbers in Europe. It is words that have created every charitable endeavor in human history. It is words that have led to equality of human rights that we enjoy in so much of the world. It is words uniting citizens to action that have enabled these United States to be a source of so much benefit to humanity. And now, it is words spread at the speed of light in a world where we each have more power to be heard than ever before— that threaten to tear us apart. Words of hate like those chanted by neo-Nazis in Charlottesville, Va., that not only inspire deeds of violence and even murder, but which create an increasingly fragmented archipelago of identities. A world where smaller and smaller groups live in ever- shrinking echo chambers where we only hear ourselves and those just like us. It has been suggested that the solution is that Chabad Lubavitch to we talk to each other, but we often do, and end up screaming at the other for being an other. Something more is needed. The Lubavitcher Rebbe—Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory—once counseled the members of a newly Honour Al Mintz formed ruling coalition in the Israeli Knesset who sought his Plans are in full swing bution, which only heightened with Chabad Lubavitch goes advice. He suggested that they ought not to begin by pushing for for the upcoming annual din- an awareness of the needs and back 60 years when he elected legislation that was most expressive of their views vis a vis the ner of Chabad Lubavitch. The opportunity to improve Jew- to send his firstborn Harley, opposition. gala celebration to be held ish life in the community and to a little fledgling shul on Rather, they ought to find matters that needed rectification in Wednesday, November 22, in Israel. Al’s relationship Edinburgh Drive for Talmud Israeli society that all sides could agree upon and thereby create an atmosphere of trust, cooperation and mutual respect. This is 2017, will honour Al Mintz. Torah classes. A few years not just advice for politicians. “This event is an opportunity later with the arrival of Rabbi There is so much that needs repair in our world, so many for the entire community to Grossbaum to spearhead the initiatives that can help us. We ought to identify them, starting pay tribute to a most deserv- Chabad Lubavitch Organiza- at the most local level, speak to each other across divides about ing humanitarian,” said Rabbi tion, the relationship was fur- them, and then act together to make them real in our neighbor- Zalman Grossbaum, Regional ther enhanced and has subse- hoods. Director of Chabad Lubavitch. quently rolled over to the next This also applies to online communities, where much good “As a chartered accountant for generation as well. can be done in very creative ways. over 60 years Al guided, and This year the campaign It is words that will create shared deeds of goodness and assisted many war torn im- theme is, “We Uncover Hid- kindness that in turn will create more shared words, which will migrants to navigate the com- den Value.” The message drive out the words of division, which will enable the world to plexities of business adminis- highlights the work of Chabad prevail over evil. tration and compliance with as elucidated by the Baal Shem The key is to look for goals that we agree need accomplish- the Revenue Canada Agency. Tov. He declared, “Just as the ing and can be attained without giving up on one’s core beliefs. wisest minds cannot grasp As Proverbs says (18:21 as per Ibn Ezra): “Death and Life Naturally, Tezedaka alloca- are in the hands of the tongue, and one eats the fruits of that tions was also a common sub- which [the type of words] we [choose to] love.” ject for discussion and distri- Continued on page 3 Page 2 • World of Lubavitch • SEPTEMBER 2017 The Prayer of Hannah A Prayer For a Child of what is asked of us on Rosh Hashanah appear to The Haftorah (the section be contradictory – mutually from the Prophets), which is exclusive. The statement in read on the first day of Rosh the Kabbalistic work Tikunei Hashanah, concerns Hannah. A Woman Teaches us Zohar sharpens the paradox, She has been childless until saying that those who pray by prayer, she stirred divine How to Pray on Rosh Hashanah for “food, mercy and gave birth to a son sustenance, forgiveness and of great stature, the prophet life” are like hounds that cry Samuel. “Give!” because they think The Portion of the Torah only of themselves and show read on each Shabbat and no concern with the Devine Yom Tov has an intrinsic Presence. Yet our Sages connection with the time it is have incorporated these very read. The Hannah narrative supplications for material is intrinsically connected to needs into the liturgy because the day of Rosh Hashanah: Rosh Hashanah is a propitious Hannah conceived on that norms of prayer, which call service. for personal growth in the time for such petitions to be day. But beyond that fact, for simple and brief petitions. realm of spirit. fulfilled. Hence, our kavana, there is a more timeless Eli believes that her petition The Paradox of Rosh Paradoxically: the devotional intention of connection, which can serve to G-d is inappropriately Hashanah Rosh Hashanah is the time our prayers, should include as a guide to each Jew in the self-assertive, standing as of, as it were, “crowning” our own needs. It is, however, experience of Rosh Hashanah. she is before G-d and in the Rosh Hashanah, on the one the almighty as our King, a no contradiction to be at the Since her prayer at Shiloh “House of G-d”. Hannah hand, is the time when Man’s motif that recurs throughout same time permeated with brought her a son, from her apologetically explains that material and spiritual needs the liturgy. It is a time when the humbling sense of self- prayer experience we can she is not “intoxicated” in are examined. Regarding this Man is in a state of total self- nullification. glean guidance for our own sincere personal supplication, day it is written in Psalms, nullification, to the point that efforts to evoke divine mercy but is in fact experiencing an “For it is a chok for Israel, one is totally oblivious to their Rosh Hashanah Prayer through prayer. “outpouring of soul”. a Judgment for the G-d Of personal desires and submits, and Prayer During The Year We must therefore, This dialogue between Jacob.” The Word “chok” can without reservation, to the first deal with the puzzling Hannah and Eli provides us be understood as an allotment. divine will. It is this self- This seeming response of Eli the high priest, with a proper mode of prayer, This refers to the divinely nullification, which elicits contradiction becomes who sees her lips moving and offers us insight into the ordained allotment of material acceptance of the coronation apparent not only in the Rosh silently. Concluding that she is prayers, which comprise the needs - for life, for children, from the divine King. Continued on page 18 intoxicated, he scolds her for Rosh Hashanah liturgical for economic gain, and also These two aspects coming into the sanctuary in such a state. Hannah humbly responds that she is childless and that she has come to appeal to G-d to bless her with a child. Eli’s Error The question arises: how can Eli be so wrong about Hannah; how can he be oblivious to the intensity of her prayer? And assuming he is, why is it necessary to record this event and to thus Cholent disparage Eli? Moreover, why By Yanki Tauber was well underway.
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