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An Old/New Anti-Semitism בס“ד Parshat Vayera 15 Cheshvan, 5778/November 4, 2017 Vol. 9 Num. 9 This week’s Toronto Torah is dedicated by Rabbi Charles and Lori Grysman Bernie Goldstein z”l ,דב בן גרשון ,for the shloshim of Lori’s father An Old/New Anti-Semitism Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner In 2004, then-MK Natan Sharansky (26:18-19), they suggested that Yitzchak was not a true heir to described a “New Anti-Semitism”: anti- Yishmael shot arrows at his baby Avraham. She responded by insisting Jewish activism which disguises itself brother, pretending that it was only a that Yishmael be evicted; onlookers as political opposition to the State of joke. Since Yishmael posed a mortal would expect that Avraham would not Israel. A central characteristic of this threat to his brother, Sarah ordered him evict his biological child in order to school is delegitimization – claiming evicted. (Bereishit Rabbah ibid.) protect the reputation of his stepchild. that we lack the right to our Israeli homeland. However, Rabbi Naftali Zvi Finally, our Sages offered a third Per Netziv, Sarah exiled Yishmael Yehuda Berlin (“Netziv”) contended approach, relying not so much on the because he threatened the identity of more than a century ago that word mitzachek as on Sarah’s Yitzchak, and his heirs, as members of delegitimization is not new. Rather, it statement, “This maid’s son will not Avraham’s family. This was the original dates back to the first biblical enemy inherit with my son, with case of “New Anti-Semitism”, an attempt of the Jewish people: Yishmael. Yitzchak.” (Bereishit 21:10) Yishmael to delegitimize the Jews’ claim to the laughed at Yitzchak, saying, “Fools! I mantle of our ancestors. Avraham Yishmael’s Sin: Three Approaches am the firstborn, and I receive a double objected to the exile, believing that As opposed to Esav’s “I will kill my portion.” (Bereishit Rabbah ibid.) Sarah’s harsh response was too brother, Yaakov” (Bereishit 27:41), extreme, but G-d endorsed her position. Yishmael’s threat was veiled. The All of these approaches present This Divine approval demonstrated that Torah only records, at the party Yishmael as a classic villain, in terms of concern for delegitimization is real, and celebrating Yitzchak’s weaning, “And his threatening conduct and attitude worthy of a strong response. Sarah saw the son of Hagar the toward Yitzchak. However, the Netziv Egyptian, whom she had birthed to saw Yishmael’s sin differently. A Sign of Hope? If Yishmael was the first delegitimizer, Avraham, mitzachek.” (Bereishit 21:9) Delegitimization Mitzachek is normally translated as then we may have some hope for the The Netziv noted that the root of the future. Bereishit 25:9 says of Avraham’s ridiculing. Sarah ordered the 17-year word mitzachek already appeared earlier old Yishmael’s eviction – but what was funeral, “And his sons, Yitzchak and in the story of Yitzchak’s party, when Yishmael, buried him,” and the Talmud his great sin? Sarah said, “Elokim has made tz’chok (Bava Batra 16b) explains this to mean Clearly troubled by the strength of for me; all will be tzocheik at me. that Yishmael placed his younger Sarah’s reaction to what sounds like (Bereishit 21:6)” The Netziv explained, brother before himself, demonstrating standard teenage behaviour, our Sages “The Divine attribute of justice has repentance. If Yishmael’s sin were of noted other explanations of mitzachek. made me ridiculous, meaning, all will immorality, idolatry or murder; or The Torah uses this word in contexts laugh at me… doubting whether I had threatening his brother’s life; or greed of sexual immorality (Bereishit 39:17), birthed a child to Avraham.” Sarah for an inheritance, it would not be clear idolatry (Shemot 32:6) and murder believed that Avraham’s old age, and that placing Yitzchak first demonstrated (Shemuel II 2:14). Given these her recent stay in Avimelech’s palace, repentance. But if Netziv’s read is definitions, Yishmael’s conduct was would lead people to believe that correct, and Yishmael’s sin was to inappropriate for the home of Avraham Yitzchak was actually a Philistine, and question Yitzchak’s connection with and Sarah, and the place which would not a Jew at all. Avraham, then affirming that shape the infant Yitzchak. (Bereishit This concern led Avraham to hold a connection was indeed a suitable act of Rabbah 53:11) public feast; his demonstration of love repentance. Yishmael eventually came to accept Yitzchak’s legitimacy; may the Our Sages also offered another for Yitzchak was intended to dispel doubts about the child’s legitimacy. same occur for Yishmael’s spiritual approach, using the “ridiculing” heirs. definition of mitzachek. Based on an However, Sarah saw Yishmael invocation of mitzachek in Mishlei mitzachek – ridiculing, claiming that [email protected] OUR BEIT MIDRASH ROSH BEIT MIDRASH RABBI MORDECHAI TORCZYNER SGAN ROSH BEIT MIDRASH RABBI JONATHAN ZIRING AVREICHIM ADAM FRIEDMANN, YARON PEREZ CHAVERIM NADAV GASNER, COREY KAMEN, JAY KARON, BJ KOROBKIN, COBY Find our upcoming shiurim on-line at LYONS, ZACK MINCER, MOSHE OSTRIKER, RONI PEREZ, JOSH PHILLIP, AARON www.torontotorah.com ROSENFELD, MORDECHAI ROTH, DANIEL SAFRAN, EYTAN WEISZ, URIEL WEISZ, BARUCH WISE, YECHIEL ZOBERMAN We are grateful to WOMEN’S BEIT MIDRASH MRS. ORA ZIRING, MRS. ELLIEZRA PEREZ Continental Press 905-660-0311 והורשתם את הארץ וישבתם בה )במדבר לג( Marking the State of Israel’s 70th Year! Israeli Landmarks: Tel Dan Adam Friedmann On the northern border of modern The second time we encounter the city David to Melachim I 12:30) Ultimately, Israel, just west of the Golan Heights, of Dan is in the story of Yeravam in the city was conquered from the tribe of lies the Tel Dan nature reserve. In the Melachim I 12. Having successfully led Dan during the Assyrian conquest. heart of this reserve is the Tel itself, a a revolt against Rechavam, King mound comprised of layers of Shlomo’s son and successor, Yeravam Today, the Tel Dan reserve features an settlement, possibly dating back as needed to consolidate his authority. He archaeological dig which has early as the Neolithic period. The area is was concerned that popular opinion reconstructed several of the ancient significant in Jewish history, playing a would shift against him in his newly layers of the city. One of the Bronze Age role in two different stories in Tanach. formed Israelite Kingdom, and the gateways to the city has been people would seek to return to the reconstructed. In addition, the area In Shoftim 18, the town is referred to by house of David. In order to prevent his used for religious worship has been its original name, Layish. At that time subjects from worshipping at the Beit rebuilt, with a steel frame indicating the members of the tribe of Dan lived in the HaMikdash, which was outside of his original size and shape of the altar that area of Tzorah ve’Eshtaol (near modern territory, Yeravam set up two centres was there. Beit Shemesh). They sent scouts north of worship. One was in Beit El, which to find a suitable area to settle in. The was relatively close to the Beit The site at Tel Dan provides a rare scouts decided on Layish, a city which HaMikdash, and the other was at the glimpse into the deep past of the Jewish was in a prime location, and easily borders of his kingdom, in Dan. In settlement in Eretz Yisrael, and an conquered. In an unsavory move, the each centre he set up a golden calf, opportunity to thank G-d for uprooting soldiers of Dan sent to conquer the city which was to serve as a substitute for idolatry from our land. [See Shulchan stole the idols and false-priest of the Beit HaMikdash itself. The text Aruch, Orach Chaim 224:2.] Michah, who lived in the territory of the describes that even though the original tribe of Ephraim. They conquered intent was not to serve these calves as [email protected] Layish, changing its name to Dan, and gods in and of themselves, they installed the idol and the priest as their eventually did become full-fledged method of worship until they were idols. This was true to the extent that ultimately dispersed into exile. people would travel to the far-out city of Dan to worship. (See Metzudat The Zionist Idea: The Netziv: Anti-Zionist or Arch-Zionist? Yaron Perez Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehudah Berlin (“The Netziv”) was born in in Volozhin from its founding, and in 1886 he was 1816. After 25 years of intense Torah study, he was appointed to a formal advisory position. appointed to lead Yeshivat Eitz Chaim, the famed Volozhin Yeshiva, in 1850. The Volozhin Yeshiva was considered the Counter to the typical Hareidi view that one must wait for paradigmatic Lithuanian yeshiva. The Netziv served as Rosh Messianic redemption, the Netziv wrote, “We have seen that Yeshiva for 39 years; he then sought to ascend to Israel, but G-d has been with the spirit of His nation, Israel, in all parts illness prevented him from fulfilling his desire, and he passed of the globe… And the voice of G-d knocks upon the doors of away in 1893. our hearts, saying: Open a door for Me in your activities, for the time has come when the Land of Israel will no longer be Some see the Netziv as a classic Lithuanian “Hareidi”; his called ‘abandoned, without anyone to seek her.’” Torah is studied in all of the yeshivot built along that model. Unlike many of his rabbinic contemporaries who were Regarding opposition to partnership with non-observant associated with Zionism, the Netziv disagreed with the heter Jews to implement the Zionist ideal, the Netziv wrote in a mechirah which permitted selling land in Israel during letter, “And as it was in the days of Ezra the Scribe, who shemitah, enabling some forms of farming.
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