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NOAH 5784
May Gd avenge their blood!
The great Chassidic master Rebbe Nachman taught: Kol ha-olam kulo gesher tzar m’od (The whole world is a narrow bridge). V’ha-ikar lo l’facheyd klal (The essential thing is not to be afraid at all). Sing …
This has been a harried 2 weeks for all of us. We have been shocked, disgusted and fearful—as we were glued to our televisions and devices, waiting for the latest news. Our Holocaust mantra “Never Again” seems to have been violated as we shouted, while watching the massacre of Jews outside of Gaza unfold, “O’ my Gd, not again!” October 7th was the biggest massacre of Jews since the days of the Nazis—slaughtering at least 1400 women, men and children—including seniors, some over 90 years old—and taking over 200 hostages. 40 babies were slaughtered—some with their heads cut off! Pregnant women’s bellies were cut open and their babies killed. Women were raped and paraded naked through the streets of Gaza! 300 children were orphaned. How can anyone fathom such carnage, such brutality, such inhumanity?
This week’s Torah portion is Noah with its story of the flood. When the Torah (Gen. 6:11) tells us why Gd decided to destroy the world with a flood, it says: Vatimaley haaretz chamas (The earth had become filled with chamas—violence). While the Arab meaning of chamas is different—meaning “zeal” or an acronym for Islamic Resistance Movement—the Torah meaning of “violence” certainly seems appropriate. Others have translated the Hebrew chamas somewhat differently, but however you translated it, it was something so negative, that for this behavior, the world was destroyed!
At least with this massacre, the world can see what Hamas really is. They didn’t hide it. They proudly videoed it and with glee posted it for the world to see. And because of that, there are now many who stand up for Israel all over the world. The Israeli flag was projected onto the Brandenburg Gate—bedrock of Nazi Germany in Berlin—on to 10 Downing Street in London, on many European Capitals, the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, in Miami and NY as a show of solidarity.
But this week, with Hamas’ accusation that Israel bombed the Baptist Hospital in Gaza on Tuesday night killing 500-1000, things changed. Withing minutes, shouts of outrage filled the media—the NY Times, the Washington Post, CBS, CNN, and the like, and of course, the Squad led by Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar!
Because of this, Jordan’s King Abdullah canceled a summit meeting he was hosting with Biden, PLO Pres. Abbas, and the leader of Egypt. The Arab world—even countries in the Abraham Accords—issued condemnations against Israel. There were angry Palestinian demonstrations all over the world—in Times Square and in so many college campuses. And the most terrifying of all was in Australia, where demonstrators chanted, “Gas the Jews!” It’s so disturbing to watch.
Within several hours, substantial video and audio evidence was released by Israel and US intelligence agencies, by Al-Jazeera News—not a friend of Israel—that was broadcasting from the area. They all proved without a doubt that this tragic explosion at the hospital in Gaza was caused by a misfired Palestinian rocket aimed at Israel! It revealed that the hospital was still intact and that very few, if any were killed, and that the shrapnel found on site was not from an Israeli weapon.
Do you think any of these respected media outlets would have done this if Putin said the Ukrainians blew up a Russian hospital? Or would they have paused for a moment and said, “Putin has a history of lying, so let’s check the facts.” Of course they would! But the media didn’t do that with the terrorist Hamas that has a longer history of lies. No, they ran with it. It seems that when confronted with the opportunity to accuse Jews of wrongdoing, the media jumps on it! This rush to judgment is a modern Blood Libel—falsely accusing Jews of killing innocent people. US and Israeli embassies all over the world were then stormed. There was blood in the streets.
Even President Biden confirmed it wasn’t Israel when he said to Netanyahu: “Based on what I’ve seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team, not you.” It’s a strange way to put it, but I’m grateful for his support. But earlier he said: “It’s that old thing: Gotta learn how to shoot straight.” I’m sure he misspoke. Surely, he didn’t mean that when Hamas fires rockets at Israel, they need to have better aim???
So, Israel didn’t blow up the Gaza Hospital, but it doesn’t matter. In an era of falsehoods, the evidence that Israel had nothing to do with it has not quieted public outcry against Israel. We live in a “post-truth” era where facts don’t matter—especially where Israel is concerned. And that is particularly terrifying to me.
Will world opinion falsely turn on Israel again as they go into Gaza? Will this force Israel to pull out of Gaza—short of its goal of destroying Hamas? I hope not. I think because of the enormity and horror of this pogrom, Netanyahu will not stop until the job is done.
Let me share with you an email I received last week:
Dear Rabbi Kunis, I am not sure you remember me. You officiated my Bar Mitzvah long ago, and you officiated my wedding. I hope you are doing well. As you are aware, given the Hamas attack in Israel, anti-Jewish rhetoric and vitriol has spiked of late. As such, we fear for our safety, even more than usual. While I am ashamed to even ask this question (please forgive me), I do so to protect my family. Does Jewish law allow a Mezuzah that currently hangs on the outdoor portion of a front door doorpost to be removed and re-affixed to the indoor portion of the front door of the house, and to hang on the inside portion of the front doorframe so it is not visible from the outside?
What would you say? I told him that the Torah says a mezuzah should be on the doorpost. It doesn’t say it has to be on the outside. I told him I’m sorry he was so traumatized by this terror attack and that I look forward to the day when every Jew can proudly display a mezuzah on their home for all to see.
My friends, I haven’t seen this kind of fear in American Jews in my lifetime. We can’t allow Hamas this kind of victory. So, let me ask you, are you filled with an urge to take revenge against Hamas for carrying out the biggest massacre of Jews in our time? If you really want to stick it to Hamas and everyone else who can’t tolerate the existence of Jews, now is the time to double down on everything Jewish in your life. Say to yourself: “If I was proudly Jewish before, I’ll find ways of being overwhelmingly Jewish.”
Take it from actress Debra Messing: Last week, she posted pro-Israel messages on Instagram with a photo in which she wore a Star of David necklace, above a Chai necklace, above a map of Israel necklace. Her photo caption? 3 simple words: “Loud and proud.” She also put-up signs in Times Square bearing the names and information of the hostages. Like Debra Messing, we must not cower with fear, but become prouder of who we are and what we stand for.
What is the significance of this terrorist attack coming on Simchat Torah in Israel—the day that celebrates Gd’s Torah? It’s that this was an attack on those who observe and treasure the Torah. Every Jew is now a Jewish Defense Unit. Israeli soldiers are fighting Hamas terrorists—and we owe them everything. Do you want to stand with Israel? If you can’t fight in Gaza, fight on social media, fight in the classroom, fight at work, fight wherever you are. Stand up for Israel and your people.
But as we fight, we also need to show joy in being Jewish. Hamas doesn’t only love dead Jews. It would also love to know that Jews can’t bring themselves to find joy in being Jewish. So, fight by having a big Shabbat dinner next week—inviting friends and neighbors. Hold off on those Halloween decorations. Next year, build a sukkah. Commit to doing a new mitzvah. Light Shabbos candles adding prayers for the soldiers and hostages. Plan to visit Israel this spring. Belt out Shema Yisrael every night before bed adding a prayer for the soldiers and hostages. Find ways of being overwhelmingly Jewish.
And, do everything you can to show unity with your fellow Jew. Like the Jew at JFK Airport who stood at the counter and paid for a ticket for any Israeli soldier trying to return to Israel to join their unit in the army. He bought over 250 tickets worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Or like the thousands of Israelis in the north opening their homes to their fellow Israelis from the villages near Gaza. Or like my son Rabbi Joshua Kunis organizing supplies to be sent to Israeli soldiers. In Israel people are volunteering, giving blood and doing whatever is needed. The Jewish community—both in Israel and America—that had become more and more divided with the Supreme Court issue in Israel and Jews on the right and on the left in America now have come together. For the survival of Israel we are no longer divided. We are now seeing the best moment of Jewish unity in some time.
We are all worried about what will happen as Israel enters Gaza and its aftermath. I have mentioned before that I often listen to the lectures of Rabbi Mannis Friedman—Chassid, therapist, mystic. He proposes a very positive future in the aftermath of this crisis: What is going to be, is so positive and so amazing in ways that we can’t even begin to imagine. As dark as it feels now, it will be 10 times, up to 100 times lighter when the miracle finally happens, and the truth comes out ... This is going to be a fantastic year—a year that’s blessed with chesed (love and kindness) … That’s the real truth. So, expect a good year with blessings, with success, with all the good news. How can we help this along? Every mitzvah that you fulfill with trust, faith and joy will help it along. Rabbi Friedman understands that Gd always has our backs.
Let me close with a thought by my colleague Rabbi Jack Riemer. He notes that after a Jew dies, it is customary after we mentioned his name to say, Zichrona livracha (May his memory be a blessing). But when one is murdered for being a Jew, we add, Hashem yikom damam (May Gd avenge their blood). We must not forget that he died before his time and that his life was cut off simply because he was a Jew. We must stand guard against such evil in this world wherever it is—be it in the heart of a Hitler or a Yasser Arafat, or in Pittsburgh or Poway (synagogue shootings), or, as it did this past week in Sderot and in the 21 other villages near Gaza.
The Torah (Deut. 20:2-4) advises all of us—not just the soldiers: “When you are drawn into war, the Kohen shall approach and speak to the people. He shall say to them: “Shema Yisrael (Hear O Israel) you are coming near to war against your enemies; let not your heart be faint; do not be afraid, do not panic, and do not be broken before them. For Hashem your Gd, is the One who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to bring you victory [and peace].”
And to that let me add one thing more on behalf of those who were slaughtered by Hamas and the soldiers who died defending them: Hashem yikom damam (May Gd avenge their blood)! Amen!
Sing … Kol ha-olam kulo gesher tzar m’od (The whole world is a narrow bridge). V’ha-ikar lo l’facheyd klal (The essential thing is not to be afraid at all).
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