Fans were shocked and appalled at Paul McCartney, who was a member of one of the greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll bands, The Beatles, accepting a lead roll in a commercial for American Express. What’s the big deal? Well, apparently McCartney’s Beatles (some might take offense and say it’s Lennon’s Beatles) symbolized the anti-establishment movement (the long hair, anti-government, anti-social norms.) In fact, The Beatles presumably were the leaders of such a belief in which government; society and the workforce got it all wrong. The mega-giant company, American Express, represents corporate America,’the establishment’. McCartney, in essence, is raising the white flag and proclaiming by holding the credit card, ‘I’m part of the corporate suits, I’m part of the establishment, and I’m no longer a fighter for the cause.’
In this week’s parsha, Balak, we learn that our Jewish young men were seduced by the daughters of Moav. One of the tools in which Moav used to lure our boys was introducing them to the idol worship Baal Peor. The Gemara relates that those who worshiped Baal Peor would consume various laxatives and then proceed to relieve themselves before the idol. I’m kidding you not; this is what’s required to worship this idol. The more of a disgusting mess one makes, the better one worships. Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz asks ‘what is so attractive and extremely appealing about such a gross act?’ Furthermore, one may ask, ‘what’s the connection between sinning with the daughters of Moav and Baal Peor?’
The worship of Baal Peor was an expression of degrading and humiliating one’s Gods, which is the very opposite of their society as a whole, who showed great respect to worshiping idolatry. Seen in a deeper sense, it represents the tearing down of all moral and religious restrictions and prohibitions. The worshipers of Baal Peor proclaimed their complete lack of recognition of any system of values whatsoever. This complete anarchy is their God.
We now see the attractiveness of this worship. The allure of the ideology of permissiveness and lack of any restraints is seen in today’s world resulting in immorality and degradation of society. This was the foresight of the evil Bilam, whose intention was to destroy the Jews; who orchestrated this plan of seduction with devastating results.
We are not allowed to break any laws pertaining to the country in which we reside. This is in accordance with the Torah. This constitutes an act of rebellion and a practice of Baal Peor. G-d said ‘I hate Baal Peor more than any other idol worship.’ The reason is that at least in idol worship, society had some order, rules are followed, and unity is being preserved (although I believe Mayor Bloomberg has gone too far with excessive motor vehicle violations). We have to be law-abiding citizens.
It was hip and ingrained in us to be anti-establishment, anti-government, growing up in the 60’s and 70’s, and testimonial to this rebelliousness, was the popular movie, Animal House, which has Baal Peor written all over it. So many people who saw the film acted out the role of the rebellious crude characters. Even as a Rabbi today, I have a hard time walking into Shul and sitting in the front because we never did it as teenagers, because the anti-establishment sat in the back; it was cool; it was Baal Peor.
The Beatles were extremely talented and took Rock ‘n’ Roll to a much higher level – and some of their messages – through their music, were genuinely good. However, some were dangerously bad. Like many, they used their musical talent to express their opinions. They once performed in front of the Queen of England. Before one song, John Lennon, who had a cynical side to him, instructed the audience, ‘This song needs your participation so I would like the people in the balcony to clap their hands and the people in the front to rattle their jewelry.’ By that remark, Lennon mocked the establishment at its highest level – in front of British Royalty. The Beatles would endure a certain Baal Peor reputation which would radically change by one of their own, approximately twenty-five years later, as Paul McCartney held the American Express card and smiled. |
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