Tag Archive for Parshat Re’eh

A False Prophet

August 2, 2013 Moshiach No comments

 

 

This week’s Parsha discusses false prophets. One of the fundamental beliefs of Judaism is the coming of Moshiach, followed by the resurrection of the dead. We long for the days of the messianic times. However, for the most part, most religious Jewish attitude is very low key towards the Moshiach coming. Yes, you might have a song here and a song there but not much hoopla. It’s more lip service; don’t get me wrong, the pulse of the nation is that they believe whole-heartedly that the Moshiach will come. However, the exiting, anticipated party atmosphere is missing; why so?
            The reason for the cold attitude towards the Moshiach is because of the fiasco that happened many years ago, which had left a black eye in the Jewish communities till this very day. It was 1648, and by many accounts of Jewish authorities of the times, it was considered “a messianic year.” In today’s times, every year someone proclaims is a messianic year. There was a slick charismatic, brilliant figure by the name of Shabtai Tzvi. He was a great communicator, a teacher with a photographic memory who got smicha at age 20. He learned Kabbalah which helped in the mystic over-all appearance about him. Shabtai Tzvi proclaimed he was born on Tisha B’ Av, which is one of the signs of being the real deal. He would fast during the week, whip himself, and isolate himself for long periods of times, immerse himself in ritual baths 30 times a day; a real character, a James Dean type. Tzvi convinced everybody he was pious.
            Some Rabbis were concerned. Apparently, he was a manic depressive, flight of moods, just an over-all strange kook. At the age of 22, he was married twice and divorced twice with no get. The Rabbinical authorities warned him of ex-communication which made him even more popular.

Wherever he went he had a following, telling people fables of fighting with wild dogs and wolves with his bare hands. In every part of our history, people are susceptible to finding a miracle worker, desperate for a savior. People want to believe what they want to believe.

 

On one of his visits to Yerushalayim, he met Nathan of Gaza, a public relations genius, who made Tzvi an international star. Within one year, people were believing he was the Moshiach. He affected world economies. The Jews began to sell their property all over the world for the pilgrimage to Israel. The Jews stopped working and even bullied their long time non-Jewish tormentors. Because of years of persecution, they were desperate for the Moshiach, a hero.

 

At some point, Shabtai Tzvi went too far. He raised eyebrows by marrying a 12 year-old girl, eating non-kosher and making a bracha on it. The ultimate push-over the edge moment was when he was unable to control himself in mimicking and ridiculing the Sultan. One day, he came dressed with a costume similar to the Sultan’s uniform. The Sultan arrested him, brought him to the highest court and made him deny he was the Moshiach. The Sultan gave him a choice to convert, which he accepted. The non-Jewish world laughed at the Jews; persecution increased. Furthermore, war against kabbalah study increased. The faith in the establishment eroded.

Till today, the ripple effects of Shabtai Tzvi is felt. The cold attitude towards Moshiach is a protection as result from the enormous pain this false prophet had brought upon our nation.

 

Taken from the shiurim of Rabbi Beryl Wein.

 

Man’s Dark Side – Cruelty

August 2, 2013 Ir Hanidachas/ City of Idolatry No comments

 

   

 

In this week’s Parsha, we read something very peculiar. If there is a city, Ir Hanidachas – in which all profess to be idol-worshippers, it’s a commandment in the Torah to wipe out the city. Can the Torah actually mean to kill them? WOW, to kill a fellow Jew!! Yes. One is required to burn the city and destroy the inhabitants and the property as well. The peculiarity continues further: “I will instill in you mercy to those who have followed this commandment.” It seems like G-d is giving them a special bracha for this action, a special protection. Why does the person doing G-d’s commandment of destroying the city need a special bracha of the attribute of mercy?

 

Rabbi Baruch Dopelt who quotes the Or Hachaim Hakadosh says that when one goes to war, he presumably needs to use the attribute of din – justice – to perform his duties. What tends to happen is that human nature will gravitate more and more, deeper into extreme justice. In other words, he might go overboard. The monster will come out. Dr. Goldman, the Psychologist at the Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim, says the external brings out, wakes up, the internal. The act of war manifests cruelty.

 

We have the potential to develop an array of characters within us and through our experience, though sometimes at no fault of ours, strengthens a good or bad character.  For example, the character of kindness, a virtue of our forefather, Abraham, was developed to a level where no man has gone there before. By physically bringing in guests, he strengthened the character of kindness within his heart. On the other hand, war is an environment where one can lose his humanity. He can turn into a savage beast. Even children can become savages. Does anybody remember the Lord of the Flies?

 

A cruel person is called an ACH-ZAR. If one notices, ACH means brother and ZAR means stranger. In other words, he acts like a stranger to his brothers. Dr. Goldman says this is an accurate definition of a cruel person because a cruel person’s compassion, which is the opposite of cruelty, is misguided. The Nazis showed great love and compassion to their dogs; however tortured and killed, in the most inhumane way, people.

 

People approached the great Rabbi, Reb Moshe Feinstein, many years ago, whether to boycott German products. He said no. Reb Moshe said the potential of cruelty is in everybody. It all depends on the leader. Their character manifests and magnifies itself on the whole nation.

 

We have to be careful in the friends we choose; same goes with the neighborhood. It’s not the George’s house with the jacuzzi; however, more important, the neighbors surrounding it. School and jobs are important too. It’s the characters we encounter daily, that have an influence on us. It rubs off; something is in the air. So we have to be careful with negative characters that could penetrate and filter in.

 

King David was prohibited to build the Holy Temple. The Temple represents peace. David was in many wars where cruelty was prevalent. Perhaps some of that war stuff rubbed off.

 

We see a special bracha was needed to preserve and sanctify G-d’s name. When these soldiers went to destroy Ear Hanidachas -city of idol-worshippers, they will be protected by a special bracha of preventing the cruelty to escalate. This is against human nature and indeed a miracle.