From the Rabbi

Three Lessons from a Painful Week

It’s been a week. On Monday, five of our precious brothers and sisters were murdered in cold blood while waiting at a bus stop in Jerusalem. On Tuesday, a video surfaced showing the horrific murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, who was stabbed to death unprovoked while sitting on a subway in Charlotte, while onlookers looked on, doing absolutely nothing. And on Wednesday, Conservative thought leader and pundit Charlie Kirk was savagely assassinated at an event at a university in Utah. It feels like we are entering a very, very dark time in America. 

I am not a prophet, and I do not know why these things happen— but I want to share what is going through my own mind at these moments.

I recall my rabbis teaching me what Rabbi Joseph B Soleveitchik once said: The word in Hebrew for “why”, is lamah. We often ask “lamah” when terrible things happen. But Rabbi Soleveitchik observed the word lamah could also be read as “l’mah?” Which means, “For what?” We do not know why things happen. But we do ask ourselves in these moments, what can I do about this? What lesson can I personally learn?

In reflecting upon this miserable week, three actionable items popped into my head about what I personally can do about the tragedies of this week. Regarding the sadistic terror attack claiming the lives of our precious brothers and sisters in Jerusalem earlier this week, I am reminded that our enemies do not care about our differences. Neither should we. Now we need to love one another, no matter how different we think, no matter how we vote, and no matter how we practice our Judaism.

Regarding Iryna Zarutska, as she was tragically murdered, there were about half a dozen people who looked on, doing absolutely nothing. As if they could not be bothered to react, and be troubled to disrupt their busy lives to deal with a woman who had been fatally stabbed. We recall the passuk “al taamod al dam re’iacha.” Do not stand idly by when our brothers' blood is being shed. Whether we see someone being bullied, being spoken about through malicious lashon hara, or G-d forbid being physically attacked, we must accept upon ourselves the obligation to speak up and intervene.

And regarding Charlie Kirk– who spent his life debating ideas with people, whose life was snatched from him at age 31, leaving behind a young widow and two small children: What can I learn from this horrific episode? The Talmud teaches that when Rabbi Yochanan’s chavrusa (study partner) Reish Lakish died, Rabbi Yochanan became extremely depressed. The rabbis in the Yeshiva quickly found a replacement for Reish Lakish, appointing one of the up-and-coming brilliant young rabbis to become Rabbi Yochanan’s new chavrusa. However, this only made Rabbi Yochanan more depressed. 

Rabbi Yochanan told his new chavrusa, “when I used to learn with Reish Lakish, he would pose 24 different challenges to everything I said– but you try to support everything I say with a proof!” Rabbi Yochanan could not handle his chavrusa parroting everything back to him, with more proofs to his ideas. He wanted– even needed– to be challenged. He wanted his ideas to be tested by other logical arguments so that he would truly arrive at the truth.

How far are we removed from this reality today? Today, people surround themselves in echo chambers, unwilling and unable to hear contrary ideas. When someone disagrees with us, we often become demonized. When someone votes differently from us, we can no longer be friends. When someone holds a different perspective about a controversial issue, rather than attacking the idea, we demonize the person. And when we do that, violence ensues. 

I learned from Charlie Kirk’s assassination to personally hear out every idea people have. And though I might vehemently disagree with their nonsensical idea, it will never become personal.

We need to be able to dialogue with one another and maintain respect for each other, despite our strong disagreements.

May G-d have mercy upon all of us, and end all of our pain and suffering once and for all by bringing Moshiach, immediately, quickly in our day.