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Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks

G-d’s Hidden Call

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in Vienna who was imprisoned in of Israel. Individual Jews and Jewish universe. You can begin to change the
Auschwitz during World War II. In all organizations made great efforts to speak universe the only way any of us can –
of history, there was never a period of to the President in the White House, but one life at a time, one day at a time, one
greater hester panim than that of the every attempt was rebuffed. Even Chaim act at a time.
Holocaust. Yet Victor Frankl was a man Weizmann, the leader of the Zionist
of faith, and he knew G-d was calling on movement at the time, was refused a We must always ask ourselves: What
him to do something even in Auschwitz, meeting. Someone remembered Eddie does G-d want of me in this place, at
at the gates of Hell itself. He decided Jacobson, and he was asked to try to this time? There is always something
that G-d wanted him to give his fellow convince President Truman to meet He wants of us, and we don’t have to
prisoners a will to live, because only with Weizmann. And that is exactly what be anyone special to have a sacred
if they were to have that will would happened! Truman could not say no task. We can be a Jewish woman called
they have the strength to survive. So to his old buddy, and he agreed to the Esther or a Jewish man called Eddie,
he approached each prisoner whom he meeting. As a result, the United States yet somehow or another, our acts may
thought was about to fall into despair, voted in favor of the creation of a Jewish have consequences that we cannot even
and he gave them a role in life, one they State. In fact, the United States, under begin to imagine. Even in a world of
had yet to accomplish. This sense of Truman, was the first county in the hester panim, in which we look for G-d
renewed purpose helped compel these world to recognize the State after Ben- and have a hard time finding Him, He
men, women, and children to stay alive, Gurion’s Declaration of Independence. still calls out to us: “Umi yodei’a im le’et
to survive Auschwitz and fulfill their kazot higa’at lamalchut?” Was it not for
calling. Even in Auschwitz, Victor Frankl If it can happen to Eddie Jacobson, it can this moment that I placed you here on
heard the call – a Vayikra with a tiny happen to any one of us. “Perhaps it was Earth?!
aleph. to serve at this time that you attained So when G-d calls, may each of us have
royalty!” G-d calls upon each of us, even the courage to respond, “Hineini! Here
Then there is the story about a man when there is hester panim, even when
named Eddie Jacobson, an ordinary the Vayikra is written with a small aleph I am, G-d. Tell me what to do and I will
Jewish boy from the Lower East Side that can barely be seen or heard. You are do it.”
of New York who moved as a child to here for a reason!
Kansas City. He became buddies with 1 Chullin 39b.
another boy there, eventually doing The Rambam writes that a person 2 Deuteronomy 31:18.
military service alongside him during should always consider himself and the 3 Esther 3:13.
World War I and opening a business with entire world as if they are evenly poised 4 Ibid. 4:13-14.
him after the war. When the business between merit and sin. One’s next deed 5 See Rashi, Leviticus 1:1, who notes this
failed, they drifted apart. Eddie Jacobson may tilt the balance of his life; it may distinction in comparing G-d’s interactions
became a traveling salesman; his friend, tilt the balance of someone else’s life, with Moshe and Bilaam.
Harry S. Truman, ended up as President and it may even tilt the balance of the 6 Laws of Repentance 3:4.
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of the United States. universe. We never know the possible 7 See Sanhedrin 4:5.
consequences of our actions, but one
In 1947-48, it became evident that action or one friendship may ultimately
the declaration of a Jewish State in change the world.
Israel would be possible only with the Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks is Emeritus
recognition of the United States, but the You don’t have to change the world to Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew
State Department advised the President change the world. We believe that “nefesh Congregations of the Commonwealth
.
not to support the creation of the State achat ke’olam malei,” a single life is like a @RabbiSacks www.RabbiSacks.org

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