Page 19 - HaMizrachi # 21 Tisha B'Av 2020 USA

GLOBAL RELIGIOUS LEADERS

How then do we contain that Principle 4 Remember that this is the ultimate
diversity within a single people, Never seek victory basis of Jewish peoplehood. As
bound together in fate and in Shimon bar Yochai said, “When
destiny? I think there are seven Never ever seek to inflict defeat one Jew is injured, all Jews feel the
principles. on your opponents. If you seek to pain.” So that is why we must strive
inflict defeat on your opponent, to remember principle six. I don’t
Principle 1 they must, by human psychology, need you to agree with me, I just
Keep talking seek to retaliate and inflict defeat need you to care about me.
on you. The end result is though
Remember what the Torah says you win today, you lose tomorrow Principle 7
about Yosef and his brothers: אלֹ ְ ו and everyone loses in the end. Do Remember that G-d
םלֹ ׁ ָ ש ְ ל ֹור ְּ בּ ַ ד ּול ְ כָי – “They couldn’t speak not think in terms of victory or chose us as a people
to him in peace.” In other words, defeat. Think in terms of the good
Rabbi Yonason Eybeschutz says, had of the Jewish people. G-d did not choose only the
they kept speaking, eventually, they righteous, He chose all of us. We
would have made peace. So keep Principle 5 stand before G-d as a people,
talking to one another. If you seek respect, and it is as a people that we stand
give respect before the world. The world does
Principle 2 not make distinctions. Antisemites
do not make distinctions. We are
Listen to one another Remember the principle of the still united by a covenant of shared
Book of Proverbs: “As water reflects
There is good news about the face to face, so does the heart of memory, shared identity and shared
fate, even if we do not share the
Jewish people and bad news. The person to person.” As you behave exact same faith.
good news is we are amongst the to others, they will behave to you. If
greatest speakers in the world. you show contempt for other Jews, The Sages said a very striking thing.
The bad news is we are among the they will show contempt to you. If They said, “Great is peace because
world’s worst listeners. ל ֵ א ָ רׂ ְ שִי ע ַ מ ׁ ְ ש you respect other Jews, they will even if Israel is worshipping idols
calls on us to listen to one another show respect to you. and there is peace among them, G-d
in a way that we can actually hear will never allow harm to happen to
what our opponent is saying. If we Principle 6 them.” That is a powerful idea to
do this, we discover it is not just a You can disagree, reflect upon.
powerful way to avoid conflict, but but still care So the next time you are tempted to
profoundly therapeutic as well. criticize another Jew or walk away
Jews will never agree on every- from a group of Jews you think
Principle 3 thing, but we remain one extended have offended you, make that extra
family. If you disagree with a friend,
Work to understand those tomorrow they may no longer be effort to stay together, to forgive, to
listen, to try and unite, because if
with whom you disagree your friend. But if you disagree G-d loves each of us, can we justify
with your family, tomorrow they are failing to strive to do this too?
Remember why the law follows still your family. In the end, family
Hillel rather than Shammai. is what keeps us together, and that
According to the Talmud, Hillel was is expressed best in the principle
humble and modest; he taught the הֶז ָּ ב הֶז םי ִ ב ֵ ר ֲ ע ל ֵ א ָ רׂ ְ שִי ל ָּ כ – All Jews are
views of his opponents even before responsible for one another. Ulti-
his own. He labored to understand mately, I do not need you to agree Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks is Emeritus
the point of view with which he with me, I just need you to care Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congre-
disagreed. about me. gations of the Commonwealth

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