Page 3 - HaMizrachi Yom HaAtzmaut 5782 USA

FROM THE
Editor

e defy anyone progressively weakening each new appreciate. As Rabbi Aaron Rakeffet-
who goes about generation’s connection to Torah and Rothkoff once said, “Israel is a country
with his eyes relationship with Hashem. that was built by children who didn’t
“Wopen to deny listen to their parents!”
that there is, as never before, an Speaking at a seminary in Jerusalem
attitude on the part of young folk last month, I explained to the seventy Smile if you like, but my conversations
earnest young women copiously
which is best described as grossly with hundreds of young people who
thoughtless, rude, and utterly selfish.” taking notes that, according to this have chosen to make Aliyah have
logic, they are the worst Jews the
(Hull Daily Mail, 1925) convinced me that Rav Kook is right.
world has ever seen – at least until Though the young men and women of
Since time immemorial, adults they find their bashert and, G-d willing, our community have not been drafted
have looked down their noses at raise a generation even worse than to storm the beaches of Normandy
the “younger generation,” so clearly they are! like the “Greatest Generation,” many
inferior to their own. We, of course, Depressing indeed (at least I got some have, in unprecedented numbers,
are no exception, wringing our hands volunteered to take up arms and
in frustration as we point out the laughs). But as he so often does, Rav protect our people by serving in
Kook turns the simple understanding
pervasive problems with “Millennials” the IDF and to strengthen Israel
and “Gen Z.” Hypersensitive, anxious of this notion on its head. In his society through Sherut Leumi. With
remarkable essay, HaDor, “The
and unable to cope with the stresses Generation”, Rav Kook explains that unbelievable courage, they are making
of life, our children are keeping the a go of living in Israel, thousands of
psychologists busier than ever. the “decline of the generations” refers miles away from their families and
only to individuals, to the great leaders
I remember remarking to my wife and scholars of the Jewish people. With friends, determined to play their part
that when we were kids, summer each passing generation, our Torah in the glorious story of Medinat Yisrael.
camps employed one “camp mom” to leadership declines, just as “the face of In celebration of the miracle of
make sure homesick campers had at Moshe was like the sun, while the face modern Israel, we dedicate this Yom
least two shoulders to cry on. Now, of Yehoshua was like the moon” (Bava HaAtzmaut edition of HaMizrachi to the
however, summer camps employ an Batra 75a). Our personal experience brave young people who are doing so
army of camp moms, psychologists bears out the point; with no disrespect much to build our land and our nation.
and social workers, and believe me – to our current leadership, we no longer May they go from strength to strength!
as the husband of a camp mom – they possess thinkers like the Lubavitcher
work hard. Rebbe and Rav Soloveitchik, leaders of
the last generation.
Jewish tradition would seem to
confirm this attitude towards the But though our leadership continues Elie Mischel
ְ
young. “Rabbi Zeira said: If the earlier to decline, הֶּ ל ַע ְת ִמּו ךֵלֹוה לָל ְּ כ ַה, the broader
[scholars] were sons of angels, we nation of Israel is growing ever greater,
are sons of men; and if the earlier building upon the accomplishments Rabbi Elie Mischel
[scholars] were sons of men, we are of earlier generations. In other words, Editor
like donkeys, and not [even] like the the young people of today are not the
donkeys of Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa worst generation our people have ever
and Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair, but like seen; they are the greatest! Rav Kook
other donkeys” (Shabbat 112b). In this would often say that our תֹונָּ בּו םיִנָּ ב, our
passage and many others, the Rabbis sons and daughters, are תֹונֹו ּ ב ַה ְו םיִנֹו ּ ב ַה,
refer to what is often called תֹורֹוּ ד ַה ת ַדי ִרְי, the builders of the Land of Israel. Over
the “decline of the generations.” The and over again, he would speak of
theory is that successive generations the younger generation’s thirst for
move further and further away from greatness and idealism, a greatness
the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, their parents too often failed to

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