Timeless Torah

All around the world, Jewish communities in Europe, South America, Australia and in our very own Sunshine State will be heading to their synagogues this Shabbat to read the two final portions of the book of Exodus and shake their heads in puzzlement about the situation in Israel.

Questions such as, “What can we do” to “What should we do” are heard in between the Aliyot, as the various people are being called to the Torah. So understanding full well that even the weekly sermon might be lost amidst the murmur, let me share one thought with you now as I have your attention momentarily diverted.

The Biblical portions we will peruse deal with the fulfillment by the Israelites of the command to construct a Sanctuary for their travels in the desert. The theme of the section is interestingly enough titled, “Vayakhel” which means to gather. Indeed, the very first sentence tells of the assemblage organized by Moses that inaugurated this historic project.

Working together is not only pragmatic in order to accomplish a monumental task, it is a necessary state of mind if we are to achieve the purpose of why G-d placed us on this world. At some point in our lives we all feel responsible for others. Sometimes it is for a young child, an ailing parent or just an individual less fortunate.

Why do we still care in this hedonistic self-centered society? The answer is that G-d created us that way. Responsibility is a basic human need, just like food or oxygen. It is not something we should do reluctantly or be ashamed of; to use the common parlance, “How did I get suckered in to do this job?”
We may choose to ignore our inner call, wandering off to satisfy our own personal agendas. But, like hunger, it will haunt us through our conscience or through our feelings of purposelessness. And, like hunger, when it is satisfied, we will feel better all over. This does not mean that we should see ourselves as saviors, sweeping in to rescue the downtrodden. It simply means acknowledging that we are not self-contained individuals; that we are all part of a larger community.

Three or four generations ago, our grandparents could not be blamed for being isolationist. But that is plainly no longer viable. We interact with each other at every level. What occurs in the farthest corner of the globe eventually affects your life. Even on a moral plane, universal standards influence personal ones and, according to our Judaic teachings, our individual ethics can impact the world’s view of what’s right and wrong.

So what can we do to sensitize the world community to the pain of our brothers and sisters in Israel? First and foremost, become more responsive yourself. Don’t rationalize the death of another Jew as an unavoidable sacrifice for peace. Understanding that there must be some victims of terror is the first step to accepting these shameless acts of cowardice. Don’t just shake your head, sigh and go on with life after the nightly news of heartbreak and rampage.

Say some tehillim (Psalms), give another coin to charity - do something, do anything! Responsibility then, is one of the greatest gifts that G-d gave us. It promotes us from being mere spectators to contributing participantsin the dynamic unfolding of the world’s destiny. We must never ignore our gift. In the delicate balance in which the fate of humanity hangs, it may be our one deed of merit that tips the scale.