Chasing the mechanical rabbit: Rabbi Wein

“The Impending Disaster” was the title of the eighth and final lecture in Rabbi Berel Wein’s series, “The Jewish World 1880-1914”. The disaster in question was the First World War which, with perfect hindsight, could have been predicted and prevented. However, the overwhelming force of inertia made it impossible for the major European powers to change their collision course. In addition, the fact that the monarchs of so many of Europe’s nations were related, and indeed were on good terms with one another, was regarded as a sort of insurance policy.

The main thrust of this lecture was conceptual, not geographical in its focus as Rabbi Wein sought to sum up the major points that he had raised in previous weeks and tie them together, painting a depressing picture of the state of Judaism before war broke out. Rampant assimilation, conversions based on convenience rather than conviction and the quest for university admission in preference to Jewish scholarship were trademarks of Jewish social and cultural behaviour at that time. “The Jews are always chasing the mechanical rabbit”, quipped Rabbi Wein, meaning that we have a tendency to pursue ends that are nugatory and valueless.

Even within the orthodox community there were rifts and disputes: should they secede from the majority or not, and should they preach that poverty and hardship are conditions that had to be accepted?

Rabbi Wein then painted with a broad brush a picture of world history that lay outside the scope of his earlier geographical lectures. This included a review of the growth and sustained force of the British Empire as well as the Russo-Japanese War which shocked European complacency and demonstrated that Europeans did not enjoy ethnic superiority over their Asian rivals.  He also spoke of developments in military technology, particularly where artillery replaced sheer weight of numbers as the decisive factor in battle, and of the succession of national alliances that characterised the period.

Giants clash -- but who is the real winner? Vayigash 5785

The opening verses of this week's Torah reading are among the most dramatic and challenging in the entire Torah. Two great, powerful personalities in the house of the children of Yaakov—Yehudah and Yosef—engage in a clash and debate of epic proportions over the release of their brother Binyamin.

 At first glance it seems obvious that Yosef has the upper hand in his struggle. After all, he is the viceroy of Egypt, the commander of the palace guards who are armed and ready to do his bidding. In contrast Yehudah has very limited options as to what to say and what to do in order to obtain the release of Binyamin. Yosef’s position of power appears unassailable but the impassioned plea of Yehudah cannot easily be ignored. 

Since each of the two great antagonists, the leaders of the tribes of Israel, has the power to prevail over the other, perhaps we can conclude that neither is the victor in this clash of ideas and worldviews. The true champion who emerges from this story is the hoary old Yaakov. Seemingly isolated back in the land of Canaan, mourning and despondent as to the fate of his family, he shouts in anguish: “Yosef is no more, Shimon is no more; both of them will be lost to me!” It is this image of their father that haunts both Yehudah and Yosef. Each, in his own way, wishes to do justice to his father and to everything that he represents. And it is this selfsame image of Yaakov that brings Yosef to the climax of the story and to his ability, nay necessity, to reveal himself and be reconciled with his brothers. 

Jewish rabbinic thought over the ages has always sought to make the story of Yosef and Yehudah relevant to each generation of Jews. I think that the most relevant message for us from this great narrative is that it is the image of our ancient father Yaakov that truly hovers over all of our current struggles. It is our tasknot merely to win the debate with our other brothers or even with outside powers that are seemingly stronger and greater than we are, but rather to remain faithful to the old man that we can no longer see but who is always with us.

What gives both Yehudah and Yosef troubling pause in the midst of their impassioned debate is their uncertainty as to what their father would think of their words and their actions. It is this unseen presence of Yaakov that drives the brothers to reconciliation and to restoring a common purpose in their lives and those of their families. Father Yaakov has looked down at every generation of the Jewish people and—one way or another—every generation has been forced to ask itself “What would Yaakov think of us, our words and our behavior?”

It is this ever-present idea in Jewish life that has been an aid and a boon to our seemingly miraculous survival as a people and as a faith. We may not see Yaakov but we can be certain that he is there with us today as well. 

Shabbat shalom, Rabbi Berel Wein

Happiness in our hall!

Last night--indeed, the very last night of 2024-- the Hanassi Beit Midrash, which doubles as a hall, resonated to some very happy sounds. The reason? We were hosting a special event--a batmitzvah celebration by 31 families of evacuees from Shlomi, close to the Lebanese border. 

Not everyone in Rechavia is familiar with Shlomi. Though the modern town of Shlomi was founded in 1950, it has ancient antecedents: on the road between Shlomi and Kibbutz Hanita, Israeli archaeologists found the remains of Pi Metzuba, This prosperous town got name-checks both in the Talmud Yerushalmi and in the Tosefta (Shevi'it 4:8). Pi Metzuba was destroyed in the early seventh century when Persia (yes, it was those Iranians again) invaded the region as part of its broader conflict with the Byzantine part of the Roman Empire.

Anyway, following targeted attacks by Hezbollah and Palestinian factions based in Lebanon, Shlomi -- a border town of around 7,500 inhabitants -- was evacuated. Some of the town's residents are currently based locally in Jerusalem, many in hotels. As such, they do not have a natural focal point for their communal activities.

The families of the young ladies who were bat mitzvah said that, with all the upheavals they have experienced and dislocation in their regular lives, they were truly pleased just to be able to do something absolutely normal for a change -- to celebrate a family simcha in a real shul hall and with all the fun and fanfare that goes with an absolutely normal celebration. We may not have been there last night but we can still share their sense of simcha by enjoying the photos which they have shared with us. 

Rabbi Aharon Ziegler a.h.

Earlier this month we lost our dear member Rabbi Aharon Ziegler, a.h. We have now received from his family the following memorial and one of his divrei Torah, which we share with you now:

Rabbi Aharon Ben Tzvi Ziegler A”H was small in build but very large in stature. He influenced many people through his teachings, lectures, articles and personal interactions. He will surely be missed by family, friends and Klal Yisroel. May his memory be a blessing for all.

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We Jews are referred to as “Yehudim”, because most of us come from Shevet (tribe of) Yehudah. This is the most common reason given for our name, even though there are numerous other names that our people and religion could go by. Yet there is glaring reason for that choice of our name, which I heard from Rabbi Weiss based on our parasha.

In the narrative, Yosef takes Shimon as hostage and demands that the brothers bring Binyamin to Mitzrayim (Egypt), as a precondition for both Shimon’s release and then he will provide more food for Ya’akov’s family. Ya’akov Avinu is understandably hesitant. Having already lost Yosef, his favorite, he fears losing Binyamin his only remaining son from his beloved wife Rachel. It is here that Yehudah bravely rises to the occasion to declare that he would act as an orev, a surety, a guarantor for Binyamin. “If I don’t return him”, he says to his father Ya’akov, “I will bear the sin forever” (Bereishit 43:9).

Yehuda’s pledge is highly unusual. Normally when a debtor guarantees collateral, the collateral comes from a third party, other than the debtor himself. Here, Yehudah takes his obligation to a higher level. Yehudah himself is both the one who makes the commitment as well as is the guarantor. This indicates how seriously Yehudah takes the pledge or the areivut he is offering.According to Rav Soloveitchik, areivut means more than just another concern for a fellow Jew. It means that I am a surety—each and every Jew is a surety for every other Jew. Just as a surety is held responsible as if he had been the debtor, so also, every Jew is a surety for all the spiritual obligations of every other Jew.

The Mishnah in Shabbat (54b) states that a Jew in not permitted to have his animal work or carry things on Shabbat. However, the cow of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya did go out in public carrying a ribbon on its horns, ( a practice of which the other Rabbis disapproved). Then the Gemara asks, “what do you mean by the cow of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya. Did he have only one cow, that you identify it with him”? He had over 120,000 animals!”. So the Gemara responds, “No! We are not referring to an animal of his. We refer to an animal in his community—but  since Rabbi Elazar did not object, we hold him responsible!”

Our obligation to our fellow Jew is unique. As we are more connected to our inner family with whom we share a common tradition, history and destiny, so too concerning our larger family—the  people of Israel. Hence we are called Yehudim, as we are named after the person who so intensely exemplified Ahavat Yisrael.

Rabbi Yehudah HaLevi (1075-1141) noted that all Israel can be compared to a human body. When one limb hurts, the entire body is affected. All Jews are one body. When one Jew is in pain, Jews everywhere feel that pain. And when a Jew dances and experiences joy, we all dance and feel the joy. We pray that our community will be full of joy and Semachot.

The family add that, if anyone wishes to send a donation in his memory, can they please donate to the Almanot of Chayalim fund (English version here, Hebrew version here).

Concepts of Judaism, by Isaac Breuer (Book of the Month, Tevet 5785)

 Rabbi Isaac Breuer (1883-1946) was a major figure in twentieth century Neo-Orthodoxy, following

n the footsteps of his maternal grandfather Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch. Though he both trained and practised as a lawyer, it is as a religious and political personality that he was best known, being the first President of Poalei Agudat Yisrael.

Rabbi Breuer was also a noted thinker and author, whose deep thought is well reflected in Concepts of Judaism, a selection of his writings selected and compiled by Jacob S; Levinger. Although the Neo-Orthodoxy movement had defined itself from the start largely as an opposition to the German Reform movement, Rabbi Breuer already regarded the Reform movement of his day as essentially the impotent and dying remnant of the Haskalah. For him, the real enemy of Orthodoxy was both political Zionism and Religious Zionism, which he considered especially dangerous because they possessed an authentic Jewish instinct and impulse. The goals of the Zionists paralleled the goals of his own Agudah organization in many areas ("reunification of land and nation"), but without the stress which Agudah laid on adherence to halachah and tradition. Indeed, he envisioned a Messianic Torah state in the land of Israel, and could not abide the idea of "reunification of land and nation" coming to pass through the agency of secular Zionist forces in the form of a secular state.

This work is part of the Marvin N. Hirschhorn library, which is housed in Beit Knesset Hanassi.

The meaning of 'Oz'

Last night, our Beit Knesset Hanassi community gathered for a deeply moving and meaningful Melave Malka, featuring Rabbi Doron Perez, Executive Chairman of World Mizrachi. The evening was more than just an opportunity to come together for song, learning, and good food. It also provided a timely opportunity to hear an extraordinary message of faith, resilience, and strength in the face of unimaginable loss.

Rabbi Perez (shown here addressing us) shared personal reflections on the tragic passing of his son, Daniel Perez Hy”d, who fell in battle on October 7th while defending Nahal Oz. Daniel’s heroic legacy is a source of strength for his family and Klal Yisrael, even as his body remains in captivity. In his remarks, Rabbi Perez illuminated the profound significance of the word "Oz" – the name of Daniel's tank battalion, the kibbutz he defended, and the numerical value of this year marking 77 years of the State of Israel.

Rabbi Perez connected "Oz" to its myriad appearances in our tefillot, weaving together its deeper meanings with lessons of Jewish courage and faith. He spoke about the contrast between the opening of the Tur and Shulchan Aruch, where one begins with gevurah and the other with oz, emphasizing that oz represents the strength to stand up for what we believe in. At this pivotal time in Jewish history, when Jews around the world face attacks for defending Israel, Rabbi Perez reminded us of the critical need for oz – the inner fortitude to act with conviction and unwavering belief.

The evening was enriched by a warm and delicious milky meal, including latkes that truly captured the festive spirit of Chanukah. We owe special thanks to Shirley March and Judy Gilbert for their tireless efforts in organizing every detail of the event and creating such a welcoming atmosphere. Our heartfelt gratitude also goes to John Graham, whose musical accompaniment added a soulful dimension to the evening.

As we lit up the night with Torah, music, and camaraderie, we left inspired to carry the message of oz into our lives. May we continue to draw strength from one another and from the example of heroes like Daniel Perez Hy”d as we stand tall in defense of Am Yisrael, Torat Yisrael, and Eretz Yisrael.

Thank you, Rabbi Kenigsberg, for providing us with this summary.

Chanukah in Jerusalem 2024

A special city, a special festival -- and here's a 20 minute video to record how Jerusalem, our eternal capital, has marked Chanukah this year. This is another production by our member Heshy Engelsberg (thanks, Heshy!) and it very much reflects his trademark style. You can enjoy it by clicking here. Warning: this is a highly calorific YouTube clip, with close-ups of some delicious-looking latkes and a number of spectacular full-frontal doughnut shots.

There is also a seasonal flavour to Heshy's Old City Chanukah Tour, which you can access here. This video is shorter (11 minutes 45 seconds) and considerably lower in calorific content. Enjoy!