As I write this article, events are spinning out of control. Iran is threatening Israel to mark the end of the Zionist state (chalilah). There is an extremely dangerous hurricane pounding Florida. The economy is spiraling downward. Kamala Harris is deciding whom to choose as running mate. Right now, the Jewish governor of Pennsylvania is under top consideration. His problem, however, is that he is “too Jewish.” It seems that, over 30 years ago, in a school essay, he wrote that the Arabs are not interested nor equipped to live in peace in a Two-State Solution. What a crazy notion!
What is not spinning is the hatred of Jews. It is constant and doesn’t change. Jewish history is just a matter of changing scenery and cast, but the act and script are always the same.
Since the world will likely look different by the time this article is published, I would like to cite a thought of Rav Moshe Feinstein, which for me is fundamental to understanding the nature of the Jewish People and its unfolding history.
In the opening p’sukim of the parshah of Balak (BaMidbar 22:5), we find Balak, the reigning king of Moab, commissioning the gentile prophet Bilaam to curse the Jews. In his statement to Bilaam, Balak states, “Behold a people has come out of Egypt…”
Yet we find that when Bilaam repeats Balak’s conversation to Hashem (22:11), he says that Bilaam told me, “Behold a nation that is coming out of Egypt…” Bilaam changes Balak’s past tense about the Jews having left Egypt to the present tense of a nation that is coming out of Egypt. Why the change in tense?
Rav Moshe explained that Bilaam the prophet understood that which Balak did not. The Jews didn’t leave Egypt. They are still in the process of leaving. Jews don’t leave their experience behind them; they are constantly reliving it.
We mention the Exodus from Mitzrayim at least twice a day. It is part of our weekly text of Kiddush on Shabbos. We live with it to this very day.
Somebody sent me a meme that reads: “Let me get this straight. Iran is threatening to attack on Tish’ah B’Av, which is a Jewish day of mourning commemorating the destruction of the Temple and the exile of the Jews from Israel... But they are attacking Jews because they are indigenous to Poland??”
The Iranians understand the history of the Jews better than many Jews. We will be reexperiencing the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash some 2,000 years ago this Tish’ah B’Av. Unless Mashiach comes first.
So, my fellow Jews, take comfort in knowing that our history doesn’t change. Neither does the Protecter of our people. The Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps (Psalms 121:4).
Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld is the Rabbi Emeritus of the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, President of the Coalition for Jewish Values, former President of the Vaad Harabonim of Queens, and the Rabbinic Consultant for the Queens Jewish Link.
