Haiti and the Jews
Matzav.com has a nice perspective on the Haiti earthquake.
The Matzav article, however, only quotes the gemara in Yevamot 63a:
א"ר אלעזר בר אבינא אין פורענות באה לעולם אלא בשביל ישראל שנאמר (צפניה ג) הכרתי גוים נשמו פנותם החרבתי חוצותם וכתיב (צפניה ג) אמרתי אך תיראי אותי תקחי מוסר
Indeed, I just heard the audio of a very recent shiur given by someone who had discussed the earthquake in Haiti. He said that the Hafetz Hayim was once informed of the Mississippi River overflowing. He replied that we must do Teshuva for this.
What do the people in the town of Radun have to do with the Mississippi River?
Yes, the world revolves around the Jews.
The gemara in Shabbat 139a says however:
תניא רבי יוסי בן אלישע אומר אם ראית דור שצרות רבות באות עליו צא ובדוק בדייני ישראל שכל פורענות שבאה לעולם לא באה אלא בשביל דייני ישראל שנאמר (מיכה ג) שמעו נא זאת ראשי בית יעקב וקציני בית ישראל המתעבים משפט ואת כל הישרה יעקשו בונה ציון בדמים וירושלים בעולה ראשיה בשוחד ישפוטו וכהניה במחיר יורו ונביאיה בכסף יקסומו ועל ה' ישענו וגו' רשעים הן אלא שתלו בטחונם במי שאמר והיה העולם לפיכך מביא הקב"ה עליהן ג' פורעניות כנגד ג' עבירות שבידם שנאמר (מיכה ג) לכן בגללכם ציון שדה תחרש וירושלים עיין תהיה והר הבית לבמות יער ואין הקב"ה משרה שכינתו על ישראל עד שיכלו שופטים ושוטרים רעים מישראל שנאמר (ישעיהו א) ואשיבה ידי עליך ואצרוף כבור סגיך ואסירה כל בדיליך ואשיבה שופטיך כבראשונה ויועציך כבתחלה וגו
which seems to say that we should blame the Jewish judges, not all Jews.
So, which is it - all Jews or just Jewish judges?
I'll answer that it's no contradiction: Any judge who acts improperly is to blame. In addition, any other Jew who thinks that he can act like a judge and judge other Jews unfavorably without knowing all the facts involved first is also to blame. הוי דן את כל אדם לכף זכות, it says in Pirkei Avot.
Introspection and Teshuva are therefore definitely in order for almost everyone.
Using this idea, we can connect the following 2 signs for Mashiah's arrival:
אמר רבי שמלאי משום רבי אלעזר בר"ש אין בן דוד בא עד שיכלו כל שופטים ושוטרים מישראל
אמר רבי יוחנן אם ראית דור שצרות רבות באות עליו כנהר חכה לו שנאמר (ישעיהו נט) כי יבא כנהר צר ורוח ה' נוססה בו וסמיך ליה ובא לציון גואל
The tzarot rabbot of this generation will hopefully be a wake-up call to be חכה לו - wait for us to get rid of our judgemental feelings, and this will get Ben-David to come, בב"א.
posted by yaak @ 1/14/2010 01:42:00 PM
9 comments
9 Comments:
It's amazing how much trouble people make for themselves by judging others unfavorably. I've been witness to this on the micro level. Your Chiddush here that this is also true on the macro level, i.e. this is holding back the redemption.
"So, which is it - all Jews or just Jewish judges?"
The judges. If you want a Yishuv, also the Jew who does not raise his voice against corrupt Dayanim. This is about corruption, money, shochad. And Sex - Beit Va'ad Yiheyeh L'Zenut. It is realized in our time.
The Haitians are throwing their dead bodies on the streets as protest for the aid not arriving on time.
This week there was the strange case at the Israeli High Court of a guy who wanted not to be burried but for his body to be thrown away wasn't there?
So that fits, only the decision of the judges seems to be proper.
So that doesn't add up. (??)
- links not provided but it is all BIG in the news today and yesterday! -
Jewish Judges are Jews, so what's the problem?
Jews who Judge are also Jews!
We should ALL stop judging because until you walk in another's sandals you know not who they are and why they do what they do.
If one takes all the golus communities and makes a puzzle piece for each one, and then try to put them together, you will find the differences and idiosyncracies will definitely reflect the community they live in despite whether they observe the halachos or not [i.e. Ashkenaz = restrictive (germanic/cold), Sephardim = softer (warm climates/sunshine), Amer Jews = weak morals/money (freedom/plenty)] . Hashem sees the complete puzzle ALL PUT TOGETHER and is trying to get us to just care about each other as much as we care about ourselves. We are all in this together, we are all victims of the golus, we all need to draw each other closer to us and simulate as much as possible ACHDUS. When the entire world comes against us = it is OBVIOUS that what Hashem wants is ACHDUS.
The puzzle is amazing; we are coming closer to gathering the pieces. Remember how to do puzzles? Imagine laying the pieces all out on a table top to find areas of connection, color, shape, corners. All Jews have connecting neshomas and if gathered all together in Eretz HaKodesh will the connections grow stronger and be more apparent. May Hashem help us to see what we have to do.
Shabbat Shalom!
In case you missed it because of the PC Media;
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6989116.ece
It is a very bad sign for those people. Just what the Hight Court metioned in their motivation of the verdict in Israel on the guy that did't want to be burried. Just as the prophet said, a bad thing.
It makes sense, you don't have to be a prophet for that.
צא ובדוק בדייני ישראל
Investigate the judges of Israel. Do not be naive.
ועל ה' ישענו וגו'
Don't let them fool you. Do not be naive.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1142736.html
http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2010/01/22/the-earth-trembles/
Like the other Jews of Chutz La Eretz I lack a connection with Mei Asshurim Anyone else share my lack of feeling of the Shechina by the Temple Mount?
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