Responding To The Chabad Poway Attack

As violent attacks by white supremacists/neo-Nazis in this country are on the rise and our Jewish community is one of the central targets, we come together as a Jewish community to support one another. Regardless of political, religious, or personality differences, unity in the face of hatred is vital.

Let us not respond in fear by using these attacks to score political points against one another; or, in anger, by assigning blame. Instead, let us stand up to support the victims, physical and emotional ones.

Let our core Jewish values of family and kindness create a bond of trust that can’t be broken by these assaults against us as Jews and against our humanity.

By reaching out to support others and to seek support ourselves communicates the message, especially to our children, that we are strong and defend our families and community against such senseless brutality.

That said, I encourage you to reach out to Jewish leaders in our community, online or locally, so we can work together to build this kind of supportive community for ourselves and our families.

Here is one response from Rabbi Ari Hart, the leader of a congregation in Chicago, posted on his Facebook page:

Attention White Supremacists:

Your fears are correct:

We will replace you. We will absolutely, without a doubt, replace you.

We will replace every act of hate you commit with ten thousand acts of love.

We will flood every dark corner of bigotry and lies where you lurk with truth and reason that burns like the light of ten thousand suns.

We will drown your hatred with love.

A mixed, rainbow multitude of good, kind, decent people, Black and White, Jewish and Christian, Muslim and Hindu, Buddhist and Atheist, Gay and Straight, Left and Right, will stand up to you, again and again, and again and again, and we shall overcome you.

Love,

-All of Us

Building on this poignant poem, I want to cite the verse from the end of the song of Devorah in the book of Judges 5:31 that states:

“So may all your enemies perish, Lord! But may those who love You be like the sun when it rises in its strength.”

When we connect to our core values, especially when attacked by evil forces, we are like the sun rising in its strength. I view this image as a reference to the sun rising at dawn dispelling the darkness.

By staying true to ourselves and our ultimate values we will naturally rise and triumph over those who attack us.

 -Rabbi Barkan

Parashat Tetzaveh: The Strategically Absent Leader

7 Adar 5778/ Feb. 22, 2018

The rabbis strategically divide this week's Torah portion to begin with the last lines from Exodus Chapter 27 that describe the ner tamid, the continuous flame. This light serves as a symbol of God's presence in the mishkan, God's dwelling place among the Israelites in the desert. By placing this section at the head of our Torah portion, the rabbis frame the symbolic nature of the main subject of the Torah portion which is about the clothing the leaders who serve in the mishkan must wear - kohanim, the priests and Aaron as the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest. By doing so, our Torah portion is teaching that the leader's symbolic presence, like the eternal light, points us to the sacred.

This lesson of symbolic leadership is most clearly demonstrated in our Torah portion, ironically, through the absence of Moshe's presence. This is the only Torah portion in the last four books of the Torah in which Moshe's name is completely absent. Perhaps this is teaching us that sometimes the best thing a leader can do to point people in the sacred direction is to pull oneself back. In the context of this Torah portion, Moshe's absence creates space for the Torah to focus on the leadership role of Aaron and his sons. His shadow is not even cast over the critical symbolism of how the priestly garb directs us to the sacred.

In the context of the larger narrative, Moshe is receiving these instructions from God on top of Mt. Sinai for 40 days, hidden from the people in a cloud. Again, perhaps the Torah is teaching the people to learn how to function without the constant presence of the leader. We know the dangers of how the cultic style of leadership strips away the autonomy and independence of individuals and the community, and, ultimately, their direct relationship with God. The people learn this lesson through their failure in Moshe's absence in next week's Torah portion about the Golden Calf.

However, we see this strategy of the leader contracting him or herself (or in this case God) again, but this time successfully, in the Purim story. God's name is completely absent from Megillat Esther. God leaves space in the Purim story for humans to take active steps to bring about the necessary redemption. Resulting in God's presence permeating the story through the bold actions of Esther and Mordechai.

There are opposite circumstances when the leader needs to minimize his or her role to emphasize God's role. Like Joseph did when Pharoah asked him to interpret his dreams: "Not I! God will see to Pharaoh's welfare." (Genesis 41:15) Perhaps this is why Moshe's name is also absent from the Hagaddah. The lesson that persists from the Exodus from Egypt is that God cares for the vulnerable. Moshe symbolized God's care in this circumstance, but God's care for the oppressed transcends these circumstances and this particular leader. Hence, the rabbis who composed the Hagaddah teach this lesson by absenting Moshe's role from the telling of the story.

It is often challenging for us to restrain ourselves in one area of our lives to do what we most value in other areas. Hopefully, the lessons from the Torah portion and leaders in our day can help us evaluate the proper balance of our own leadership responsibilities in parenting, on behalf of our communities, or at work.

-Rabbi Barkan