JewsByChoice.Org

Shalom all,

I found an interesting article this morning on the JTA website. It describes the role that Australia’s Jewish population played in bringing forward Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s formal apology to the Aboriginal people for country’s role in destroying Aboriginal culture and families. As a religious Jew who is also a graduate social work researcher who specializes in Indian child welfare and tribal sovereignty, I have long followed the previous Australian Prime Minister John Howard’s refusal to apologize, and P.M. Rudd’s promise to do so. I was very pleased to see him follow up on this promise, and learning that Australia’s Jews had a significant role in bringing this about was icing on the cake.

I am not a Jew who believes that our only obligation is the work of social justice - I actually think this perspective is great at creating future activists but poor at creating literate Jews who are also activists. But I if we are serious about living lives of Torah, we cannot cloister ourselves in a yeshiva or a suburban synagogue and turn our Judaism in to a self-centered journey of growth. Judaism is not a monastic religion, it is one of obligation to G-d, Am Yisrael, and the world. We are at our best when we have deep roots in our ritual Judaism which secure us and nourish us as we work to bring relief to the suffering and to right the wrongs committed against the underprivileged in our respective societies.

In this week’s parsha, Tetzaveh, we read about the vestments of Aharon HaKohen. His personality, and his Torah, are described by Hillel in Pirkei Avot 1:12:

Hillel and Shammai received the Torah from them. Hillel said: Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving your fellow creatures and bringing them close to the Torah.

(NOTE: Can someone refer me to a decent Hebrew font so I can type out the Hebrew texts in my posts too??)

I see in this parsha and its commentaries the necessary fusion of ritual observance with concern for justice that leads to action. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, the Chief Rabbi of the British Commonwealth and one of my favorite Torah commentators, taught in his writing in 5765 about Tetzaveh, our Tradition of necessity weaves together prophetic teachings (Torat Nevi’im) and priestly teachings (Torat Kohanim) regarding prayer. The former voice conveys emotion, ad hoc prayers, and overt action. The latter describes ritual, as in the three daily prayers, and quiet service to G-d and Am Yisrael. Our job then is to live in both roles as a “Kingdom of Priests” and as the heirs of the Prophetic tradition. Moshe Rabbeinu presided over miracles, over overt actions demonstrating G-d’s will and purpose for the Kehillah. Aharon HaKohen went before G-d every day in the Mishkan and carried out the daily ritual service on behalf of the Kehillah. But our holy teacher Hillel suggests that Aharon was not just a wall flower in the background making sure our People’s ritual obligations were being met. Rather, he was a quiet teacher who loved peace, pursued it, and worked to bring people closer to Torah, all while serving as our ritual leader. While Moshe Rabbeinu was the great teacher who brought us Torah, Aharon HaKohen exemplifies a dual commitment to Jewish practice and the pursuit of justice.

As Jews living in the modern world we have an obligation to act on behalf of those who cannot act alone. Remaining faithful to our Mesorah by engaging in mitzvot such as daily prayer, observance of kashrut, the study of Torah, and keeping Shabbat gives us the strength and the “why” to take such actions when they are difficult, uncomfortable, or even dangerous. The Jewish community in Australia has served as a brilliant example of how we, Am Yisrael, can truly be the Ohr l’Goyim, the light to the nations, we were meant to be.

Shabbat Shalom u’M'vorakh,

Yair