Happy 75th!

I do not want followers who are righteous, rather I want followers who are too busy doing good that they won’t have time to do bad.
–Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk

If you are not a better person tomorrow than you are today, what need have you for a tomorrow?
–Rebbe Nachman of Breslov

                                                                                       

The State of Israel has just celebrated its 75^th year of Independence. Facing unprecedented internal crises and strife, much has been written in the last few weeks of the historical significance of reaching 75 years of a State’s life, and what happens when the third generation comes of age. In the USA, a civil war broke out 85 years after Independence, but the rifts between the states were there long before. The USSR broke up after about 73 years. In both previous Jewish Commonwealths, cracks began in the eighth decade of independence leading to division and the ultimate destruction of the State. The theory is that by the third generation – one that never experienced a world without the State – the people no longer understand its true significance and importance. Or what would happen without it.

Part of the problem we are facing in Israel today is that Israelis love to slide people into clear neat slots. One is either Sephardi or Ashkenazi, religious or secular, right-wing or left-wing. There is no in-between. 

But of course, that is not the case. I am completely making up the statistics here, but probably a third of all marriages are 'inter-marriages' between Ashkenazim and Sephardim, and the 'mixed' children of those marriages go on to marry others of mixed descent. There probably aren't many 'purebloods' left anymore, and certainly won't be within a generation or two. (Pardon my use of racist terms. I promise it's done with love.)

I personally know many amazing people who categorically do not define themselves as 'religious', but religiously make kiddush every Friday night, say kaddish for a loved one, eat only matzah on Pesach, and light candles on all eight nights of Chanuka. And, unfortunately, I know of 'religious' people who steal. It's not black and white here (no pun intended. Well, maybe a little).

As for left and right wing, it depends if we are talking economics, security, or 'religion'. It also depends on who the Prime Minister is, what our enemies have been up to, what our friends are up to, which news source one has listened to and at what time of day. An example of shifting opinions is when, several years ago, on a field trip to the Old City of Jerusalem, an acquaintance, known for his left-wing peace-in-our-time worldview, looked out over the old and rather decrepit Muslim quarter from atop a Jewish-owned building and said, quite clearly, ‘why don’t they just bulldoze it all down? It would solve a lot of problems.’

All the slots so neatly lined up are not, for better or worse, in reality, so very neat. 

Those Israeli slots seem to be a microcosm of how the Outside World perceives Israel. Desperate to fit us into a neat slot, they view our situation through their own world views of either/or. 

A few days ago, my Gen Z daughter was discussing the matter of religion with a few (non-Jewish) on-line friends. Knowing that my daughter strongly identifies as both Jewish and Israeli, they claimed that 'religion' was the root of wars, and that millions of people have been killed in the name of ‘religion’. She asked what I thought of the discussion.

Perhaps, I answered, but Judaism can’t be included in that statement. Judaism does not insist on converts, does not look for converts, and, in fact, discourages converts. 

Nor, I went on, does Judaism itself fit into the slot of religion. It’s a known phenomenon that people like things neatly defined (see above), but Judaism cannot simply be defined as a religion. There are Jews who do not believe in God at all, but still identify as Jews. There are others who take upon themselves to keep the laws of Shabbat and Kashrut but do not and cannot identify as Jews. Judaism does not define itself according to belief or practice, but rather by birth or recognized conversion. No other ‘religion’ defines its members in this way.

And while the Land of Israel is a central part of Judaism, neither can it be defined as a Nationality because Jews are citizens of and loyal to a hundred different countries, speak a hundred different languages, eat a hundred different cuisines, and represent those countries in government, medicine, academia, and even sports.

And Judaism is certainly not a race or ethnicity. Jews come in all colors, shapes, and sizes. They have different customs, literatures, accents, fashions, foods, and slang words.

Yet, Jews, from across the religious and political spectrums, of diverse ethnicities and races, of differing opinions and values, with distinct accents, dress, and foods, have come to live together, in the Land of Israel to build a State.

The State of Israel is therefore a blend of diversity and similarity, individuality in the midst of community, a place where the unique and the familiar are indivisible.

The State of Israel, though a State among the Nations of the World, stands alone. Separate.

This week’s double portion of Acharei Mot-Kedoshim have, according to Sefer HaChinuch, a whopping 79 mitzvot. Beginning with the prohibition on entering the Holy of Holies in the Mishkan (and later in the Holy Temple), the parsha goes on to discuss different sacrifices and the conduct of the Priest; we are instructed not to eat blood; certain sexual relationships are prohibited.

We are instructed to keep the Sabbath.

Other rules are laid out: to give to the poor, not to lie, not to steal, not to withhold wages, not to curse the deaf nor put a stumbling block before the blind; to be kind to animals, to sow our fields properly, to make our clothes purely, to be just, not to spread gossip or speak badly of your neighbor. We are not allowed to eat from a fruit tree for its first three years or believe in omens or the stars. We are prohibited from cutting the edges of our beards, or to cut ourselves, or to have a tattoo. We cannot give our daughters into harlotry but, rather, we must keep the Sabbath and rise up before the elderly.

We must be just to the strangers amongst us; we are forbidden to sacrifice our children or practice sorcery.

And right in the middle of the reading, in the middle of the fourth Aliya, comes this statement:

דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַ֧ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֥ אֲלֵהֶ֖ם קְדשִׁ֣ים תִּֽהְי֑וּ כִּ֣י קָד֔וֹשׁ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֹ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:

Speak to the entire congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them, You shall be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy. (Vayikra 19:2)

While קְדשִׁ֣ים תִּֽהְי֑וּ (Kdoshim tihiyu) is normally translated as “You shall be holy,” the Hebrew word kadosh doesn’t mean ‘holy’ in the English context. Rather, kadosh means separate or set apart, to be used in God’s service.

For example, Shabbat Hakodesh – the Holy Sabbath – is time set aside for God.

Then there is the holiness of Eretz Yisrael, of Jerusalem, of the Temple Mount  – each more holy, more set apart than the next.

But what is it to be a holy people? What makes us a separate nation? Contrary to what many believe, it is not strictly keeping kosher or keeping Shabbat, as the Rambam tells us that we can eat only kosher meat, and still be gluttons, drink only kosher wine, and still be drunkards. And it’s not about being a democratic nation either. To be clear, keeping shabbat and kosher are ethically moral, as is being a democracy, but those attributes are not the essence of holiness. They do not set us apart. They do not make us holy. 

The mitzvot (and democracy) are not only about what one does – but about what one is.

The mitzvot (and democracy) are the vehicle to become holy; to be a certain kind of person – to be kind, and fair, non-judgmental and forgiving; to be gracious, merciful, and holy, as God is gracious, merciful, and holy. Therefore, God gave us so many mitzvot, so that we may find our way to holiness.  

Our goal is to ….not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the Lord. (Vayikra 19:18) 

Only then, by being a holy people, do we deserve this holy land.