YITRO YITRO 5784 5784
Yitro - The Man Who Heard
Yitro The Man Who
Rabbi Andrew Shaw Rabbi Andrew Shaw ChiefExecutive, MizrachiUK
The world has gone crazy
The moral blindness is shocking to behold.
South Africa last week decided to demonstrate to the world blatant anti-semitism with the egregious attempt to accuse Israel, not Hamas, of genocide.
Now the UK this week decided to add their contribution, with some more lunacy, with the Foreign Secretary David Cameron telling us that the UK is keen on recognizing a Palestinian state once there is a cease fire.
Insanity – as Con Couglin remarked in the Daily Telegraph:
Cameron’sremarks, though, whereheintimatedthatBritainmightpre-emptthe outcomeofanyfuturepeacenegotiationsbygrantingofficialrecognitiontoa Palestinianstate, indicatedadramaticshiftinofficialBritishpolicy Theyalso demonstratedadisturbinglackofdiplomatictactatatimewhenIsrael, acountrythat issupposedtobeoneoftheUK’sclosestallies, isengagedinanexistentialstruggle againsttheIranian-backedHamasterroristsresponsibleforcommittingtheworst atrocityintheJewishstate’shistory
The first comment on the article was also well put!
Thisisnuts, howcanyourewardthemafterallthathashappened, itgivesagreen lighttoallextremistsoutthere. KidnapandrapeandhatelongenoughandtheWest justcaves. IguesswhenitcomestoJewstheyjustdon'treallycareanyway. It's becomingincreasinglyobviouswiththedoublestandardsandhypocrisy.
So, what is our response?
Well thankfully it is not up to David Cameron what happens in Israel. But it is very easy to just look around and start to question our sanity. Does he really not see what we see? I visited the same stricken areas in the south that he did Everyone we met from right to left was unanimous – there is to be no two-state solution after this –how can there be after what we have just witnessed? Yet some of Israel’s allies seem determine to disagree.
Why?
I
I do not doubt that Cameron thinks he is doing the correct thing. How can striving for peace not be the correct thing? However, the midrash is warning us. Ask yourself who you are helping and beware, instead of bringing peace, you will just bring war
However, it goes further than that – who are we supposed to live in peace with? If Israelis had a problem with a partner for peace before Oct 7th. Now, they have literally completely given up
So, can David Cameron ever be right? Is this wistful utopian vision for regional peace for all at all possible?
The first two words of the Parsha can show us potentially a brighter future:
VayishmaYitro– And Yitro heard..
Rashi asks:
Whatnewsdidhehearthat[madesuchanimpressionthat]hecame?Thesplitting oftheRedSeaandthewarwithAmalek. (fromZevachim116a, andMechilta, combiningtheviewsofRabbiJoshuaandRabbiEliezer)
We can understand why Chazal mention the splitting of the sea as an inspiring event which motivated Yitro, but a war against a genocidal death cult?
The answer given by Ibn Ezra is fascinating and can potentially help with the future.
IwillnowexplainwhythechapterdealingwithYitrowasinsertedhere. Itwasplaced herebecauseScripturehadjustmentionedtheevilthatAmalekdidtoIsrael The TorahwantstocontrastitwiththegoodthatYitrorenderedIsrael. (Ibn Ezra, Shemot 18:1)
We have to first recognize evil and then aim to defeat that evil Just like Amalek of old, the Jewish people are facing a genocidal death cult, who just like their predecessors, attacked women and children For this, there is to be no let up in the war to destroy Hamas.
Yet our response as a nation, internally, has got to be along the lines of Yitro. Goodness, kindness and chesed.
And thankfully this is exactly what I have seen. While bravely fighting our enemies, we have made sure that the evil and the barbarity has not entered into the daily lives of the Jewish people.
But we need to understand that maybe there are Yitros who exist, somewhere…
Maybe there are people not from our nation who truly want the best for us. Ibn Ezra is arguing that just as we must recognize evil, we must also recognize the goodness of others.
Are there modern day Yitros? We are starting to hear more and more ordinary Gazans speak out against Hamas and in support of what Israel is doing However, we understand that so much of that society has been poisoned against Israel and the Jewish people by the curriculum of hate that has been taught by UNWRA and their allies.
(Speaking of a world gone mad, UNWRA have been nominated for a Nobel peace
The road to peace and tranquillity is a long long way away, and David Cameron and co need to realise this However, we always have to hope and pray that there will come a day when we can live in peace with our neighbours.
And may we, like Yitro, soon hear our own miracles from Hashem.
The complete defeat of Hamas and Hezbollah and a return of all the hostages.
May that day come speedily and soon.
Amen
Shabbat Shalom
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