24 JUDAISM
12 MAY 2022
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ASK THE RABBI Looking for answers? Send your question to Rabbi@RabbiSchochet.com IS IT TERROR OR RESISTANCE? Dear Rabbi Why is it always assumed that all Israelis are innocent and all Palestinians are guilty? There is guilt on both sides. I would always argue that murder in any form is wrong, but so is occupation and apartheid. Dasim Dear Dasim I am in agreement with you that murder in any form is wrong. I also think that your absurd equating of killing with “occupation” and “apartheid” suggests that while you think murder is wrong, you don’t necessarily consider the wanton killings of Israelis as murder, rather more a stand against “occupation” and “apartheid.” How dare you! I’m not sure what you mean by occupation but if you are suggesting that Israelis are occupying a land that doesn’t belong to them let me refer you to the following story: An Israeli Ambassador got up in the UN and said, “Before I begin my remarks I want to tell you a little Biblical story. As you know, upon their Exodus, Moses and the Jewish people crossed the Dead Sea. Immediately after cross, Moses himself decided to go for a little swim. He removed his clothes by the waterside and went for a brief dip. Upon his return to shore he noticed that his clothes were missing. I suggest,” said the Ambassador, “that it was the Palestinians who stole his clothes!” At which point the Palestinian representative jumped to his feet: “I object! That’s preposterous! Everyone knows that the Palestinians
weren’t even around at that time!” “Thank you,” said the Israeli Ambassador. “On that note I’d now like to make my remarks.” As for your shameful allegation of apartheid, ask yourself one simple question: Are there Arabs in the Knesset? Do Arabs make up the government? Do Arabs work freely alongside Israelis? Do Arabs living in Israel have voting rights? Seriously, enough of this gibberish and nonsense. Oh and one more thing: Do Arabs walk freely in Jewish quarters? Most certainly so. Can I, as a yarmulke clad Jew walk freely through an Arab quarter? I’ll let you answer that and then you can talk to me about apartheid. Meanwhile, it’s precisely your point of view that enables the continued perpetuation of violence in Israel with so much innocent blood being spilled.
you that Jewish education is paramount and I acknowledge the difficulty in getting into Jewish schools considering the demand. Don’t give up and keep appealing. Ultimately most kids that apply, do get in. But I think it is a lot of gobbledygook when parents rely entirely on the school for their child’s education, or dare blame the system if their child ends up in a non-Jewish school. Even were you child to go to a Jewish school, if there is no consistency between what is being taught at school and the home environment, then it is far more the parents fault when things go wrong later in life. So whatever happens on the school front, I urge you to ensure Shabbat, kosher and everything else is up to standard. Then pray a little and hope to secure that placement.
EDUCATION BEGINS AT HOME
Dear Rabbi I have heard about the Apocrypha but I am not entirely sure what it is. Also, is there a specific Jewish view on it? Norman
antithetical to authentic Judaism. So if you choose to read them, proceed with caution.
Dear Norman The Apocrypha refers to books that fall outside the biblical canon, such as the Book of Maccabees, which deals with the story of Chanukah, and The Book of Ben Sira, which is a collection of Proverbs. These books, unlike the books of the Tenach, were not written with Divine inspiration and while they contain some valuable information and wisdom, some maintain that they also contain ideas that are
Dear Rabbi I know it’s been a two year hiatus but do we really still need to be celebrating Shabbat UK? Julia
Dear Rabbi How does one get their child into a Jewish school? There are too many waiting lists. I don’t think I have a chance for our three year old. Will the community take responsibility if my child goes to a non-Jewish school and then marries out one day? Joanne Dear Joanne No they won’t take responsibility! Why should they? Here’s a newsflash. The school is only a small part of the Jewish educational process. It has a lot more to do with what the child sees and experiences at home. I grant
Pirkei Avot Rabbi Yishmael the son of Rav Yose taught: One who refrains from judgement is saved from enmity, theft and false oaths. But one who is too hasty to issue halachic teachings is a fool, wicked person and haughty. On the first teaching there are three explanations offered by the Rishonim - (1) A person who refrains from judgement where there are more qualified people to do so instead. (2) One who encourages the litigants to compromise (“mediation” in contemporary society may be an exam-
APOCRYPHA…WHAT?
SHABBAT UK 2022
Dear Julia Most definitely! Now more than ever! It is a unique date on the calendar that encourages
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In Memory of Jacqueline Curzon A’H ple of this). (3) It refers to each individual person - to avoid demanding of debtors or of being one who is indebted to others. Meaning, one should aim to pay their bills before they become a legal dispute. Court cases, even among observant Jews, can leave one side with a sour taste and therefore avoiding the need for these reduces the Dayan’s exposure to enmity. Theft is also sometimes a possible outcome of a court case, as the court may erroneously rule in favour of the wrong party. Finally, the possibility of a
false oath is also present during a court case, as one side may end up needing to take an unnecessary oath or worse... The Mishna concludes with the opposite of one who refrains from judgement - one who has no qualms preaching not thought-out Halachic rulings is not only a fool, (because one who is unlearned and thinks themselves as wise is a fool), they are also wicked, for they are misleading people and they are also arrogant, for they feel too confident to render Halachic rulings without the due process required.
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
communities to join together, celebrate Shabbat together, be inspired together and hopefully grow together. I know it’s been a long two years and many people have fallen off the wagon as it were. But it is imperative not to fall prey to the apathy, rather to pick ourselves back up, reconnect with our fellow Jews and with our communities. Shabbat provides the perfect opportunity to that in a warm, relaxed and uplifting atmosphere. Here’s hoping you and everyone else will endeavour to be a part of it. Shabbat UK Shalom!
Perek 4: Mishna 7
