For years, there has been a tendency to draw a line of separation between the present era and the days of persecution and pogroms that we knew in the past. A perception took root that such things belonged to ancient times and no longer existed. And now we have received a vivid and contemporary description of the same reality that seemed to have already passed from the world.
It would begin with inflammatory speeches by the priest in the church or the qadi in the mosque. The instigators accused the Jews of committing crimes, of desecrating the sanctities of the other religion. The atmosphere would become charged, poisonous. Here and there a gentile would attack a Jew. Then some gentile would die, and a rumor would immediately spread that the Jews had murdered him. From there, it was a short path to a murderous pogrom.
We have now seen this constant pattern. For a long time, we ignored the terrible incitement taking place in mosques, in schools, in the Arab media, in the serious statements of the leaders of the Arab public.
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There is a body called 'Palestinian Media Watch.' Almost every day it submits a report on the wild incitement taking place in the Palestinian Authority. You probably haven't been exposed to it, because the Israeli media doesn't report on it.
The muddy puddle
This is the fuel that sent the scum of humanity to commit the terrible massacres of the Jews. These are the launching pads, the sources of inspiration. This is the murky puddle of incitement, which breeds the perpetrators. As long as we allow it to exist undisturbed, a 'lonely incident' will pop up again and again, and we will be told again and again that there is no way to deal with it.
Arab members of Knesset and public figures, who have long since crossed the line between freedom of expression and full identification with the enemies of the state – something that has no equal in any civilized country, are partners in incitement. You hear the words and especially the melody, and it is clear that there is a message here intended to provide backing and support for acts of terrorism. And there are ears that are receptive to hearing this message.
And as has been the case throughout history, there are always Jews who believe that if they behave differently, the hatred towards them will decrease. This is a well-known victim-blaming syndrome.
And so we hear voices that blame the settlers in Jerusalem or those who are working to stop the Arabs' acts of destruction and devastation on the Temple Mount.
This servility has never been helpful in the past, and it is causing incalculable damage. The rioters need no more than this, when they hear that Jews express understanding for their riots and blame their Jewish brothers.
This talk contains a terrible premise, that if Jews do what the Arabs see as a 'provocation', the Arabs are allowed to go wild, set fire to, destroy, run over, stab and shoot – and the Jews are to blame!
Must brake
This week we read about Jacob's experiences in Laban's house. He didn't make any 'provocations', yet they deceived him, tried to rob him of his wages, and in the end Laban's sons are still angry with him: "Jacob took everything that belonged to our father.".
Next week we will read about Jacob's encounter with Esau, about which the Gemara says: "The law is that Esau hated Jacob.".
This reality has not changed, but when God gives us the strength to stand against our enemies and those who hate our souls – it is our duty to do so. To stop the mouths of the instigators, to punish with all our might the agitators, and to ensure that Jewish blood will no longer be in vain.
