The Jewish wars in past years have dealt with a religious and non-religious public, between those who preserve the tradition of Israel and those who try to forget it, between those for whom the Torah is the Israeli law book and those for whom Israeliness precedes any Jewish symbol.
But in recent years we find that the wars are not ceasing, and sometimes even escalating, but alongside this there is a developed activity of discourse and dialogue, of clarifying the disputes, of refining the points of debate in advocacy, in various organizations and projects, which are welcome.
But above all, we find a religious and secular public that both claim the same crown, that both want to connect to the tradition of Israel, that the thirst is growing and the desire is great. At the same time, the debate has not stopped. It continues and will continue, as we claim the traditional path of observance and grammar of Halacha as handed down to us from generation to generation, and on the other hand, they will claim that we are not guardians of the observance of the Torah and its commandments, of connecting to religion and tradition, and are completely ignorant of the Torah.
So, although sometimes the reason for the claim comes from a real place, from an internal place, it is possible that many times the engagement or "approach" in general comes from a populist place and the promotion of agendas or political progress, and the like.
But perhaps we will try, at the end of the year, in moments of good cheer, to be advocates of honesty, just as we find this week in the parsha.
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Moses gives the Torah to the tribe of Levi, and Rashi writes: I heard that on that day all Israel came before Moses and said to him, We also stood at Sinai and received the Torah and it was given to us, and why do you rule over the sons of your tribe over it? "The Torah is not yours, it is ours." Familiar sayings.
Moses stood up and announced: This day you have become a people - this day I have understood that you adhere to and desire God, the Almighty.
""And the Lord has not given you a heart to know, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear, to this day" (Deuteronomy 29:3)
Because when Moses saw that the people of Israel were so afraid of losing the Torah to one tribe, when the people of Israel were afraid that only the tribe of Levi would be able to engage in it, and even if all this was only because of a distant fear that one day they would claim ownership of the Torah for themselves alone, and reject the other tribes - at that moment it became clear that the people of Israel truly loved the Torah.
""This day you have become a people" - until today you were not at this level, and now in your behavior you have revealed your high level of love for the Torah.
For forty years, Moses gazed into the desert and saw no special revelation, no special action, no clear sign of their love for the Torah. And now, the cry of the Torah is raised: "We also stood at Sinai and received the Torah." Moses says: "This day you have become a people," because until today we have not felt a knowing heart, we have not seen eyes that see, ears that hear that fight for the Torah and its commandments, "until this day.".
So it's true that small groups that lead private agendas and public struggles against state and non-state spiritual bodies, and against anyone who just seems to have a kippah on their head that's too big or too dark, but let's look for a moment at the glass half full, at the people behind it, the ones who really just want to be part of the same family, under the same umbrella, under the same cloak, the same veil that wraps the Torah scroll.
Let us look for a moment at those many who flock to recite Selichot every evening; at those thousands who throng once a year to hear the sound of the shofar or to pray the closing prayer; those who this year insisted, despite everything, on getting married in the rabbinate, and on holding a bar mitzvah according to tradition; those who are looking for the match that will just light the spark; those who are not in the spotlight and on colorful screens and displays, but need us to be the light at the end of the tunnel for them.
And we will be asked not to give up on the very edge of Halacha, of leadership, but we will open our doors, we will light our faces with blessings. We will be careful to be as gentle as we are severe, and at the same time we will see the wonderful light in the lives of the children of the Torah.
We will not give up or be flexible in its laws, but we will make accessible the ability to know, understand, and connect with it, so that everyone can come through its gates - so that everyone will have an eye to see, an ear to hear, and a heart to know, "for we are brothers and sisters.".
• Head of the 'Torah and Halacha' Beit Midrash'
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