It's true that I chose. I chose not to engage in politics and not to express a position or opinion.
Unlike the common perception that "I'm not allowed to read a secular newspaper" or "C-Fast Not" (that's not appropriate), I chose not to buy Yedioth Ahronoth, Maariv, or anything similar, and not to watch television, even though I appear on it a lot.
But what can I do, even if I chose and I choose every day anew not to be part of this world - he finds his way to me. The door is closed. But he comes to the grocery store. To the women's aid at the synagogue. To women's classes - and everywhere. He is just there.
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This world, saturated with hatred and lies, saturated with disputes and passions - exists and exists. Even in our Haredi press, which is considered "clean.".
That's why when I arrived at the office of my husband (CEO of a famous company in the food industry), I was amazed to see on the cover of the economic newspaper 'Globes' the reference to an article that carried the headline "The Messiah Has Come" and dealt with a Cellcom campaign starring the Messiah. A campaign that was chosen as the "Campaign of the Month.".
For a moment I wanted to watch the video from this campaign, but I quickly gave up. I've already made my choices. I don't want to waste time on this. I've already wasted quite a bit of time on the election videos of Gaoni Yahad, United Torah Judaism and their partners. I don't have time left to burn for Cellcom's messiah.
But I was glad there were those who were dealing with Christ like there was no tomorrow... an election or someone who needed to be overthrown.
And on that occasion I decided again that I really have no interest in dealing with the mud that the parties throw at each other. Especially not the mud of those who call themselves Haredi. The self-made garbage is much more disgusting. Sorry. Keep fighting and hitting each other until you lose seats.
As Election Day approaches, the atmosphere becomes increasingly muddy. But everyone knows that the day after the election, you will embrace and cooperate.
Only we will be left with this disgust.
So no, thank you.
General and particular and general
In at least three programs where I was invited to speak about the ultra-Orthodox woman on International Women's Day, I found myself working very hard to transform the messianic discourse about exclusion, division, hatred, deprivation, and weakness into a discussion that deals with the status of women in Judaism.
Tell me, isn't that called Shekhinah? Is Shekhinah masculine or feminine?
I don't understand it at all. They have one day a year? That's it?! With us, every day is Women's Day. But I am happy and content that I have the privilege of presenting to the public the great privilege that has fallen to the Jewish woman – to educate and raise the next generation, which is the avenue for the survival of the Jewish people.
I am happy that I find myself presenting, time after time, the special commandments for women implied by the name "Chana.".
On one of the programs, I found myself facing an attack from the host (Avri Gilad), who stated that "it is clear to everyone that the situation of Haredi women is very bad. They are oppressed, humiliated, beaten and trampled.".
Well, then I probably still have a lot of work to do. And if I have a lot of work to do, that means the Messiah hasn't come yet. Good.
I'll go look for him in this week's parasha...
We didn't talk about love. Perhaps we should talk about it in light of the pair of parshiot called Shabbat, whose juxtaposition is no coincidence. The bearing of opposites embodied in the name and even in its content, produces a deep and compelling insight.
And Yakhel embodies in its name the common people. The multitude. The public. To illustrate: the number of seats in the Knesset.
Whereas Pakudi deals with a Sisyphean, detailed, and almost laborious documentation of the Mishkan donation without rounding corners. She embodies the individual. The individual. For example: every voter. Every ballot.
Both together create Jewish perfection. The insight that in order to connect with God, the Holy One. In order to create the "Knesset of Israel," it is necessary to connect all the small details. It is necessary to work with each and every individual within the greater community. "Pekudi" must be connected with "Vaikhel." Only then do we receive the power of "Strengthen. Strengthen" and in turn "We will be strengthened" and can bless the month of Nissan - the month of redemption in which Israel was redeemed from Egypt and in which they will be redeemed immediately and right away.
Chabad is going to the polls!
And to all of this, we must add the matter of the story of the cow, which also joins the "celebration." This story symbolizes the lowest point from which all that remains for us is to leap to the heights of excellence. After all, the cow came to cleanse and purify us through ashes from the most serious impurity - from the father of all impurity - the impurity of death.
Precisely at the point where we are at our greatest low, facing death and the defilement of annihilation, God gives us the highest commandment that has no sense or understanding, to the point that even the wisest of men could not come to a compromise. To teach us that the highest divine light can be received after we are at our lowest low.
And there is also a practical message: the cow performs a double function. It "purifies the impure and defiles the pure." Our lesson from it is that in order to help another Jew draw closer to God – to be purified, we must also be willing to descend one level to him – to be defiled beyond our reach so that he – the other Jew – can be purified.
Then we attain the highest spiritual level embodied in the mitzvah that is done without any intellectual understanding, but purely from the standpoint of accepting the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven. "I have enacted a statute and decreed a decree, and you have no right to ponder it.".
Sometimes I find myself faced with this question: Should I stoop so low to someone whose spiritual state is so poor? But this week I have no question: I am voting. Yes. On Election Day you will find me at the polling station. After I fulfill the mitzvah of the day as instructed by the great men of Israel, peace be upon them and those who will be distinguished for a good and long life, I will stand there, by the polling station, and engage in election propaganda.
As part of the 'Chabad Goes to the Polls' campaign, I will do everything I can to influence Jewish women to exercise their Jewish and democratic right (and duty) - to connect with their Father in Heaven.
I will tell them about the three "feminine" commandments embodied in the word "Ha" (חנה), commandments that have protected us throughout the generations and united the Jewish family in physical and spiritual health. N - lighting candles. H - challah, the kosherness of food. E - the purification of the Jewish home.
At the end of the day, after all the elections, after they've cleaned up all the filth that's been created here, we'll sit down at Seder night as one family - all the boys - including this son we prefer to call "evil" (and he calls us by the same nickname).
Let us all sit down and remember that "we were slaves to Egypt" and that "I was the servant of Ahasuerus." We are still in exile and look forward to the true and complete redemption that will not be followed by exile, with the coming of our righteous Messiah, immediately and immediately - "and the place did not delay, not even for the twinkling of an eye.".
•Part of the column is based on the talks of the Lubavitcher Rebbe | The writer is the owner of "My Choice", an event host, lecturer, and radio broadcaster. | For comments: [email protected]
