When the Chief of Staff announces that he is going to come and review his battalions, of course he allows them to prepare. To shine shoes, iron uniforms. To repair equipment and fill in gaps.
But if there is just one soldier who does not prepare properly, which would arouse the anger of the Supreme Commander, he will not be angry with the lone soldier. He will be angry with that soldier's commanders.
This is exactly how we should see ourselves.
We are the commanders of those soldiers. We - every Jew - are largely responsible for the spiritual condition of Jews who still do not observe the Torah and commandments and do not live their lives in accordance with the Torah's instructions. Even though we do not know them at all...
If we can do even the smallest thing to bring the heart of one Jew closer to our Father in Heaven, we must not rest on our laurels and say, "What do I care? As long as I'm okay, I don't need to worry.".
It's forbidden! In this generation where each of us comes into contact with people who know less about Judaism than we do, we must take responsibility. It is our duty to take responsibility for our sisters.
It is not always about active action. Sometimes the impression we create around us is enough. If we leave a positive impression on people who do not observe Torah and mitzvot, we will act as a sanctifier of God and awaken the Jewish point within them.
Because a Jew cannot and does not want to be separate from G-d.
Get out of Egypt!
In those distant days, the Egyptian people were the most advanced of all nations. Anyone who has visited the pyramids must have stood in awe of this construction project, which is considered a "wonder of the world." How were these gigantic monuments built without advanced technology? The preservation of mummies for thousands of years without access to chemicals and modern medical knowledge still intrigues many researchers today.
Above all of this, Pharaoh's anti-faith (and therefore anti-Jewish) thinking stood out. "Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice?" I, the ruler of the most advanced kingdom in the world, do not recognize the Creator of the world and His leader, and I will not obey His voice.
That Egyptian shell exists even more strongly in our egocentric, self-centered generation.
What does Pharaoh say to Moses and Aaron? - "Why do you, Moses and Aaron, distract the people from their work? Go to your suffering." This is gentile thinking, Egyptian thinking. Do you want to study Torah? Please. Go study, but do not distract others from being enslaved.
Want to be religious, ultra-Orthodox and God-fearing, having fun. Go to your suffering, and "do not disturb the people from their deeds." Let them be consumed by the vanity of television, by the pleasures of this world. Let them continue to be enslaved to the evil inclination, to discover the horror that has taken root in their hearts.
This approach, this philosophy, is fundamentally rustic. It is the bark of Egypt.
And make a reply!
It was natural for me to write about the leadership of the father of the prophets, of Moses, the stammerer, the adopted one. It was natural for me to write about encouraging childbirth in the week that remembers Yocheved and Miriam, the two midwives who "did not do as the king of Egypt had spoken to them." It was natural for me to write about Miriam the prophetess who, having preached, told her father: "Pharaoh did not decree anything except for the males, and you decree anything between the males and the females. Pharaoh decreed nothing except for this world, and you decree for this world and for the world to come.".
But instead of writing about these things, I found a connecting line between all these events and our lives today. In all cases, we witness a Jewish approach, a unique perspective that "cares." A perspective that goes against social norms and goes with the truth.
You know what, I also sometimes receive criticism in my email inbox when I present the Jewish approach, the roots of Judaism. There are also those who have called me a "missionary" who tries to sell the idea that all Israelites are responsible for each other.
According to the pure Jewish view, spiritual death is more serious than physical death. Is there still room to explain why we must do everything in order to save our brothers from spiritual death? After all, our earthly lives are fleeting. Today we are here and tomorrow we are gone.
But the Jew's love for his neighbor, the commandment that Rabbi Akiva said is a great rule in the Torah, should motivate him to be interested in the welfare and success of another Jew.
Last week, I brought here a text I wrote as an exercise in a class I teach. Among the other positive, encouraging responses was this one: "You have to hide the message in the subtext. But, Shavin, you are a Chabad member and as such you are a missionary...""
So that's what "I care about.".
Yes. It is my responsibility as well as the responsibility of everyone who keeps Torah and mitzvot. It is my business. Because the old Hillel told that Gentile who wanted to convert that love of Israel is the entire Torah. What is the point of all my Torah and mitzvot, if I don't care about the spiritual life of another Jew?
I once read that the Maggid of Mezritch said about his rabbi and teacher, our holy teacher the Baal Shem Tov, that "I wish they would kiss the Torah scroll with the same love that my teacher kissed the children when he led them to the dais.".
The Baal Shem Tov taught us to love a Jew, not because of his intelligence, not because of his learning, and certainly not because of his wealth.
How can I be at peace as long as another Jewish woman is in the spiritual place she is in? My job is to try to raise her to a higher level. That is my responsibility and my duty.
What's more, between us, I get something out of it. After all, if I bring her up, I bring myself up too. So I have an excuse even for my animal soul.
If we don't take responsibility and help another Jew get closer to our Father in Heaven, we are putting all of us at risk. We are putting the redemption of the entire people of Israel at risk, for we have already been promised, "If Israel repents, we will be redeemed, and if not, we will not be redeemed.".
• The author is the owner ""My choice"", event host, lecturer and radio broadcaster. For comments: [email protected]
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