Hamas War

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Responsibility

Musings #135
August 17, 2005
The 12th of Av

Responsibility

While our precious country suffers massive trauma, the Prime Minister went on TV to tell the people to "
hurt me" and not the soldiers.

Very noble but...
The truth is that he may have, ok definitely, given the order, but each soldier has a choice. Each soldier, each policeman, actually each and every one of us has the opportunity, the responsibility to choose to do or not to do things.

We're approaching the Jewish month of Ellul. Ellul is the month before Rosh Hashanah. It is the time of the year with a heightened responsibility to make account with G-d for every single thing we have done.

Large sin or small, we must repent. Sins between ourselves and G-d, we must repent. And sins between us and our fellow man, we must repent, and those are the most difficult. G-d, prayers and more careful observance of mitzvot (commandments) cannot absolve us from the sins we commit against other people.

Arik Sharon cannot, even if he's sincere, erase the sins the soldiers and police have committed against ordinary, peaceful, patriotic citizens. Each of those people, who followed orders, whether enthusiastically or with tears flowing, sinned. Yes they did.

The residents of Gush Katif who reminded those soldiers and police that they'd have nightmares all their lives were doing the right thing. They were trying to get them to stop the dastardly, evil acts that will haunt them forever. And I have no problem saying that they should be haunted forever. They, each and every one of them could stop and should stop. And it’s still not to late.

No matter how noble Sharon attempts to be, it's of no real importance. Humans aren't robots, and we’re not angels. There were angels in this world before there were people, but G-d knew that angels couldn't inherit the Torah. Angels are G-d's robots. They don't have free will. They are each programmed to do a specific task. It is no great accomplishment when not only are they incapable of being ornery, rebellious and negative, but there are neither mechanical nor chemical systems to break down.

Humans, on the other hand, are complex. Sometimes we are good and sometimes we are bad. And sometimes we are evil and do evil things. Disengagement is an evil thing. It was a great test for Israeli society, and it looks like Israeli society has failed the test.

Those of us who love all of Eretz Yisrael failed in that we haven’t protected it from its enemies. And those who profess to love and respect human rights above the Land have failed, when they trampled the human and civil rights of innocent civilians, just because they of their life style and values. And our politicians and media failed, because they tried to please foreign gods and ideals. And our military and police failed, because they obeyed the wrong orders.

I am not a prophet; I’m just a wife, mother and grandmother who teaches English and writes a little. I don’t know what punishment G-d has in store for us. In the Bible, after ten of the twelve tribal leaders voted against immediately following Moshe into the Promised Land, our People had to wander an additional forty years as punishment. We weren’t ready then, and if you read further in the Bible, it becomes clear that it took hundreds of years until we were ready to be a united people and anoint a king.

My guess is it that now we too will have to wait longer for the Geula, Redemption. But maybe, maybe if we all would repent sincerely and quickly, every single one of us… If only we would, each and every one of us, take full responsibility for our words and actions…

Rachem, Rachem,


Batya Medad, Shiloh
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6 comments:

Esther said...

Very interesting post, Batya. I have one quibble...

The truth is that he may have, ok definitely, given the order, but each soldier has a choice.

I disagree with this. If a soldier has the right to pick and choose what order he/she feels like following, that could spell incredible danger for Israel and complete chaos. I guess I can see your point cause you see the orders as evil. I don't see this as evil. Misguided, sure. Unfortunate, sure. A possible catastrophe? You betcha. But evil? I'm not there yet. But I know that's easy for me to say from my couch in Los Angeles. :(

The Orange Humanist said...

It is obvious that should somebody actually do what Sharon suggested they will be castigated from all sides.

To answer to Esther, a soldier shouldn't pick and choose which orders he follows. If he's told to sweep the path, or kill the enemy he should do as he's told. However, he should also think.

Israeli children are taught from an early age that the Germans were wrong for following orders blindely. I think everybody would agree with that. A soldier who is told to kill a civilian for no reason should not follow those orders.

I therefore cannot understand how Israeli soldiers say "I don't know why we're doing this (ie, evicting Jews out of their homes due to their being Jewish) but I need to follow orders."

What is being done in Gaza today is simply ethnic cleansing, according to the UN definition of it.

The me the current situation - where the Israeli army is losing its moral backbone, and when soldiers are asked to do something so immoral that some just break down and refuse - is even more dangerous and chaotic.

Batya said...

Evicting innocent Jewish civilians from their homes is against the IDF Code of Ethics. Therefore those orders shouldn't be obeyed.

Cosmic X said...

I agree with Batya. This is similar to what I wrote.

The Orange Humanist said...

Ploni, I do not understand your comparison. Are you saying Israel should aspire to the great ideals of Soviet Russia?

If you know any unemployed people who are looking for good, honest labor, we can most certainly help them out. There is much demand for workers in the Shomron communities, especially in construction and agriculture. We'd gladly help alleviate some of the crowdiness in YOUR kitchen.

I do appreciate your sincere concern for our religious well-being. It is a hallmark of Jewish concern that so many people care SO much for the teshuva of the OTHER.

Nonwithstanding, I assume you don't live in Shiloh, and have never been in that village. Many people in the community of Shiloh have opened their homes and their hearts to individuals in need who now see the Shiloh community as their home. I don't know any other place where that is true.

Esther said...

I don't think anyone should aspire to be like Soviet Russia. Yikes.

I do understand about how they need to be able to think. But they aren't being asked to kill people. But if it's in the code of the IDF (I have no idea) not to do it and they still are...well... what can I say to that then?

Please don't get me wrong. I think Sharon has made a gigantic mistake and it pains me greatly. I fear what Gaza will now become but sadly Sharon has made the new terrorist state there inevitable with this catastrophe.