On April 24th, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, thousands of people came together to participate in the March of the Living. In a somber commemorative ceremony, a few remaining Holocaust survivors, even fewer freed Israeli hostages, and the families of some people still captive in Gaza came together to remind us of what can ensue when we allow our moral principles and basic humanity to be sacrificed on the altar of hatred, fear, and evil. As moving as this coming together might have been on any other occasion, under the current circumstances, it rang like a cry of desperation. It was as if everyone present was reeling from the horrifying realization that, 80 years later, Jews in the world do not feel safe. Even as Israeli President Isaac Herzog highlighted the importance of combating rising antisemitism and reaffirming the commitment to "never again," every person present or watching must have been thinking the same thought: Why are there still hostages in Gaza? Why are innocent people still dying in this country that is younger than the liberation of concentration camps? Why has humanity not learned its lesson?
So... what can the authors of the Torah add to this discussion? Somewhere in the white spaces of this week's Torah portion, is there an answer? Some hidden key that could put an end to this seemingly endless cycle of hatred and violence? Surely, we could find something in these lines to address the actions of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu? Perhaps something to comment on violence against farming communities in the West Bank? Something to soften the blow of seeing Holocaust survivors pay tribute to fallen IDF soldiers on Yom HaZikaron this past week? Perhaps?
One of the beauties of the Torah is that it can't interpret itself. No one person has the key to understanding it. In coming together to discuss it, rip it apart and piece it back together, or just add our experiences to it story, we breathe life into this document that has guided people throughout the ages. We ask the questions - and there are a lot more than four of them! We witness the events of our time, we mine through our traditions and our stories, and we bring our intuition and moral compasses to all of those white spaces. The world needs each and every one of us to fight for light against the darkness, to bring love and compassion to a battle against bombs and assault rifles. We must continue to heal the world, in actions, large and small, if we truly believe "never again." But don't take my word for it. What do you think?
Shabbat Shalom,
Rebecca Abbate
