From The Rabbi’s Study…Shabbat, September 6,7, 2024/3,4 Elul 5784
The month of Elul starts the blowing of the shofar during the morning services except on the Sabbath. The blasts are to awaken the Jewish people to the coming of the High Holidays. If you missed the mark of good behavior, now you may change the paths to righteous actions.
The Book Deuteronomy continues with Shoftim/Judges and the government judicial systems of the king and the Priests and Levites. There are laws about false prophets, criminal laws, laws of welfare, and laws pertaining to unsolved murders.
At this time Israel is at war and the leaders of Israel are striving to make peace with the return of the hostages. This Shabbat has instructions from this Torah portion for the Jews to issue a call for peace before engaging in war with the enemy
(Deuteronomy 20:10). A strong debate among the classical commentators as to whether the call for peace applied to optional wars or also mandatory wars, such as with the Amalekites (the struck are people from the rear, killing elderly, women and children to try to weaken our military forces mindset). According to the scholar Maimonides, the obligation to offer peace to the enemy applied to all wars. According to another scholar, Rashi (the translator of the Torah and his commentaries in the Chumash) he believed that only optional wars required a call for peace should precede hostilities.
Now the Torah portion, opens with the command “Justice, justice shall you pursue,” gives the fundamental requisite for all human beings. This Haftarh is the fourth of the Haftarot of Consolation that provided comfort for our ancestors that were dispersed to Babylonia after the destruction of the Holy Temple.
Today, the Israelis are being displaced from their homes in the north and other areas. Yet, the Jewish people believe every life is precious, and the Israelis even moved thousands of Gazain/ Palestinian people to safety, with food and medicines. While heartbreaking news that Six more Hostages were slaughtered by Hamas just before our IDF were coming to rescue them.
My question to you may be “Let us just blow up all of Gaza!” Answer: Maybe our people that are hostages will surely die, too. This enemy surrounds themselves with human beings, while the Jewish people fight to protect human beings! We are “The Chosen People” to show the world morals and ethical behavior, and that not evil and violence should prevail!
As Prime Minister, Netanyahu and his leaders struggle with many facets of this war, we need leaders from around the world to Stand Strong with Israel and Not the Hamas Terrorists (proxy of Iran). It is not easy to constantly prove that ISRAEL WAS ATTACKED and that HAMAS BROKE THE CEASEFIRE!
Being far away from Israel the Jewish people can support Israel by giving to the Utah Jewish Federation, Magan David (ambulance and EMT), to name a few. Prayers and showing our strong support helps them, too. Prayers for those that died and prayers for the families that are now mourning their loved ones.
May we see a speedy rescue of all remaining hostages and peace in Israel.
Shabbat Shalom v’ Am Ysrael Chai,
Rabbi Helene Ainbinder
