The world is, with the help of G-d and His kindness, possibly at the cusp of healing - at least for now - from the greatest epidemic that has hit humanity for decades although the danger lurks of a second breakout.[1] To be sure, the world is no stranger to tragedies of epic proportions: war, famine, disease, massacres and myriad "natural" disasters. The Jewish people especially have been victims of targeted persecution because of their religion or race throughout the ages. But a world-wide crisis of this proportion on so many planes certainly requires much reflection. Many prominent Rabbinic figures both here in Eretz Yisrael and in chutz la'aretz have voiced their suggestions as to what particular areas of avodas Hashem require improvement and which are the areas concerning which the Creator of the world and Giver of the Torah is sending us messages to improve.[2] The Tochacha of parashas B'chukosai is read before Shavuos since this holiday is also considered a Rosh Hashana (Megilla 31b), a day on which we not only celebrate the momentous event of the giving of the Torah but is also meant as a day on which to reflect on an individual and communal level as to how well we are committed to the covenant of Sinai. It is in light of this perspective that I add these humble words well aware of the fact that מי אני ומה אני כלפי רבותי החשובים שליט"א וכל שכן לומר דברי מוסר לרבים.
[R. Shimon b. Yochai taught,] "This is analogous to one who was punishing his son, and [the son] did not know why he was being beaten. After he beat him, he said to him, 'Go do what I commanded you to do for many days already and you didn't pay any attention to [it] [me].' So too all the thousands who fell [during a plague] in the days of David only fell because they did not demand the building of the mikdash. ... If even regarding the [generation] who never had a Beis Hamikdash in their time and it was not destroyed in their time, this happened to them and they were punished for note demanding it, we, in whose time it was destroyed, and we do not sufficiently mourn over it, and we do not request mercy [for its rebuilding] all the more so! Therefore the original pious ones instituted that we should pray three times a day and instituted in the amida, 'Please, Merciful One with Your abundant mercy, restore Your Presence to Zion and the sacrificial order to Jerusalem.' And they also instituted the building of Jerusalem as a separate blessing in the amida and in birchas hamazon. (Midrash Tehillim (Shochar Tov) 17)
R. Shimon b. Yochai taught ... "They [a large segment of the Jewish people] ultimately will despise the Kingdom of Heaven, the kingdom of the house of David and the Beis Hamikdash ... in the days of Rechav'am (Yorovam) ... Said R. Simon b. Menasia, "Israel will not see a sign of redemption (blessing) ever unless they return and request all three. This is indicated by the verse, (Hoshei'a 3:5) "Afterward the Children of Israel will return and seek out Hashem, their G-d" - this refers to the Kingdom of Heaven - "and David their king" - this refers to the kingdom of the house of David - "and they shall tremble for Hashem and His goodness (in the End of Days)" - this refers to the building of the Beis Hamikdash. (Yalkut Shimoni, Shmuel 106 from Midrash Shmuel 13 with slight differences)
The aforementioned midrashic teachings underscore the centrality of longing for geula bringing in its wake the recognition of malchus Hashem over the entire world, the restoration of the Davidic dynasty, one which represents the kingdom of Torah in this world, and the mikdash, the house serving as a place manifesting the Divine Presence specifically among G-d's beloved people whose fame and centrality affects the entire world (see Yeshayahu 56:7). The first midrash underscores the connection of a plague, or national pandemic, to an insufficient yearning for mikdash.
The State of Israel has had, in an unprecedented turn of events, three inconclusive elections over the course of a year. Just recently a "unity" government was formed with the prime minister currently on trial for a variety of charges placing even the current government in Israel in a tenuous state of stability. In addition, almost worldwide, shuls and batei midrash have been shuttered for several months. Even outdoor prayer has been banned by many governments and even where allowed has been prohibited by various Rabbinic authorities. Here in Israel shuls were just recently reopened after months of closure, subject to strict rules to avoid further spread of disease. I humbly submit that there are perhaps two crucial messages inherent in these two seemingly unrelated events.
The current State of Israel has been the subject of much hashkafic and halachic analysis. Mori v'Rabi Rav Hershel Schachter shlita has often presented his view that its existence is a partial fulfillment of the mitzvah of appointing a Jewish king, namely a Jewish government. The ideal government would be malchus beis Dovid, but even one not matching this criterion also is included in this commandment.[3] His view is agreed upon by many. Other Rabbinic authorities vociferously debate this characterization. But all agree that from a Torah perspective, it is certainly not the ideal model of government both because it is not malchus beis Dovid and - notwithstanding all of the positive religiously significant developments which were fostered by it - because it was not founded from the perspective of Torah fulfillment.[4] As people committed to Torah values, whereas we are certainly bound to be loyal to governmental authorities and, in at least the worldview in which many maintain we greatly value all that the State of Israel has accomplished for the Jewish people,[5] we certainly long for the Ribono shel olam to restore the ideal form of Jewish government. Perhaps a message inherent in the recent uncertainty regarding the State is meant to awaken us to more fully to long for the ideal Jewish malchus which we pray for every day. Granted that we value and thank Hashem for the great gift of Medinat Yisrael, but we view it as a "transitional government", one preparing the way for the ideal malchus.[6] I believe this message is all the more important for those who value the Medina so greatly. Do we sufficiently long for the ideal Torah government of the Davidic dynasty?
Our shuls and batei midrash are referred to as midkeshei me'at, mini-temples granted as a Divine gift wherein Hashem yisborach promises to rest His Shechina even during the long exile (see Megilla 29a based on Yechezkel 11:16). But here too, the ideal, glorious resting place for the Divine presence is the "bayis hagadol v'hakadosh hazeh", not just the mikdash me'at. Perhaps the events of these past few months whereby our shuls were closed to us are meant as a sign for us to redouble our efforts in praying for the mikdash hagadol in the amida, in birchas hamazon as mentioned by the above midrash and in our personal prayers. The prayer of ya'aleh v'yavo as well as the Mussaf prayer to be recited b'ezras Hashem multiple times on the upcoming holiday of Shavuos also contain these same themes.
An enlightening ruling stated in the Talmud Yerushalmi - actually relevant halachically in these past few months - is most informative. If a congregation does not have a sefer Torah, should they read the Torah reading that week from a chumash? The Yerushalmi (Megilla 3:1 quoted in Beis Yosef 143) rules in the negative since if they would do so, there would be no motivation to acquire a real sefer Torah. Even though we follow the view that we should read from a chumash without blessings (see Shulchan Aruch ibid.) so that in some manner we hear the Torah reading even though not in an ideal fashion, the Yerushalmi's message of not being comfortable with a non-ideal situation is most important and sheds light on the themes discussed above.
Rav Shimshon Pincus zt"l beautifully describes the urgency of taking advantage of the ten days of repentance with an impactful mashal I believe very relevant to the current situation as well. A king's son rebelled against him, and he was exiled from the palace. Wandering aimlessly through the forest, the prince fell into a pit. Helpless, in need of food and medical care, he desperately screamed out "Help! Help!" Sure enough, the king's entourage, making its way near the forest, heard the cries for help. Hearing his beloved son's voice, the king quickly rushed to the edge of the pit and asked, "My dear son, how can I help you?" The son answered, "Father, Your Majesty, I need food! I need doctors!" The king quickly lowered in tons of food and commanded doctors to jump into the pit to heal his son. The king asked, "Is there anything else you need?" The son replied, "No, that's all." The king bid his son farewell saying, "Maybe next time we pass by, you'll ask for something else..." So too, explains Rav Pincus, we often solely focus on our personal needs: continued health, healing, sustenance, family etc. But we have to member to fervently, with a sense of urgency, ask our Father, the King, to "take us out of the pit!", to take us out of exile, to restore His Kingdom in the world and his Holy Temple!
[1] The idle banter of several across the world that this is just a case of world overreaction to a type of influenza does not in any way reflect the reality of what has actually happened.
[2] The very attempt at uncovering root causes for tragedy is reinforced by the oft-quoted powerful words of Rambam in hilchos Ta'aniyos. Those not possessing specialized ruach hakodesh cannot be certain that their assessment is correct, but it would appear that this does not exempt communal leaders from attempting such an analysis with all due disclaimers of possible error either made explicit or remaining implicit. In a carefully formulated statement by Rav Elyashiv zt"l and Rav Shteinman zt"l a number of years ago in calling for improvement in certain mitzvos during the Second Lebanon War, they wrote that they are not claiming to know that weakness in those areas caused the tzara, but nevertheless improvement in those areas will definitely lead to a bettering of the situation if not its elimination. It is with this spirit, I believe, that the words of our Rabbinic leaders are given and should be received.
[3]Also see Rav Chaim Jachter, "The Halachic Status of the State of Israel" available on koltorah.org.
[4] An oft-repeated phrase in the Israeli political scene is "מדינת החוק ולא מדינת הלכה". This tension most recently surfaced in barbs hurled between MK Smotrich and MK Lieberman.
[5] Just as one recent example, in this pandemic, Israel's governmental guidance has saved countless lives.
[6] An apocryphal story circulating has one of the Gedolei Yisrael telling one of the prime ministers that he will "hand over the keys" to the melech hamashiach.