Opuscula Two reactions Of freed slaves

I READ AN ARTICLE this morning (12 JAN 2021) by R. Marc D. Angel titled Outgrowing Slavery: Thoughts on Parashat Va-era (https://tinyurl.com/yy5qnaob)

The rabbi was focusing on how the people Israel commemorated their slavery to the pharaohs.

 

Hans Jordaens III Exodus from Egypt through the Red Sea, c. 1624.

(https://tinyurl.com/y6cs3d6x)

According to the article, Professor Gershon Galil of the Department of Biblical Studies at the University of Haifa recently deciphered an inscription dating from the 10th century BCE that read "You shall not do it, but worship the Lord. Judge the slave and the widow; judge the orphan and the stranger. Plead for the infant, plead for the poor and the widow. Rehabilitate the poor at the hands of the king. Protect the poor and the slave, support the stranger."

Judaism officially demands that a slave owned by a Jew must be treated humanely; if the salve is injured, there must be compensation and, often, that includes medical care and then freedom.

I keyed “”officially” since then, as now, not all Jews follow the laws.

”Them” and “Us”

The people who came to be known as “Hebrews” — Jews — came to Egypt as welcome guests. Over the years, the indigenous population threw out their foreign rulers and a new “pharaoh who knew not Israel” came to the throne.

The new pharaohs had two primary concerns:

 ✡ Seeing the Hebrews were abundant, they worried that if Egypt was attacked, the Jews would side with the attackers. A logical thought and validated twice in Spain.

 ✡ Building monuments (pyramids) to themselves.

In an effort to resolve two “problems” with one solution, the Egyptian rulers enslaved the Hebrews and put them to work building the monuments.

This condition lasted about 200 years.

According to the Torah, Moses managed to bring the Hebrews out of Egypt (following the famous 10 plagues). The Torah also notes that the Egyptians made a one-time “reparation” by giving the Hebrews gifts.^NB

How many Hebrews left in the exodus and how many non-Hebrews left is debatable. What us patiently obvious is that the people in the exodus still had a slave mentality. Almost all of the people fleeing with Moses had to die in the wilderness to expunge that mentality.

Eventually the Hebrews became a nation.

Over the centuries, groups of Jews have been persecuted, enslaved, slaughtered, but for the most part the “slave mentality” did not return.

Today, Jews are recognized as leaders around the world. (That does not mean we are not plagued by anti-Semitism and, specifically relating to Israel, anti-Zionism, both from within and without.)

Abraham Lincoln emancipated the slaves in the Confederate states (but not in states that remained in the union); he needed cannon fodder for his armies. The emancipation came well after Mr. Lincoln’s war commenced (and the Union suffered numerous defeats). Lincoln expected the newly freed slaves to rise up against their former masters and be a Fifth Column in the confederacy. For the most part, that did not happen.

The war ended, along with de jure slavery, in 1865.

Now, in the beginning of calendar year 2021 — more than 155 years later — apparently some descendants of emancipated slaves still are burdened by a slave mentality.

Slaves received free housing, food, and medical care. Bear in mind that a slave was an investment, often an expensive investment and the likelihood that a slave owner would mistreat (endanger) a slave (investment) is untenable. Granted, there were a few “Simon Legrees,” a Harriet Stowe character in the fictional Uncle Tom’s Cabin, but economics precluded this in reality.

 

As an aside: Most of the Confederate soldiers owned no (zero) slaves and worked their own fields, giving us the now-pejorative “red neck” from sun burned necks.

 

IN ANY EVENT, while a number of the descendants of slaves have risen to great heights, many still (apparently) have yet to throw off the slave mentality.

The ThoughtCo web site (https://tinyurl.com/lawex8q) lists blacks who have achieved prominence in many fields. These men and women go far beyond the stereotype of jocks, preachers, civil rights activists, and entertainers and include long lists of authors, inventors, scientists, educators, politicians, lawyers, and government leaders.

Image of Colin Powell, credit: Brooks Kraft/CORBIS/Corbis
via Getty Images

It is unfortunate that far too many descendants of slaves (and some new immigrants) have elected to remain “on the dole” — rent subsidy, food stamps, aid for dependent children, et al.

Worse, too many descendants “supplement” their income by crime.

All generalities are lies

The U.S., state, and municipal governments, including the post office, are the primary employers of the descendants who are willing to work.

Admittedly, until the mid-20th century there was, in many places, discrimination in education. For the most part, that was eliminated by government-mandated school integration. That does not mean that all schools are equal — parents’ groups raise funds for their children’s schools.

Education for many of the descendants is not a priority.

With a mentality that “It’s not worth the effort, I can’t be what I want to be because (pick an excuse),” it does not encourage any effort to leave the slave mentality behind.

When immigrants arrived from Europe and the Orient, the newcomers made an effort to learn English and to work at any job they could find. One generation later, the newcomers’ children are found in all manner of positions, some “grand,” many not. But they avoided the dole.

Most assuredly, these immigrants “stuck together” to support and encourage one another.

The descendants of U.S. slaves have the same opportunity. Some have taken advantage of every opportunity (see ThoughtCo ibid.), but too many have either ignored or chosen to retain the slave mentality — “the master will provide” — the U.S. taxpayer being billed for the “master’s” largess.

To be fair, the descendants of slaves are not the only people who fail to take advantage of the opportunities available. There are descendant’s of Europeans, South and Central Americas, and the Orient who opt for the dole, albeit in lesser numbers that the descendants of slaves. Proportional or not? I lack the statistics.

Allow me to reiterate: There are many descendants of slaves who have made their mark. They cast off the “slave mentality” and rose to prominence.

Just as the Jews threw off the slave mentality before they entered “the promised land.”

They were, from time-to-time slaves to foreign rulers or religions. They have a long history of persecution.

But that did not prevent them from rising above their beginnings.

The descendants of slaves can do the same.

If they are willing to cast off the “slave mentality.”

NB: The Germans are making reparations to survivors of the Holocaust. Hungarian, Polish, and other nations that contributed to the slaughter of millions of Communists, Jews, physically and mentally handicapped, Roma, and some “uncategorized” victims are ignoring their own citizens participation.

PLAGIARISM is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts or passages of his writings, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the product of one’s own mind.

Truth is an absolute defense to defamation. Defamation is a false statement of fact. If the statement was accurate, then by definition it wasn’t defamatory.

Web sites (URLs) beginning https://tinyurl.com/ are generated by the free Tiny URL utility and reduce lengthy URLs to manageable size.

 

Comment on Slaves

Opuscula Book worth reading

I JUST FINISHED a book, Conversations for Autumn 2019/5779-80 by R. Marc D. Angel (right). It is issue number 34 in the on-going series.

The book is a potpourri of sundry topics penned by R. Angel, most of which I enjoyed reading.

R. Angel — one of the book’s topics is Minhagim: Divinity and Diversity in which he discusses “Jewish” names, including his surname — considers how American Sefardim (and Mizrahim) interact with the Israeli chief rabbinate and how American orthodox are being forced (my word) into haridism — extremism.

Because R. Angel and this scrivener often are of the same opinion, I find a lot to appreciate in his works.

The rabbi founded the Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals¹ in 2007 and has been its director since. Before the institute he was, from 1969 to 2007, rabbi at the Spanish & Portuguese Synagogue in New York City². He now is “Rabbi Emeritus”; R. Meir Y. Soloveichik³ is the congregations current rabbi.

R. Angel is more “modern orthodox” than Sephardi/Mizrachi, although the influences from his Turkish and Rhodes forebears play a major role in his books and talks. (Likewise, the Spanish & Portuguese Synagogue is more “modern orthodox” than either Spanish or Portuguese.)

A true Sephardi will recognize the rabbi’s trials and tribulations growing up among Ashkenazi Jews who cannot comprehend any minhag except their own. Tzit-tzit in or out? Standing or sitting for the “Big 10”? (The answer is “When in Rome . . .” )

This scrivener is a member of a Sefardi-dominated mixed minyan where most of the Ashkenazi members follow the Sefardi practice. I’m certain they follow Ashkenazi practices when in Ashkenazi congregations, as they should.

One of R. Angel’s oft-quoted sources is former Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel R. Benzion Uziel. He notes differences between both R. Abraham Isaac Kook, the first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi, and the late R. Ovadia Yosef, the Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel from 1973 to 1983.

Rabbi Uziel, left; R. Kook, right (https://tinyurl.com/tc6vcxk)

R. Uziel, according to R. Angel, always tried to find ways to include all Israelis in the building of the state. Where R. Kook was stringent, R. Uziel tried to find a way to accommodate everyone. R. Yusef Messas was another Sephardi (Moroccan) rabbi that earned R. Angel’s respect sufficient to mention by name in Conversations.

The book includes a fairly lengthy chapter on gerut — conversions.

R. Angle looks at conversions throughout history and concludes that the harideem in Israel have high jacked the process not only in Israel but in the galut as well.

A chapter is dedicated to another of the rabbi’s favorites, R. Jos. B. Soloveichik, referred to simply as “the Rav.”

Still another chapter is set aside to discuss modesty, “tseniut.” (Spelling is from the book.) The Babylonian amora, Rav Sheshet,⁴ is noted for suggesting that any man who gazes at a woman’s little finger it was though he was gazing at her private parts. Sheshet, known to be irascible, also said a woman’s hair is ervah (immodest). All of Sheshet’s comments might be taken with the proverbial “grain of salt”; Sheshet was blind and could see neither a woman’s little finger nor her hair.

The Institute’s web site is one I bookmarked for frequent visits.

Sources

1. Institute: https://www.jewishideas.org/

2. Spanish & Portuguese congregation: https://tinyurl.com/vk2venl

3. R. Soloveichik: https://tinyurl.com/rnea52t

4. R. Sheshet: https://tinyurl.com/szab452

עינים להם ולא יראו * אזנים להם ולא יאזנו

PLAGIARISM is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts or passages of his writings, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the product of one’s own mind.

Truth is an absolute defense to defamation. Defamation is a false statement of fact. If the statement was accurate, then by definition it wasn’t defamatory.

Web sites (URLs) beginning https://tinyurl.com/ are generated by the free Tiny URL utility and reduce lengthy URLs to manageable size.

 

Comment on Conversations

Thoughts for Parashat Vayera, October 19, 2013 Wickedness is a Strange Malady

 

By Rabbi Marc D. Angel
Used with permission

The Torah describes the wickedness of Sodom as being pervasive enough to be punished by God’s destruction of the city. There were not even ten righteous people in the entire city. When the men of Sodom surrounded Lot’s home with the intention of doing harm to Lot’s guests, the Torah informs us that the wicked group included “both young and old, all the people from every quarter” (Bereishith 19:4).

Is it really possible for an entire city to be so steeped in evil? How can we imagine a town so corrupt that not even ten good people lived there?

If we peruse human history, we find instances of entire societies becoming mired in corruption, violence and wickedness of every kind. The names of Stalin, Hitler and Pol Pot come to mind when we ponder the fate of humanity during the past century. These tyrants were able to mobilize their forces to destroy millions of innocent people. Their henchmen followed their orders blindly, even when those orders entailed the most shameful and immoral cruelties.

But tyrants and their henchmen succeeded in terrorizing their societies because many citizens were too afraid to rise in resistance. The “silent majority”—although composed of people who were not innately evil—went along with the evil by looking the other way.

Tyrants utilize brute force. But they also utilize psychological warfare and intimidation. They vilify anyone who stands up against them. Those who resist the tyranny are branded as traitors or trouble makers. The tyrants, whose goal is to control the people into total submission, accuse opponents of attempting to control society. The tyrants, whose goal is to maintain total power for themselves, vilify opponents as being power-hungry.

And the masses stay quiet. And those vilified by the tyrants become frightened into silence.

Although there no doubt were good and brave people who found ways of resisting the evil dictators, they were so few that it may have appeared from a distance that “both young and old, all the people from every quarter” were accomplices.

In Ibsen’s powerful drama, Enemy of the People, Dr. Stockmann found that the water sustaining the local health spas was contaminated. His scientific tests proved beyond a doubt that the water would be dangerous to people who would bathe in it. Instead of being thanked for saving the lives of potential patrons of these spas, he was vilified by the leaders and the masses of the town.

His findings would ruin the town’s business. He was branded as an eccentric trouble maker who exaggerated the problem for his own glory. At a town meeting, Dr. Stockmann was declared an enemy of the people. He was fired from his position. His children had to leave school. The windows of his home were shattered. His patients were told to find another doctor. He was ordered to write a public repudiation of his scientific findings, which he would not do.

Were all the people of Dr. Stockmann’s town evil? No, they were not. But they were less concerned with truth and health than they were with their pocket books. If word got out that the spas were unhealthful, then the town—and its people—would lose the income brought in by tourists. If the town leaders agreed to have the water supply improved as per Dr. Stockmann’s suggestions, it would cost a lot of money and would take several years to accomplish. The people did not want to pay for the repairs and did not want to lose two years of business. They were not concerned about the endangerment of the lives of tourists; they were not concerned that if patrons of the spas got sick, people would finally realize that Dr. Stockmann’s reports were correct.

Wickedness is a strange malady. It doesn’t only come from wicked people. It also comes from weak people, frightened people, people more concerned with their own immediate gains than with the long-term needs of society. Wickedness is not the monopoly of vicious tyrants and dictators; it is shared by lower level manipulators and demagogues who seek to control and intimidate. It is shared by those who tolerate wickedness and who succumb to the lies and propaganda of the wicked leaders.

The Torah’s account of the wickedness of Sodom stands as an eternal warning about what can happen to a society if evil is allowed to persist, if good people are intimidated into passivity and silence.

The story about Sodom is not only about Sodom.

The Angel for Shabbat column is presented as a service of the Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals. Please visit the website jewishideas.org for a wide array of articles of special interest to those who wish to foster an intellectually vibrant, compassionate and inclusive Orthodox Judaism.

The article above is found at http://jewishideas.org/angel-shabbat/wickedness-strange-malady-thoughts-parashat-va