Rabbi Chaim Malinowitz, speaking at the Beit Tefilla synagogue at which he presides in Ramat Beit Shemesh on the eve of the new month of Av (Tuesday, July 25), drew a parallel between the events of last summer and this. A complete summary appears at www.sefer-torah.com/blog/2006/07/26/mida-kenneged-mida-gush-katif-expulsion-and-the-gazanorth-war/.
Excerpts:
One of the concepts that Rav Malinowitz discussed is the concept of communal suffering vs. individual suffering. Briefly, when an individual suffers, the individual should examine his life and try to understand where he should improve. On the other hand, when there is suffering on a communal level, while individuals may choose to examine and improve themselves, the suffering is not necessarily caused by the actions of the individual people suffering, but by the actions of the larger community.
Another concept that Rav Malinowitz discussed was Midah Kenegged Midah [measure-for-measure punishment]. This principle is very solidly founded in Torah literature... The explanation is very simple: Since G-d does not speak directly to us, He makes sure we get the message in other ways. Midah Kenegged Midah speaks for itself. When you do something wrong, the Midah Kenegged Midah itself makes it clear that it is a punishment for the thing you did wrong.
Last year, Jews put Jews out of their homes. Last year Jews destroyed Jewish homes. Last year, at the hands of fellow Jews, thousands of Jews lost their source of income, lost their possessions, lost their communities. Some lost their lives to the suffering, and many, as a result of the suffering, especially youth, lost their sense of self-worth and their sense of grounding... To this very day, many of those same Jews are still wandering, awaiting a permanent home, a permanent community, an end to their limbo...
This year, once again, Jews are being put out of their homes, Jewish homes are being destroyed, possession are being lost, businesses are crumbling, communities are being broken apart, Jews are wandering and displaced.
Last year, we had a long time to prepare for the possibility that Jews would be out on the street, and yet when the time came, there weren’t enough places for everyone to go. Ten day stays in temporary settings turned into ten months... This time, there was no time to plan. Once again, the same temporary settings look like they will last a lot longer than initially expected.
We can’t ignore the obvious. To refuse to connect the dots from last year’s Three Weeks to this year’s Three Weeks is to refuse to recognize one of G-d's methods of communicating with us. The communal “we” are getting what we deserve. If we don’t sit down and work out what it is that we are doing wrong, we are likely to have to keep learning the hard way.
Excerpts:
One of the concepts that Rav Malinowitz discussed is the concept of communal suffering vs. individual suffering. Briefly, when an individual suffers, the individual should examine his life and try to understand where he should improve. On the other hand, when there is suffering on a communal level, while individuals may choose to examine and improve themselves, the suffering is not necessarily caused by the actions of the individual people suffering, but by the actions of the larger community.
Another concept that Rav Malinowitz discussed was Midah Kenegged Midah [measure-for-measure punishment]. This principle is very solidly founded in Torah literature... The explanation is very simple: Since G-d does not speak directly to us, He makes sure we get the message in other ways. Midah Kenegged Midah speaks for itself. When you do something wrong, the Midah Kenegged Midah itself makes it clear that it is a punishment for the thing you did wrong.
Last year, Jews put Jews out of their homes. Last year Jews destroyed Jewish homes. Last year, at the hands of fellow Jews, thousands of Jews lost their source of income, lost their possessions, lost their communities. Some lost their lives to the suffering, and many, as a result of the suffering, especially youth, lost their sense of self-worth and their sense of grounding... To this very day, many of those same Jews are still wandering, awaiting a permanent home, a permanent community, an end to their limbo...
This year, once again, Jews are being put out of their homes, Jewish homes are being destroyed, possession are being lost, businesses are crumbling, communities are being broken apart, Jews are wandering and displaced.
Last year, we had a long time to prepare for the possibility that Jews would be out on the street, and yet when the time came, there weren’t enough places for everyone to go. Ten day stays in temporary settings turned into ten months... This time, there was no time to plan. Once again, the same temporary settings look like they will last a lot longer than initially expected.
We can’t ignore the obvious. To refuse to connect the dots from last year’s Three Weeks to this year’s Three Weeks is to refuse to recognize one of G-d's methods of communicating with us. The communal “we” are getting what we deserve. If we don’t sit down and work out what it is that we are doing wrong, we are likely to have to keep learning the hard way.