The most cursory glance at today's newspaper reveals a shocking surge in anti-Semitism around the world. From shuls burning in Gaza to rabbis assaulted in Kiev, we are again (still?) subjected to every kind of abuse.
The latest incident took place in the locker room of the Washington Nationals' baseball team. After a team prayer session, a player asked the prayer leader if Jews who rejected Christianity are "doomed". The prayer leader nodded in the affirmative.
All of this anti-Jewish sentiment is part and parcel of the curses enumerated in the Tochacha of our sedra: "You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the field." But why does this happen to us and what can we do to prevent it?
Rabbi Noson Weisz sees a pattern in Jewish history. Most outbreaks of anti-Semitism seem to occur when we are at a high level materially speaking, when we prospered in our own land, in Spain, in Germany. As we became more physically comfortable, we became spiritually lax. We misunderstood that we were to focus on excelling spiritually, like Yaakov, and not physically, like Esav.
When disaster struck, and we were beset by oppression, a strange thing happened. Some of our greatest Jewish accomplishments occurred precisely when we were being persecuted. The Talmud, the Biblical commentaries, the codes of Jewish Law were largely composed when we were in exile, or under the gun. It seems that whenever our level of materialism went down our spiritual stock went up. (As a stark example, note that while the residents of Gaza were being evicted from their homes, the Israeli stock market - against all logic - surged.)
Our task: focus on improving our neshamot, while also safeguarding our physical needs. We have a right to excel in both, but must have the proper equation, the right emphasis, to succeed. When portfolios trump prayer, and luxury comes before limud, we must regroup.
Elul, of course, is the perfect time to get started. Elul's code - Ani L'Dodi V'Dodi Li - reminds us that getting closer to HaShem, at the end of the day, is the real goal of life. Increasing chesed, tzedaka, kavana and Torah study, being more meticulous in mitzvot is what will bring us security, self-satisfaction and world respect.
The pasuk says, "It [G-d's blessings] will overtake [v'hisigucha] you." If we recognize where our strength lies, and follow our soul's instincts, we will not have to chase our fortune; it will chase us.
The latest incident took place in the locker room of the Washington Nationals' baseball team. After a team prayer session, a player asked the prayer leader if Jews who rejected Christianity are "doomed". The prayer leader nodded in the affirmative.
All of this anti-Jewish sentiment is part and parcel of the curses enumerated in the Tochacha of our sedra: "You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the field." But why does this happen to us and what can we do to prevent it?
Rabbi Noson Weisz sees a pattern in Jewish history. Most outbreaks of anti-Semitism seem to occur when we are at a high level materially speaking, when we prospered in our own land, in Spain, in Germany. As we became more physically comfortable, we became spiritually lax. We misunderstood that we were to focus on excelling spiritually, like Yaakov, and not physically, like Esav.
When disaster struck, and we were beset by oppression, a strange thing happened. Some of our greatest Jewish accomplishments occurred precisely when we were being persecuted. The Talmud, the Biblical commentaries, the codes of Jewish Law were largely composed when we were in exile, or under the gun. It seems that whenever our level of materialism went down our spiritual stock went up. (As a stark example, note that while the residents of Gaza were being evicted from their homes, the Israeli stock market - against all logic - surged.)
Our task: focus on improving our neshamot, while also safeguarding our physical needs. We have a right to excel in both, but must have the proper equation, the right emphasis, to succeed. When portfolios trump prayer, and luxury comes before limud, we must regroup.
Elul, of course, is the perfect time to get started. Elul's code - Ani L'Dodi V'Dodi Li - reminds us that getting closer to HaShem, at the end of the day, is the real goal of life. Increasing chesed, tzedaka, kavana and Torah study, being more meticulous in mitzvot is what will bring us security, self-satisfaction and world respect.
The pasuk says, "It [G-d's blessings] will overtake [v'hisigucha] you." If we recognize where our strength lies, and follow our soul's instincts, we will not have to chase our fortune; it will chase us.