On Rosh HaShanah, we stood before the Al-mighty, the Judge of the World, and pleaded for a decree of life. We asked for prosperity, for health, for salvation from troubles. We promised to be good Jews and to conduct ourselves according to the Torah's laws. If G-d felt we were sincere, He would hopefully inscribe us in the Book of Life for 5768. We

They are judged because they did not protest against the politicians.

continue through the Aseres Yemei Teshuva and Yom Kippur, starting the year off right, hoping to cement the decree.


But perhaps it is easier said than done. The Gemara in Shabbos (54b) expounds on the posuk in Yeshaya which says, "HaShem will come in judgment upon the elders of his nation and on the princes." Perhaps, asks the Gemara, the princess and politicians have sinned, but what did the elders, the Sanhedrin do? Rather, answers the Gemara, they are judged because they did not protest against the politicians when those politicians sinned.


The Gemara continues with stories and condemnations against even the greatest rabbis for not hearkening to the pleading cries of one who has been wronged or abused.


It is clear that the sages of Israel have to answer for their silence before HaKadosh Boruch Hu. How, then, can we sit silent now while our brothers and sisters in Israel are suffering at the mercy of politicians who don't follow the Torah way? How can we expect HaShem to accept our prayers for mercy on this Day of Judgment, when we callously ignore the pleas of those Jews constantly under attack?


One would assume that if we do everything in our power to ascend spiritually, do teshuvah and make the right resolutions, then HaShem will bless us with a sweet year. However, the Gemara has some bad news: a few lines further, on 55a, the Gemara states, "Says R' Acha bar Chanina: HaShem never issues a good decree then turns it around for bad except for the following case," and the Gemara thereupon relates the following exchange that took place in Heaven.


Angels of destruction were set upon the city and no one was spared.



In the prophecy of Yechezkel, when wickedness abounds in Yerushalayim, HaShem decrees that there will be Divine vengeance. He told Yechezkel to mark the foreheads of those who sigh and mourn for the abomination done within the city. The Gemara tells us: HaShem commanded Gavriel to mark the forehead of the tzaddikim with ink, lest they be caught up in the destruction of the wicked, whose heads would be marked with blood.


The Angel of Judgment appealed to G-d. "Master of the Universe, what is the difference between these and those?"


G-d responded, "These are completely righteous and those completely wicked."


"But they had the opportunity to protest and did not," said the accuser.


Replied the Heavenly presence, "It is clear before Me that even had they protested, it would not have helped."


"Perhaps, it was clear before You," replied the Angel of Din, "but they didn't know that. They should have made the attempt to protest in hopes that it would help."


The Gemara concludes that G-d conceded and immediately afterwards angels of destruction were set upon the city, and no one was spared. Because they had the opportunity to protest, even though it would not have changed a thing, the tzaddikim were punished with the sinners.

We must... call upon the leaders of the world to do right.



Who knows, perhaps if they had felt enough love for their fellow man to protest, then that expression of love alone could have been enough to cause the sinners to change where words of rebuke could not. If the Bais HaMikdash was destroyed because of sinas chinam, baseless hatred, it can be restored through ahavat chinam, unconditional love.
 
As we approach Yom Kippur to plead with the Supreme Judge to grant us a sweet new year, we must make sure we have done all we can to protest, cry out, and try to save our brothers and sisters suffering injustice at the hands of those who do not see the hand of G-d poised to record their actions. We must issue proclamations and call upon the leaders of the world to do right by our fellow Jews.


If we do not rise and call out for them, then who will be left to call out for any of us?