Rabbi Shimshon Zelichover, HY"D, one of the European Gedolei-Mussar who served as spiritual supervisor (mashgiach) of the Chachmei Lublin Yeshiva several generations ago, astutely observed that "English is the language of the Political Lie."
And how it is. And that is reflective of the undergirding culture of Edom, a defining characteristic of which is highlighted in this week's Parasha (Re'eh, 14:8), in the verse referring to the swine, chazir [paradigmatic of the grandstanding persona exhibited so prominently by the malfeasant elements of of Edom] - including both its external kosher and internal unkosher characteristics -- and in that order.
Our Holy Sages exhorted us that the evildoers of Edom extend themselves to exhibit their faux righteousness - while perpetrating their crimes. This quality is symbolized by the swine. The swine protrudes his split hooves, his kosher characteristic, while his unkosher one remains hidden from the eye.
From a careful analysis of the account of the Roman execution (or, perhaps, assassination) of Rabbi Chanina Ben Tradyon in Tractate Avoda Zorah 18a, it appears that it's not just that the wickedness of Edom is covered-up by pretensions of righteousness -- it's that their wickedness is actually enabled thereby. That's because they cannot continue to perpetrate this evil unless they can continue to mask their wicked intentions from the masses.
That's apparently the reason for choosing to execute Rabbi Chanina Ben Tradyon just as all the leaders of Rome were returning from the funeral of another Torah sage (Rabbi Yossi Ben Kisma), for whom they had all delivered what the Sages qualify as a Hesped Gadol (a "Great Eulogy"). On the very day that the leaders of Rome went out to honor Rabbi Yossi Ben Kisma, they knew that they could carve out a very short window of opportunity to execute Rabbi Chanina [and to do so with the epic cruelty, the Talmud describes], in an environment in which they would not be accused of doing so out of animosity towards the Torah.
If they would have delayed until the very next day, the emotional effects of their powerfully pompous but duplicitous facade of respect for the Torah would have already begun to wear off - and people would come to their senses about the genuine motivations behind the execution, including the burning Roman hatred of the rabbi's devotion to fearless, public dissemination of Torah.
This brutal execution, along with the premeditated grandstanding "for Kovod HaTorah" that both preceded and enabled it, is representational of the duplicitous nature of the malfeasants of Edom. It was as deviously orchestrated as it was cruelly executed.
And, evidently, that is precisely why the grand destruction of Edom was decreed over this particular execution (highlighted on both Yom Kippur and Tisha B'Av), as mentioned by the Midrash(cited by Tosofot Tractate Avoda Zarah 2b, Romi.)
Accordingly, by exposing their actual intentions, one can actually hope to forestall their crimes. And that's why they're so intolerant of anyone who exposes their inner machinations.
Perhaps this is all alluded to in the verse when the kosher characteristics precede the unkosher ones. Perhaps, in this case, that which precedes in order similarly precedes in causality, to imply that it's only due to the mask of false altruism that Edom can get away with all the evil they do.
It is for this very reason - to mask the true nature of their actual wickedness - that the wordsmiths of Anglo governments tend to be obsessed with mis-definitions. One very relevant example is what's marketed as "Assisted Suicide" legislation, which, as we write these words, is in danger of being signed into law by NY Gov. Hochul, barring sufficient communal outrage (particularly from registered Democrats).
What is "Assisted Suicide"?
The bill (A136/S138) would allow people to assist in the suicide (by poison) of someone (1) who, doctors claim, is unlikely to live more than six months, and (2) about whom witnesses testify that he/she expressed the desire for suicide.
Pro-Death advocates label this institutionalized collaboration in killing of those enduring formidable, long-term medical conditions as "Aid in Dying" (as if these euthanasia enthusiasts are just dying to put a smile on someone's face, other than of the inheritors).
To defeat these dangerous wordsmiths, we must remain vigilant in debunking the Orwellian terminology and the exceptionally lethal messaging it spreads.
Action Item:
For those who have not already done so, we urge all New Yorkers, especially registered Democrats who will be 18 years of age by next November, to heed the call of prominent Rabbis (echoed by the Orthodox Union, Agudath Israel, the Queens Board of Rabbis, and the Rabbinical Alliance of America) and immediately urge NY Governor Kathy Hochul to veto the "assisted suicide" bill (A136/S138) that (preventably) passed the legislature several months ago.
The address:
NY Governor Kathy Hochul
NY State Capitol Building
NY State Capitol Building
Albany, NY
(518) 474-8390 (9AM-5PM)
Taking a stand for some of the most defenseless in our midst - and for Kovod Shomayim - will certainly provide us much needed merits to mitigate the escalating and unrelenting negative atmosphere, Midat HaDin, surrounding us.
What excuse do we have for not prioritizing this issue? If Gov. Hochul fails to veto this bill, it will kill many, many people, and not only those you'd expect it to kill.
How to make the case?
Recent feedback suggests emphasizing to the Governor the massive loopholes in the phantom "safeguards" included. Here's a sample communication:
"As much as we oppose all "Assisted Suicide" legislation in principle [helping someone commit suicide is prohibited by the Torah as murder] - the fact is that this bill is extremely dangerous even according to the standards of those who support the idea of helping people who want to kill themselves. The protections in this bill are appalling weak.
"1. First, many people who would never want to die would be killed by greedy life-insurance beneficiaries - who are acceptable as reliable "witnesses" (!) to claim that the patient said he/ she wants to die. Thus, both the poor and the wealthy would be targeted under this bill.
"2. Second, poisons {slyly mislabeled "medicine" by advocates} would be dispensed without any real controls over how they are actually used. Even if the patient becomes legally incapable of choosing to die, the poisons are not removed. Once a caretaker gets hold of the poison, they might poison the patient even if he/she objects or use it for other illegal purposes.
"3. Third, if the flimsy protections are ever declared non-binding, the lethal parts of the bill will nevertheless remain in effect, without even the pretext of those protections! That demonstrates that this bill is intent on undermining personal autonomy, in the very name of safeguarding it.
"In truth, this deceptive bill is not about assisted suicide, but about Stealth Euthanasia - that is, outright murder. In any case, it extends far beyond the purview of any governmental authority."
May we merit the Final Redemption in the zechut of opposition to its' impediments.
For more information, please email torahjewsfordecency@gmail.com.
Rabbi Noson Shmuel Leiter is Executive Director of Help Rescue Our Children and can be heard weekly on New Jersey's WSNR Radio 620AM, co-hosting the renowned Levin At Eleven program, every Thursday evening, 11pm to midnight (ET).