Daily Life Lessons from Rabbi Heschel
Year 2 Day 193
“The more deeply immersed I become in the thinking of the prophets, the more powerfully it became clear to me what the lives of the prophets sought to convey: that morally speaking there is no limit to the concern one must feel for the suffering of human beings. It also became clear to me that in regard to cruelties committed in the name of a free society, some are guilty while all our responsible.” (Moral Grandeur and Spiritual Audacity pg. 225)
Watching the news, listening to some of the in-depth reporting on the hate, the anti-semitism, racism being spewed by members of a prominent family and people in power in Republican politics at the moment, knowing that people of color and people of faith, Jewish and non-Jewish, belong to, adhere to, and abide by the white supremacist, hateful, and mendacious garbage they are spewing leaves me bereft, bewildered and enraged. How could the prophets not be enraged as they watched the Temple Priests bastardize the rituals of service, worship, devotion to God? How could Rabbi Heschel not march, protest and risk the scorn and disapproval of the Jewish world, especially the academics, as he watched America sink deeper and deeper into the fog that allowed Nazism to rise in Germany? How can we not be enraged at what is happening right now?
As Greg Abbott declares his support of Mental Health, he cuts the budget of the department responsible for supporting and delivering Mental Health services in Texas. As Ted Cruz offers prayers, he stops sensible gun legislation from happening in the Senate. As the Republicans wrap themselves in the flag, they are playing chicken with the credit worthiness of the United States. As more and more ‘red’ states pass laws that limit the freedom to vote, the freedom to express oneself, the freedom to control over our bodies, the freedom to read, etc and, at the same time, proclaiming they are living the principles and ideas/ideals of our founding fathers. We are witness’ to the proliferation of lies, the curtailing of freedom, the scapegoating of Jews, Blacks, LGBTQ+, and any other minority available. All of this mendacity, all of this practice of prejudices, all of this curtailing of freedom for ‘anyone not like us’, in the name of Democracy, in the name of Jesus, in the name of God! How utterly ridiculous and how disgusting that people go along to get along with their money-which will mean nothing once these grifters take over-the Jews lost everything to the Nazis, remember?
I am calling these bastardizers of truth, these charlatans of faith Nazis! It is time to speak out louder than we ever have. It is time to call em as I see em. It is time for Jews who brought morality into the world with the Torah, Christians who follow the Jew Jesus as he spoke his commentary of the Hebrew Bible as lessons to live by, Muslims who learned of how their countries were open to learning with and from Jews, Christians, anyone who would join with them to rise up together. This is not just an issue of racism, prejudice, etc; it is an issue of “human suffering”. When it is reported that Eric Trump is going around on a speaking tour with known and proud Anti-Semites and there is no loud outcry, when Jared and Ivanka are not yelling from the rooftops, when Jews and people of color are still members of the Republican Party of Marjorie Taylor Greene, et al, how can we say we have “no limit to the concern” we “feel for human suffering”. When the Republican Jewish Coalition proclaims their allegiance to a group that supports Viktor Orban, when Jews are not screaming in the streets, when Americans are not rising up to recall the authoritarians in our Congress, how can we look ourselves in the mirror, pat ourselves on the back and say we care about people and we worship God?
Alcoholics had to be anonymous in the beginning and even now because of the prejudices people had about ‘those who could not hold their liquor’. The belief was/is that ‘those drunks’ could not be trusted. Isn’t it ironic those of us in recovery are dedicated to living along spiritual principles, we are constantly ridding ourselves of resentments, we look for our part in every situation, we continue to carry a message to other people who suffer, we welcome everyone in our meetings, we have no dues or fees for membership, we “love you until you can love yourself”. Yet we have to hide this from the general public because of the prejudice that has been part of our society since the 16th Century!!
I am enraged at what is happening, I am afraid for my bi-racial grandson, I am afraid for my nieces, nephews, their children, for my neighbors, etc. We have uncorked a meanness and a hatred that is difficult, if not impossible to put back in the bottle. I am speaking out through this blog, I am asking you to spread the teachings of Rabbi Heschel through your actions and I pray God will open the hearts of these pathetic and dangerous human beings, as God opened my heart and Pres. George W. Bush’s heart and helped us change and grow into better human beings. God Bless and stay safe, Rabbi Mark