This morning, we started the book of Vayikra, Leviticus,
which talks about the laws surrounding the kohanim, priests, in general, and
the high priest, Aharon, in particular.
One of their duties was to settle disputes among the people. Aharon was seen as one who loved people and
pursued peace. “If he heard two people
who were involved in an argument, he went to each one separately and said, ‘You
know that your friend is truly sorry and regrets what he did. He is also very embarrassed and seeks a way
to apologize. Therefore he sent me to
you to beg forgiveness.’ Thus when they subsequently met, they would hug each
other.” (Avot DeRabbi Natan 12)
What Aharon did not do is go to one individual and tell him
to just call off the dispute, to end the conflict. The result would have been the same. There would have been peace in the camp, but
Aharon understood the true meaning of peace.
Although shalom means a lack of conflict, or freedom from
war, its meaning goes beyond that.
Shalom comes from the word shalem which means complete. “In order to achieve shalom, everything must
be present in the correct quantities and in the right place.” (Rav Kook)
Shalom doesn’t mean that everyone must be the same. The Torah’s view of shalom is quite
different. According to the Torah, “The
way to attain it is to set very clear boundaries and define the appropriate
place for all. This develops the
individual skills and distinct qualities of each person.” Peace was not established by forcing a
compromise, rather by encouraging each side to recognize his own position and
importance. Together, they would each
define their own views and come to see the relevance of both sides. Then disagreements could disappear and
friendships could be forged. In this system
of pursuing peace via the kohanim, no one came out guilty and neither party compromised. There was a place for all to exist together
in harmony.
So as I hear this view of peace promoted by the Torah, I see
it as being instructive for those who are watching what is happening within
Israel and in relationship to Israel today.
When my brother in Jerusalem and I chatted after this week’s elections he
wrote, “Most Palestinians want peace without Israel
and their leadership wants a state without peace….The world will give it to
them too.” Such a view cannot lead to
shalom, the way Torah understands the meaning of peace. Peace must allow for a place for all to exist
together which does not allow the non-acceptance of Israel as the Jewish state,
nor the destruction of Israel to be part of the equation. …..Perhaps Charles
Krauthammer, said it best, “Peace
awaits three things. Eventual Palestinian acceptance of a Jewish state. A
Palestinian leader willing to sign a deal based on that premise. A modicum of
regional stability that allows Israel to risk the potentially fatal withdrawals
such a deal would entail.”
Sadly, I do not believe we’re any closer to that
future dream now than when Israel was created in 1948, but not because of the
new election results. So I will continue
to pray for peace and world leadership that will one day understand that
pursuing peace is not a matter of forcing a compromise, rather seeing the
relevance of both sides and having the parties involved learn that as
well.
As for divisions within our
Jewish world, when Rav Kook thought about our seder night which will be coming
up soon, he noted that we talk about four sons…one wise, one wicked, one
simple, and one mute who does not know how to ask a question. In his words, “The amazing thing is that they
all appear in the Torah. The Torah finds
a place not only for the clever and the obedient, but also for the wicked and
the disinterested. Each is incorporated
into the Torah and an answer is given to each. They all take a seat together at
the seder table and ask their respective questions.” This is the greatest vision of shalom which
anyone could ask for within the world of Jewry.
May it be a reality in our day!
No comments:
Post a Comment