Hold on Tight!

by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine

Golus is difficult. Literally translated, Golus means exile. But the connotation is far deeper. Golus is a state of being in which things aren’t as they are supposed to be. It is a state of distance and lack of clarity between us and Hashem.

The Jewish people are in Golus today. Whether we live in the diaspora or in the Land of Israel, we struggle. Dealing with crisis, with threats, with vulnerabilities, we forge forward daily and simply try to do the best we can.

The Golus in Mitzrayim was also difficult. Yakov and his family left their homeland and entered exile and were there for generations. But there is a dramatic difference between that exile and ours. In Mitzrayim they had leaders who were prophets. Moshe, for example, was able to inform the people that redemption was imminent. Moshe was able to contradict the naysayers who thought that we should remain in Golus forever. Moshe was able to share with the people the promise that following redemption there would be Sinai and a Land of Israel.

The prophets in the time of the Beis Hamikdash anticipated our Golus, a Golus without prophecy. In the final words of the prophets— in the book of Malachi—we find the prophets’ parting message, “Remember the Torah.” As the Malbim explains, “This is the final prophecy until the times of Moshiach. From this point on we cannot turn to Hashem expecting guidance in the form of prophecy. Instead, we are advised: Stay close to Torah. That will uplift you.”

I once heard a story shared by Rav Kook (d. 1935), the Chief Rabbi of what would become the State of Israel, while it was in formation under the British Mandate. Rav Kook recounted how in his childhood, he lived in a town that was a bit distant from the school. To get to school the boys had to walk through a hilly forest which was quite beautiful during the spring and summer months. But in the winter, there were times that things got snowy and icy, and it was quite challenging for the boys to get to school. Some children arrived bruised, from numerous falls. Others took a much longer route and came to school late and exhausted.

One year, Rav Kook and a friend decided to try a different approach. Before the first snow, they ran a rope through the forest from the residential part of town to the area in which the school was located. On the first snow day they tested their strategy. It performed astonishingly well. By holding tightly to the rope, the boys were able to travel straight through the forest without falling even once.

Rav Kook recounted this incident years later in his adult life as a Moshol (parable) for the Jew in Golus. There are many situations that could easily fell us or exhaust us. But if we hold on tightly to Torah which is anchored well in the past and in the future, then we can travel through the snowy, hilly forest, without faltering.

I was reminded of Rav Kook’s story this week as I considered the many complex situations which we – in Golus– face today.

In the State of Israel, for example, a movement of Giyur (conversion) reform is underway. This reform is to change the standards from the sacred requirements regarding a person who wishes to enter the covenant of the Jewish people. If past experiences worldwide are any indication, the goal is to create a situation in which anyone who professes a desire to be called Jewish will be allowed to do so, regardless of their commitment to Mitzvos, to Halacha, or to the basic beliefs of the Jewish people. David Ben Gurion, the founding Prime Minister of the State of Israel, foresaw this problem. In a letter dated June 19, 1947, he declared that the official position of the State would be to endorse Shabbat and Kashrut, and that standards of Geirut must be such that we avoid splitting the Jewish people into two.

In another Golus topic, our communities have been hit particularly hard by the COVID situation. We are a very communal people, and the ongoing lack of resolution, and yet a new wave of illness (for some, even after two vaccines and a booster), creates a particularly disconcerting situation. Many people are less connected than ever before, and many have drifted from the connections that have traditionally comforted us and kept us strong. It would be so nice to have the guidance and clarity which a prophet could provide.

Yet another hard hit, was the information that a well-known, talented writer and therapist had been acting improperly with clients for years. His suicide following exposure leaves many in shock and leaves a legacy of abuse and serious emotional scars for so many.

It is in the difficult times of Golus that we dearly crave prophetic guidance. We wish there was a Moshe to rebuff the Doson and Avirams of the world. We wish there was a prophet who could tell us the message of COVID and how to protect ourselves and our loved ones. We wish there was a definitive leader who could guide all people to righteousness in both public and private, and demand of people that they get professional help when it is called for.

Yet, in Golus we do not have prophecy. Instead, we have the directive of the prophets that keeps us strong, connected, and unfaltering throughout the ages: “Remember the Torah.”

What does it mean to remember the Torah? It means that in the face of shock, sadness, and fear, we should lean in towards Torah, and not allow ourselves to drift. The values of Torah, like Tzedaka and chesed (kindness), should be increased. Involvement and support for Torah education and shul participation should be increased. Just as great Jews after the Holocaust leaned in, they held on tighter and rebuilt, so we must lean into Torah and hold on tightly.

The Talmud (Megilla 24b) tells of a blind man who raises a torch of fire in the night so that others can see and help him stay clear of obstacles. The Jew in Golus is a bit blind. It is hard to see well, and we do not have the benefit of prophecy. We must lean in and hold tightly to the rope of traditional Torah spanning generations. We can forge forward with clarity even in uncertain times. We can raise the torch of Torah and together we can provide light for a bright future for the entire Jewish people.

© 2022 by Rabbi Rhine and TEACH613™