Wednesday, July 14, 2021
Please don’t trash-talk Israel. Aside from the fact that criticism of Israel is against
Torah precepts, and really bad form, why would you do it when the entire weight
of the world is bearing down on the Jewish State with all the hate it can
muster? Do we really need it from you,
too?
Look, I don’t know you. I don’t know who you are, or what
you think about Israel. But if you don’t love Israel, this piece probably isn’t
for you. Because this week I’m writing for the people who love Israel. And if
you love Israel, this is very simple: you’d never do anything to harm her.
Yes. I know. The IHRA working definition of antisemitism
says that criticism
of Israel “similar to that leveled against any other country” isn’t hate,
and “cannot be regarded as antisemitic.”
That’s fine. We’re not talking about haters here. We’re
talking about the people who claim to love Israel. People who ought to know
better. (Here’s where for some reason, I see in my mind’s eye a Scotsman on a
mountaintop, in full kilt crying out, “If ye loue her, you'd ne'er slander her.”)
The sages of the Talmud were clear about this, going so far
as to stand in the shade on hot days and in the sun on cold days so they and
their students would not complain about Israel’s weather. Ketubot 112a:
Rabi Abba kissed the rocks of Acco. Rabi Chanina repaired the roads of Eretz Yisrael. Rabi Ami and Rabi Assi moved the students from the sun to the shade and from the shade to the sun [so they wouldn’t complain about the weather]. Rabi Chiya bar Gamda used to roll in the dirt of Eretz Yisrael, as the scripture (Tehillim 102:15) states, "For your servants desire her stones and find charm in her dirt."
Scripture
is clear on this. We learn it from the story of the spies. The spies
weren’t lying when they talked about seeing giants and other bad stuff during
their pilot trip to Israel. They were telling the absolute truth. But there
were many nice things they could have said about Israel. Instead they chose to
say ugly things, and this had a chilling effect on the people, so that they became scared to make Aliyah.
It all boils down to this: The Torah prohibits speaking negative language about the
Land of Israel. To use negative language in relation to Israel is a form of Lashon Hara (Evil Speech), a category of
forbidden speech. Also, the Torah stipulates that Lashon
Hara, by definition, is true.
The spies’ report was scary for the very reason that it was
true. Giants? You’d talk about them no matter WHERE you saw them, Spain, France,
Italy . . . why would you keep the
presence of giants to yourself? The report given by the spies was legitimate, but here’s the
thing: it was frickin' scary.
IHRA would no doubt see the spies’ report as “legitimate
criticism.” But the Torah went to great lengths to tell us it’s wrong to speak like
this about Israel—that it’s damaging.
Here’s where some might say, “It’s precisely because I care
about Israel that I say these things. I want to effect positive change.”
But negative reports about Israel cannot and do not effect positive change. That’s a part of what we learn from the story of the spies. Negative reports about Israel cause damage. In the case of the spies, a negative report scared people off from coming to live in Israel. And this is a kind of damage, because Israel encourages and needs Aliyah.
I like to tell people: “Israel wants your warm bodies.”
Because what Israel needs isn’t a public perception that limits her
ability to grow. Israel needs to be strengthened. And that means strengthening Israel's population through Aliyah.
The spies could have, and should have, talked about the delightful fruits of Israel and the way the inhabitants feared and gave honor to the spies. Today we can still take this route. We can talk about the wonders of the Israeli pomelo and the flavorful red tomatoes. We can marvel at the way our leaders face down Iraq and Iran, and appear before Congress to standing ovations. The Land of Israel has been vanquished time and time again, our land nearly, but never quite emptied of our people, yet here we are, having risen from the ashes like a phoenix.
These are the things that make a
positive impression and make people yearn to be here. Stories about the wonderful people. The miracle we are. The
gorgeous produce that springs from our holy soil.
Had the people but heard these potent stories that tell of Israel—stories that are true, stories that tell of what they never knew, never dreamed we would become—they’d have rushed into the Land with pure hearts,
full of excitement, desire, and purpose.
Here's the thing: Israel is called the Holy Land
for a reason. To be holy is to be set apart
from all else, in this case, all other countries. Sacred. The IHRA definition that refers to criticism you’d say of “any other country” notwithstanding: Israel is
different.
Am I saying that Israel should be held to a different
standard? Hell, yes. All honor must be given. A negative report, on the other hand, is
a desecration.
Don’t think it’s not.
Because when you trash-talk Israel you're piling it on. You're increasing the hate, which is to put all Jews in danger. And at that point,
who the hell cares if what you’re saying is true? The words that issue from your mouth damage public perception thereby posing an existential danger to Israel.
Do you want to effect positive change? Increase love for Israel in the world. Say nice things about her. Speak well of the Jewish State that rules over a significant part of your land.
If nothing else, don’t say anything bad. Even if you feel
like you really, really want to. Seriously.
Just zip it.
Note to my readers: I will be taking a hiatus from this column as I recover from surgery for midfoot arthritis. Thanks for being my loyal readers. I hope you’ll be waiting for me on my return. In the meantime, keep it warm!
