Bill Gates, founder and CEO of the world's largest computer
software company, Microsoft, paid a short visit to Israel
about a year ago and complimented Israeli technology.
"The use of technology in Israel is far more widespread than
in other countries," he enthused. "In fact, it's almost like
Silicon Valley. You have expertise in a great many fields and
success breeds success. Of all the countries throughout the
world which I have visited, Israel is perhaps the country
most similar to the U.S."
The Israeli media hailed Gates' quotation with open glee,
since he is, after all, regarded as one of the richest, most
influential people in the entire world. Various Israeli
columnists took pride in the fact that so many factors
indicate that Israel is considered a major international hi-
tech/technology power. Indeed, on the one hand, there is no
arguing that economically speaking, the facts are very
impressive.
The question is: Is this the goal, the uniqueness of the
Jewish people? Are we considered a Chosen People by virtue of
technological accomplishments and comparison to the Silicon
Valley?
How can we boast of such achievements when, at the very same
time, other facts and factors from our daily life show that
Israel has become an importer of a depraved, sinful culture,
the sour, rotten fruit of the liberal Western world?
We cannot help but note that technological development per
se, which is so glorified and deified in the secular
media, has proven time and again to be the Soton's own
instrument, serving him admirably to promote spiritual
downfall with accelerating success, never dreamed of in the
past. Every police department now has a unit for computer
offenses, proving that the computer and its wide range of
side developments have made possible a flood of data into an
unbelievably wide-ranging area, transforming the world into a
global village. Built into this expansion is an expanded
capacity for depravity which is better left undescribed and
unmentioned.
Whoever merely looks about, cannot help but discern one basic
reality that is difficult to ignore. There exists a strange
scientific see-saw-like inverse law, as it were, with regard
to material progress vis-a-vis spiritual deterioration.
Science and technology make giant steps forward, while the
ethical, moral level plummets to new nadirs.
Maran HaRav Eliyohu Dessler zt'l writes (Michtav
MeEliyohu, essay on `The Material Supremacy — a
Ruination') that wherever humanity channels all of its
resources towards the development of external materialism
while totally ignoring the internal ethical content, it can
only lead to the bottom-most pit of moral dissolution. The
dizzying pace of modern advancement only exacerbates the
process, providing new, extremely powerful tools for the use
of a degenerate, decadent society.
"In their arrogant conceit, mankind believes that the more
they develop the world scientifically and technologically,
with advancements and inventions to pander to their base
desires for ease and comfort, the closer they come to
creating a more perfect world. They ignore the very
undeniable fact that these selfsame advancements are the
source of their downfall. The more so-called civilized the
world, the more decadent it becomes.
"They refuse to understand that their evil traits lead to
destruction and that they sabotage any possible advantage
[they could have from the advancement]. If mankind would only
realize that they have to `give' rather than `take,' the
world would be so much better, so much more advanced and
civilized. But their fallacy lies in taking, grabbing,
fighting, rat-racing and warmongering. Consequently, all of
their inventions are merely serving these nefarious ends.
Take, for example, how the shrinking of distances through the
means of transportation, including air travel, have done more
harm than good by making possible instant, mass global
warfare and death.
"Chazal have already stated that a gathering of wise men is a
blessing to them and a blessing to the world, whereas the
convening of evil men is a curse to them and a curse to the
world. And while many inventions might have been beneficial
to mankind had they been utilized by the righteous, they are
surely not for the good of mankind in the hands of the people
who wield their power. They have not brought blessing or
moral advancement, as was falsely believed. The simplest fool
can realize this.
"Only the advent of Moshiach can rectify this illusion, for
then the world will be filled with `knowledge of Hashem like
the water that covers the sea' and then mankind will finally
enjoy a rectified, realigned material world that is
fulfilling its true purpose."
HaRav Eliyohu Dessler zt'l points out the lessons
which can be derived from studying the parshos of
these weeks.
First is the message from parshas Bereishis which we
read last week. The true relationship towards secular
sciences in general, he writes, can be seen through Torah-
true eyes with regard to the first inventor, Tuval Kayin, who
was the first blacksmith.
How would we have regarded his innovation through ancient
eyes? The general reaction must have been one of wonder and
admiration. Until he came along, people had to plow the land
with their ten fingers, with the primitive sticks and stones.
Then, along comes this amazing inventor, Tuval Kayin, who is
making life so much easier for them through the discovery of
iron and its many uses.
Chazal, however, regarded this innovation to the world as an
introduction to destruction. Tuval Kayin increased the means
and potential for destruction. "Tuval Kayin `teebeil' -
- seasoned, developed and advanced — the art of Kayin,
to create and introduce a whole new arsenal of deadly weapons
enhancing and `refining' the art of murder" (Rashi
Bereishis 4:22).
He elaborates, explaining that this lesson can be extended as
well to this week's portion. The generation of the Flood
erred, likewise, and was punished by the eruption of the
wellsprings of the subterranean waters first, in a measure-
for-measure for their zest in developing materialism and
hedonism in this world.
They persisted in their depraved ways, as the Midrash
Tanchuma tells us: "`The mercy of the wicked is
malicious' — this refers to the generation of the
Flood, which was brutal. At the time that Hashem brought
forth the waters from the abyss, they took their children and
threw them in so as to plug up the flow."
In the aggodos of Bereishis (Chapter Four), it
is added: "They had many offspring, and each man took his
child and threw it in the swirling water . . . to stop the
flow, but the waters surged up, nonetheless. They then took
other children and flung them, too, into the rising waters.
Behold their `mercy' — `the mercy of the wicked is
cruel.' "
The meaning of these quotes, he says, is as follows: "The
more mankind attempts to introduce developments and
inventions in this world, the more troubles they heap
increasingly upon their own heads. Instead of realizing that
they are only entangling themselves more deeply in this-
worldliness, they seek new areas to develop this materialism
all the more, in the hope that this will finally lead to
happiness. But when they see that this, too, fails, they
renew their efforts so that their children, at least, will
benefit from their `advancements' and derive pleasure from
this world.
"It is amazing how mankind refuses to realize that they are
headed towards destruction. Even in our own generation, we so
clearly see how all the modern industrial inventions have
only brought destruction and wrought havoc to a myriad of
people in every land, and the upgrading of the standard of
living has done ever so much more harm than good in
increasing stress, anxiety and frustration. All the economic
studies prove that efforts to avoid these ills only serve to
augment them.
"Notwithstanding, the world insists on believing that
salvation is just around the corner, with the latest
invention, the newest development in making life easier, more
comfortable, more pleasurable, more materially perfect. And
if this is not achieved in this lifetime, why then, life will
be better in the coming generation.
"In this way, they raise their children to believe in
technology, to further develop it, to worship what it offers.
This is the meaning of their `casting their children into the
waters' to plug them up. They refused to believe that their
efforts were not only not the panacea for their offspring,
but actually their destruction. And even if they heap patch
upon patch to mend this ill or that defect, they will never
be able to withstand the overall destruction and devastation
which they themselves have wrought. And so it emerges that in
their `mercy,' their concern for their children, they are
being all the more cruel by accelerating their downfall."
The lesson, which begs to be understood, is not affected by
the [literal] breakneck speed of today's material progress,
much faster than in Rav Dessler's day. Whoever does not want
to drown his children will bequeath them the proper
aspirations and goals in life.
As HaRav Dessler concludes: "Truly, contentment in life can
only result from histapkus in this world, satisfaction
from a material minimum, and a deep aspiration for
spirituality. As Chazal said: `This is the way of Torah . . .
' And if you follow this, `Happy will you be in this world .
. . ' "
