"And behold, he is coming towards us" (Bereishis
32:7).
The days of Jew-hatred upon this world parallel the number of
days of Jewish existence. Wherever there have been Jews
— there, also, has antisemitism existed, at all times
and in all places. It is an irrational, inexplicable
animosity and antipathy.
At times it was due to the fact that we were "a nation came
out of Egypt," that is, a tribe of despised slaves described
by antisemites as lepers, a subhuman race. At other times, it
was because "they covered the eye of the land," that is, we
were seen as ubiquitous; we could be found in every
prestigious position, every strategic office, in each
economic niche and every scientific chair. We were often
hated for being downtrodden and destitute, and at other
times, for being the tribe of the wealthy who sought to
throttle the world economy.
The Jew is persecuted in his exile for being scattered and
dispersed among the nations, or for being clannishly
cohesive. No matter what — he is ever the butt of
hatred, even when he dwells separate in his own home, in
Eretz Yisroel.
"It is an axiomatic halochoh that Eisov despises
Yaakov." HaRav Menachem Ziemba zt'l Hy'd who was,
himself, a victim of that brutal antisemitism, used to
interpret the above homiletically:
What is the meaning of the word `halochoh' in the
above context? Why is this specific term used where a
general, figurative meaning is apparently implied?
And he would explain:
The above was said by the saintly R' Shimon bar Yochai who,
it should be remembered, used to attempt to fathom the
literal explanation of the Torah text. When he attempted to
explain the rationale behind antisemitism, he could find no
rhyme or reason for it that made any sense. The word
halochoh refers to a Divine law of the Torah as
transmitted through Moshe from Sinai, often an arbitrary
practice which we must not question nor seek to understand.
This is in distinction with those aspects of Torah which we
are permitted — and even encouraged — to
polemicize with, to argue, dispute and contend with, through
human logic. But halochoh must be accepted as is. It
is contained and final. Immutable and irrevocable.
So too is the axiomatic fact of antisemitism. It is an
unquestionable reality, a fact of Jewish life throughout our
generations. R' Shimon bar Yochai comes to tell us that he
must bow out of attempting to explain and understand this
entity, as he would other aspects of Torah. He accedes that
it is a transmitted fact that lacks reason or logic.
Are There Reasons for Antisemitism?
In vain would we search for reasons for Jew hatred, for even
if we were to find them, we are advised to remember that it
is simply an integral part of human reality. Any reasons one
may come up with only justify its existence; they do not
truly explain its source. The reasons are not the true causes
for this hatred; rather, the opposite is true. The reasons
are excuses devised by those who wish to rationalize their
preexisting hatred. Consequently, these reasons will vary to
suit time and place.
Yaakov has no choice. He seeks to send messengers to find
favor in Eisov's eyes. Sometimes he succeeds and his prayer
is accepted and even his tribute finds favor in the eyes of
the pasha, ruler or strongman. Sometimes Eisov's compassion
is actually aroused — but this is only a fleeting
phenomenon. The general rule is that his decrees are harsh,
with no respite; one day's curse exceeds that of its
predecessor's.
*
Even so, even if we cannot point a specific finger or a
logical reason to serve as a reasonable basis for
antisemitism, this hatred does have a very understandable
explanation on the spiritual plane, one which makes sense to
believers in Jewish destiny.
Let us attempt to analyze, to whatever extent possible, the
roots of the first outbreak of antisemitism against Yaakov as
a nation. We find this by Pharaoh and the Egyptians, who
despised the Jews, as testified by the Torah through specific
assertions: A new king came to power over Egypt, one who
denied the good which Yosef had done for the country and who
totally ignored his existence. Within a short period, the
wheel of fortune revolved a half-cycle and the family which
had been second in power became transformed into a family of
persecuted slaves. Egypt became, in effect, the first country
in history to house a Jewish ghetto. How did this antipathy
evolve? What were the reasons for the 180- degree
revolution?
Yaakov Seeks to Live in the Land of Goshen
When Yaakov Ovinu arrived in Egypt, he sent Yehuda on before
him to prepare a house of study from whence would issue forth
Torah for his offspring (see Rashi Bereishis 46:28).
But he did not suffice with this. He sought to settle in the
land of Goshen, far from the residential centers of the
Egyptian population. He was wary, right from the beginning,
of going down to Egypt, saw in this a danger for the
spiritual future of his children (Ha'amek Dovor
46:3).
After Hashem commanded him to descend to Egypt, Yaakov made
his way there together with the seventy souls of his
household. And there, he was determined to keep his separate
way, to isolate himself from the heathen residents of
Egypt.
Yosef tells Pharaoh that his brothers are shepherds, and
since sheep are the deity of Egypt, their occupation is an
abomination to the people wherefore it is necessary that they
dwell apart from the rest of the population. The true reason
of course he could not explain to Pharaoh, who would not be
able to accept it. An outsider can never understand why
social integration is anathema to Yaakov and his sons. They
see it as something mutually beneficial.
Yaakov's request is granted and he settles in the land of
Goshen.
From Egypt to Europe
Years passed and Yaakov passes on from this world. The heads
of the tribes also pass on and their influence wanes. The
younger generation decides that Goshen cramps them; they wish
to see the outside world and become absorbed into it. They
begin to inhabit the urban centers of the country. Suddenly,
they are seen in Nof, Tachpanches and what is later called
Alexandria.
"And the children of Israel became fruitful and increased
abundantly and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty, and
the land was filled with them" (Shemos 1:7). What is
the significance of this `filling the land' which the Torah
states? It stands to reason that when a nation multiplies, it
fills the land. What does the Torah wish to tell us here?
HaRav Yehoshua Leib Diskin used to say that the Torah wishes
to tell us that those sections of Egypt which formerly had
been free of Jews were suddenly filled with them. The Jews
suddenly rebelled against the isolation imposed upon them by
Yaakov in Goshen and chose to willingly integrate themselves
into Egyptian culture and society. While they did not change
their Jewish names and still spoke Hebrew, their interests
now encompassed Egyptian life and they infiltrated places
that had heretofore been free of Jewish presence and
influence. Jews had previously considered them unsuitable.
And the land of Goshen lost its population density in favor
of other Egyptian centers.
Three millennia and three centuries later, HaRav Hakodosh
Elchonon Wasserman zt'l Hy'd described a similar
phenomenon in Europe:
"`Do not rejoice, Israel; exult not like the nations.' A Jew
must not revel in those pleasures in which the gentiles
indulge. The gentiles have leisure time after they have
finished their daily work and they seek recreation and
entertainment to fill that free time.
"The Jew never has a free moment in his life. After a Jew has
finished his day's work, he is duty bound to study Torah.
Whoever is not capable of studying independently should seek
a teacher to instruct him. A Jew is obligated to devote his
time to practicing mitzvos and doing good deeds, to help
others according to his capacity. The Torah demands of a Jew
this regimen in life. `You shall be holy.' A Jew must be
holy. The Jewish home must be holy. Every Jewish heart must
be holy.
"`And I have separated you from the nations to be unto Me.'
`If you are set apart from the nations — then you are
Mine' (Rashi on Vayikra 20:26). In this latter period,
[Jews] have discontinued studying Torah. Consequently, they
have free time on their hands. What do they do? Jews come
en masse and fill theaters and other places of
entertainment. They return to their homes steeped in vile
thoughts and foreign influence which defiles their Jewish
homes" (Kovetz Maamorim, by HaRav Elchonon Wasserman,
essay "Ikvies deMeshicho").
This is what happened in Egypt. The arenas of entertainment
may have been different there, but the spiritual pollution
was the same and the evil drive was also the same. "Let us be
like all the nations." The selfsame desire not to be
different from the rest, the drive to be integrated into the
culture of the host country.
The Answer from Heaven is Swift in Coming
And then, when the children of Israel began devising ways to
mingle among the gentiles, the bondage began. This is when
Pharaoh issued his decrees. It was the tribe of Levi which
remained in Goshen and continued studying Torah and
sanctifying themselves in avodas Hashem, just as is
quoted by R' Wasserman from the Midrash. "So long as you are
separated from the nations — you are Mine. If you are
not separated from the nations — you belong to
Nevuchadnezzar and his ilk." And there are many of
Nevuchadnezzar's kind. Pharaoh, in the beginning of Jewish
history, and Hitler ym'sh in these pre-Messianic
times.
R' Wasserman addresses himself to the latter period:
"The answer from Heaven does not tarry in coming. Like
lepers, Jews are evicted from the places of recreation.
Yuden raus. This is not your place. So very true! The
place of a Jew is in the beis midrash, where he is
obligated to delve in Torah or pour out his heart through the
psalms of Tehillim" (Ibid.).
This comes to teach us that when a Jew attempts to burst the
barriers erected between him and the gentiles around him, the
gentile reminds him of his Jewish identity and origin —
with heavy hand and outstretched arm.
One of the great maggidim used to say: When a Jew
makes kiddush [sanctifies himself], the gentile does
not make havdoloh [impose differentiation]. But when a
Jew forgets to make kiddush, when he forgets that he
is a sanctified part of the Chosen People and abandons the
Torah and its commandments, the gentile makes the
havdoloh — the separation, isolation and
estrangement. He declares gardens out of limits for Jews,
imposes restrictions on residential areas and bans them from
practicing certain professions.
Did the Jews Circumcise their Children in Egypt?
And why is this true? The Beis Halevi notes in his work that
even when the Jews attempted to become closer to the
Egyptians, their intentions were not bad. He quotes two
midroshim that seem to contradict one another.
One tells that the Jews violated the commandment of
circumcision while in Egypt, while another midrash
tells that they continued to circumcise their sons even in
Egypt. He explains that actually, the Jews remained righteous
even after the bondage began.
He further explains that they certainly continued to
circumcise their children while in Egypt, but tried to cover
this fact up so as not to appear different from the general
populace. Hiding the fact of one's circumcision through
physical means in order to appear uncircumcised is not
outrightly forbidden from the Torah, only by rabbinical
ordinance, and only if it is not done to show one's disregard
for the commandment. Here, before the giving of the Torah, it
was not even forbidden miderabbonon.
If they did so without malice and derision, why then, did
they do it altogether?
Beis Halevi explains that after Yosef died, his brothers
understood that the days of bondage would soon be upon them.
According to their prophesied tradition, the period of
slavery was meant to last four hundred years and they were
concerned for the future. How would these Egyptians, and
their coming generations, treat the Jews? They felt that
casting down the barriers that separated Jew from Egyptian
would make their lot easier. Indeed, under natural
circumstances, integration does help ease discrimination by
creating general amity and closeness. They sought a strategy
and agreed upon this one, of drawing closer to their Egyptian
hosts by not being overly different from them. They sought to
obfuscate the differences so they not seem like immigrants
and aliens. By being similar in body, they thought to head
off any hatred that might arise.
During this period, it was primarily circumcision which
differentiated Jew from non-Jew, for this was the only
commandment that they already practiced. Their strategy,
which was accepted by the bulk of the people, should, under
normal circumstances, have solved any future problem. To all
intents and purposes they would be physically like the
Egyptians and they would be able to consort with them
socially on equal terms and the differences would be
negligible. And as we said, at that time, there was nothing
explicitly forbidden in this at a technical halachic
level.
Antisemitism as a Means of Differentiation
If, indeed, the Jews did not sin, why then did the hearts of
the Egyptians turn against them? How did they begin to hate
them?
The Beis Halevi explains:
"Even though the fact of mutilating their circumcision to
appear non-circumcised was not actually forbidden at this
point, still it could easily have led to their assimilating
among the Egyptians in time, and sinking into their
debasements. The obvious purpose of miloh is
[precisely] to establish a distinctive sign between Jew and
gentile! Hashem gave the Torah and its commandments to Israel
in order that they be separated from the sons of Noach and
from the nations of the world, as it is written, `And I set
you apart from the nations.' If the Jews would really have
drawn close to them, Hashem would have forced the separation
upon them by rousing animosity in their hearts.
"All this is for the benefit of Jewry, precisely in order
that they not mingle. Therefore, after the Jews deliberately
took action to conceal their circumcision and obscure the
differences that Hashem had imposed precisely because they
wished to draw closer to the Egyptians, Hashem had to force
the separation upon them and create a demarcation by
implanting a hatred in the Egyptians' hearts, as it is
stated, `And they were reviled because of the Jews.' The
simple explanation is that the Jews become so despised upon
them that whenever they saw a Jew, they would feel the
disgust rise up, like a person who sees something distasteful
and feels like vomiting. Hashem created this antipathy in
their hearts so that they would distance themselves from the
Jews and not allow them to assimilate among them.
"This was not a punishment in any sense, for the Jews had not
outwardly sinned and did not deserve an overt punishment.
Rather, it was a safeguard, a defensive measure to prevent
assimilation. It was purely for their own good" (Beis
Halevi: Parshas Shemos).
The point of the Beis Halevi is that the increased measure of
slavery, the compounded suffering and persecution, was in no
measure a punishment but precisely a means of safeguarding
their Jewish identity and uniqueness. It was to preserve them
as a separate entity to enable them to receive the Torah.
This surely holds true in instances that Jews seek to
demolish the barriers that separate them from gentiles
through forbidden means, by violating some of the
commandments, simple or more stringent ones. For then, the
harsh decrees certainly serve a double purpose: to preserve
their uniqueness as Jews, as well as being a punishment for
their having estranged themselves from Torah and mitzvos.
