חנניה ווייסמאן Chananya Weissman

Bottom Line: Choose the Worst Israel Instead of the Best Galus!

The Best Galus Ever

I like to keep things simple. The arguments in favor of residing in galus over Israel inevitably boil down to two tracks:

1) Life in galus is better.

2) Life in Israel is worse.

The rest is commentary. People will only move to Israel, or choose to stay there, if they crunch all the objective and subjective variables, and determine that life in Israel is a better deal. There is no need to catalog all the variables; we know them.

Instead, I would like to present the greatest sales pitch for galus in history. Imagine a scenario in which life in galus could not be any better, while life in Israel could not be any worse. It would look something like this:

Economic: Getting by in Israel is virtually impossible. The economy is completely in the tank, extreme poverty is widespread, and there are severe food shortages. Survival is only possible due to an influx of foreign aid, which of course comes with strings attached.

In galus, however, the Jews live with great prosperity and don’t even need to work. Their standard of living could not be better. They are free to live in the most upscale neighborhoods, tax-free, without even having to worry about zoning laws.

Political: Israel is completely ruled by gentiles. In fact, it wouldn’t even be known as Israel. Not only are Jews an extreme minority with little political influence, there are no Jews there at all! Although Jews are allowed to live in Israel, they have no say in how the country will be run. Furthermore, the gentiles who rule the land are diametrically opposed to Jewish values, and any Jew who does live there would need to keep an extremely low profile. He would be grudgingly tolerated at best, and would need to be perpetually wary of his neighbors.

In galus the Jews enjoy political power at the highest echelons and can be openly Jewish with impunity. Although there are some resentments, in general the Jews are respected, admired, and feared by the gentiles. No one would dare lay a finger on them.

Spiritual: Life in Israel is a spiritual wasteland. There are no rabbis, no shuls, no yeshivas, no Jewish education, no communal infrastructure of any kind. How could there be? There are no Jews! But to make matters worse, the spiritual environment could hardly be worse. The gentiles who rule the land are morally bankrupt, far worse than the gentiles in other lands. Raising a proper Jewish child would require separating from society as much as possible, with no support group.

In galus the Jews would still be vastly outnumbered, of course, but they would be able to live in their own spiritual cocoons. They would be guided by tremendous tzaddikim and Torah scholars, among the greatest who ever lived. Jewish education would also be completely free. Their religious rights would be fully protected; in fact, Jewish leaders would be recognized as holy by the gentiles and held in the highest esteem. Naturally, Jewish communal and family life would be ideal.

If a Jew could choose between living in the Israel or the galus described above, the correct choice would be obvious.

Israel.

This is not a theroetical question. This actually happened. When the Jews first came to Egypt, and for many years before things turned bad, this was the situation. Yosef was the ruler. Yaacov was the spiritual leader. The Jews enjoyed freedom and prosperity without a care in the world.

At the same time, Israel was known as Canaan, ruled by the most wicked idolaters in the world. They were so spiritually bankrupt and morally corrupt that they deserved to be utterly destroyed. There was famine in the land, and everyone was beholden to Egypt for their food. The inhabitants were also well aware of Jewish ambitions to ultimately kick them out and take over the land. Conditions for a Jew could hardly be less favorable.

Nevertheless, Yaacov would not have left Israel were he not compelled by divine decree and heavenly machinations. Same for his family, which comprised the entirety of the Jewish people. Yosef would not have left Israel or remained in Egypt if not for circumstances beyond his control. They were expected to live in galus at all times with one foot out the door, ready to return to Israel at the earliest opportunity. They were expected to give up the best life in galus for the most difficult life in Israel, and to view that as the greatest priority, the greatest blessing.

Home is home, and if it isn’t everything you want it to be, you need to be there to really change that.

Despite all the complaints, many of which are justified, life in Israel has a lot going for it. Despite the deep attachment many Jews have to galus, despite the yetzer hara to remain there no matter what, life in galus is no paradise for an authentic Jew. It never can be. It’s an exile, an unnatural habitat, a temporary dwelling where the Jew may be tolerated and exploited for some time, but where he is never meant to feel at home. He doesn’t belong there.

When a Jew remembers this, keeps one foot out the door, and desires to return home at the first opportunity, there is no need for the galus to be rough. However, when he mistakenly interprets God’s kindness in softening the exile as a sign that he should plant both feet there, the kindness needs to be removed.

One final time, as has happened so many times in history, the Jews have planted both feet in their temporary dwellings, mistaking a comfortable life in galus as preferable to an uncomfortable life in Israel. The kindness is being removed and once again things in galus are turning very bad very fast.

It shouldn’t have to be this way, and it still doesn’t need to be this way. We can learn the lesson without having to learn it the hard way. We can turn things around and finally get it right.

Tell shmutz la’aretz that you appreciate the hospitality and will remember the good times, but it’s time to just go home.

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www.chananyaweissman.com

Copies of Go Up Like a Wall are available from me at no cost upon request, and on Amazon for the minimum price they allowed.

Corona Vaccine VERSUS Bitachon

“God Watches Over Fools” Explained

The concept of שומר פתאים השם is being touted as a reason to take the experimental vaccine and not worry.  We are being told that because “most experts and the greatest experts” have decided that the risks are minimal, and the dangers of not taking the vaccine are severe, we must listen to them and vaccinate.
Unfortunately this ruling is based on fundamentally flawed reasoning and a complete distortion of the concept of שומר פתאים השם.  Here are links to two excellent in-depth treatments of the concept in Halacha, the main principles of which I will summarize below.
There are two opposing principles in Halacha which must be reconciled in all situations so that we can live healthy, balanced lives.
1) We have an obligation to protect our lives and wellbeing from danger.
2) We must trust in Hashem to protect us.
If we take extreme, abnormal measures to protect ourselves from danger, we demonstrate a lack of trust in Hashem.  Such measures have unintended consequences that compromise one’s mental health and ability to live a normal, productive life.  We are not supposed to be hypochondriacs or live with paranoia.
Indeed, such fear is a sign that one is a sinner (see Berachos 60A).  The righteous live with purpose and confidence, and put their trust in God.
On the other hand, we are not allowed to expect God to protect us without taking reasonable measures according to the situation.  Behaving in such a fashion requires miracles (of the more open variety) to be protected, and we are not allowed to rely on such miracles.  Even if a reckless person is protected, it detracts from his merits.
The shiurim I provided above illustrate these fundamental principles through a variety of halachic sources. According to the poskim, the following variables all impact the balance between what are considered reasonable risks to take, what is considered dangerous enough to avoid, and when to rely on God:
1. Is it a definite and immediate danger?
2. Is the behavior one that all of society has accepted as normal?
3. What is the likelihood of being harmed?
4. What are the benefits of the behavior?
These criteria must be weighed to determine the proper balance of appropriate risk, appropriate protective measures, and trusting in God.
A few examples will help illustrate this and provide clarity for our situation.
1. It is more dangerous to ride a car or fly in a plane than to go for a walk or stay at home.  However, the dangers are extremely remote, all of society has accepted these modes of transportation as normal, the likelihood of being harmed is close to zero, and the benefits of these modes of transportation are great.  Therefore, these risks are entirely acceptable and one should rely upon  שומר פתאים השם.
2. One is more likely to suffer an injury from playing sports or riding a bike than other forms of exercise. Some sports, like tackle football and boxing, have an extremely high risk of injury, including serious injuries, and are not advisable.  Others have less risk of injury and extremely low risk of serious injuries.  Bike riders, for example, have a greater risk of being hit by a car or suffering a head injury even with a helmet, but overall, with proper precautions, these risks are minimal.
At the same time, these activities have important health benefits, they provide a recreational and social outlet, and in the case of bike riding an inexpensive mode of transportation as well.  The risks involved are low and entirely acceptable, and therefore here too one should exercise caution but otherwise rely upon שומר פתאים השם
When it comes to activities with greater danger, the benefits must also be greater to justify the risk.  For example, one should not go into a jungle to hunt wild animals, for the danger is great and the benefits are minimal at best.  However, one may hunt animals for the sake of his livelihood or the performance of a mitzvah.  These primary benefits justify additional risks.
Similarly, we know that some workers will die during the construction of roads, bridges, tunnels, and other critical infrastructure.  However, the benefits to society far outweigh the risk to any individual worker, and therefore one is allowed to work in construction and rely upon שומר פתאים השם.
With these examples in mind, let us consider the current situation.  The coronavirus is real; we know quite well by now that it can cause long-term health problems and even death. We would be wise to take reasonable precautions to protect ourselves from it, as we would with any illness.  At the same time, we must avoid measures that are extreme and unduly harmful in their own right. We must find a reasonable balance, and then rely on שומר פתאים השם.
Some noted rabbis have urged people to take the experimental vaccine.  They claim that the risks of the vaccine are minimal, the risks are accepted by society, the benefits are great, and the dangers of not taking it are severe. Therefore, one should take it and rely upon שומר פתאים השם.
Unfortunately this is a faulty application of the concept.  The risks of the vaccine are largely unknown and cannot possibly be fully known for many years.  Many thousands of doctors all over the world have raised serious red flags about it, and their opinions cannot be cavalierly disregarded.  Not only are they being disregarded, those who express concerns are being mocked, censored, and punished.  That is hardly reassuring, nor the manner in which new drugs and treatments should be introduced under any circumstances.
In fact, governments are threatening to restrict the basic human rights of people who refuse to take the vaccine  This should be considered far more scary and dangerous than the coronavirus itself.
The benefits of the vaccine are hardly overwhelming.  At best they reduce the chance of developing a severe case of coronavirus if one is infected.  The same benefits can be achieved by boosting one’s immune system and other treatments that have proven to be highly effective and safe.
The risk of coronavirus cannot be compared to smallpox, which killed as high as 20 percent of some populations, nor can the benefits of this vaccine — which are minimal and achievable through other means — be compared to the smallpox vaccine, where there was no alternative.
Indeed, considering the low likelihood of developing a serious case of coronavirus without any intervention, the ease with which one can reduce the likelihood through safe and proven means, and the many unknowns and possible dangers of the vaccine, one cannot in good conscience urge people to take the vaccine and rely on שומר פתאים השם.
Just the opposite!  One should boost his immune system, demand that safer, proven treatments be readily provided as the primary option, then live with normalcy and confidence, and trust God to protect him.
If, down the road, one or more vaccines are truly proven to have tremendous benefits that far outweigh the risks, and are far superior to alternatives, they should be recommended.  We are not there yet.  Not even close.
In the meantime, compelling people in any way to take this vaccine, or restricting their basic human rights for choosing not to, is extremely unethical and must be challenged.  The restrictions that have been imposed upon us to this point are tyrannical and have caused overwhelming suffering and even death in a variety of ways.
We must be allowed to earn a living, spend time with our loved ones, socialize, and live our lives without hysteria and paranoia.  No political leader or rabbi has the right to take this away from us.
I will conclude with two particularly interesting sources that I stumbled upon just yesterday in my regular learning purely by “coincidence”.  They come from Yerushalmi Terumah Chapter 8.
There is a lengthy discussion about the dangers of leaving wine, water, and certain foods exposed.  It begins with the Mishna on page 42A, and I encourage those who are capable to look it up.
At the time there was a clear and present danger of snakes poisoning their liquids in particular, and the Gemara outlines the balance between reasonable precautions and risks in different situations.  Although poisonous snakes are not a concern for us today in most places, the principles are extremely relevant.
The Gemara on page 42A relates that Rabbi Ami had guests, and apologized for not serving them the pasteurized wine he had, for he had left it uncovered.  Rav Bibi said “Bring it and I will drink it.”  Rabbi Ami replied “One who wishes to die should go die in his own house.”
Rabbi Ami had both scientific and halachic cause for concern, and considered his wine forbidden to drink.  Rav Bibi was not concerned, and considered the small benefit of drinking the wine worth the risk that it had been poisoned.  The flow of the sugya indicated that the halacha was with Rabbi Ami; the dangers were serious enough and likely enough to outweigh the benefit.
Significantly, Rabbi Ami allows Rav Bibi the right to take inappropriate risks, just not under his roof.  This too is illustrated throughout the sugya.  Chazal outline the boundaries of Halacha in these areas, but do not impose societal restrictions or limit people’s right to take chances — even inappropriate chances.  People are left with the right to decide for themselves what risks to take.  One’s freedom and independence to make such decisions must remain sacred.  (For those who wish to split hairs, according to the Torah we are allowed to leave our homes without a mask even if there is an infinitesimal chance that we might be carrying an infectious illness.)
An even more remarkable source appears on page 43B. The Gemara relates as follows: “Rabbi Yanai was extremely afraid of snakes, and he would raise his bed atop four buckets of water (to prevent snakes from climbing onto his bed).  One time he stretched out his hand and found a snake by him.  He said ‘remove them from me, שומר פתאים השם.'”
The Penei Moshe explains that Rabbi Yanai cried out for someone to remove the snake, and that God had watched over him.  (This is in fact cited in one of the shiurim linked above.)
The other commentaries, including Rav Eliyahu from Polda, Rabbi Shimon Sirilio, and Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky all explain as follows: “Remove the buckets of water, for I might as well just trust in God.”
Rabbi Yanai had taken extreme measures to protect himself from snakes, measures that were considered by others to be over-the-top.  Despite these measures, he could not completely eliminate the danger, and Hashem showed him that the benefits of taking extreme measures do not justify the effort, expense, and other costs.  One should use normal measures to mitigate the risk — measures that do not upend his life and mental condition — then focus on living his life and rely on God.
This is what we should all be doing, and this is what we should be demanding our elected officials allow us to do.  We should not be taking experimental drugs to lower our risk of catching a serious case of coronavirus from 0.0001 percent to 0.00001 percent.  We should not be plunging one third of society into poverty.  We should not be restricting people’s basic rights to leave their homes, see their loved ones, socialize, pray, learn, and live their lives.
It is immoral — it is downright cruel and a violation of human rights — and it is completely against the Torah and our tradition.
We must take reasonable, proven precautions whose benefits are fully justified, then we must live our lives like normal people and rely on God to protect us.
If you believe this is correct, please share these words as widely as possible, organize, stand up, speak out, avoid unnecessary experimental drugs, and take back your life.
Chananya
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Stop Trusting the Non-Jews’ ‘Innate Morality’!

וישב (ב’)

החטא של הסברה

פרק מ, פסוק יד

כי אם זכרתני אתך כאשר ייטב לך ועשית נא עמדי חסד והזכרתני אל פרעה והוצאתני מן הבית הזה:

רש“י לפסוק כג

… מפני שתלה בו יוסף לזכרו, הוזקק להיות אסור שתי שנים, שנאמר “אשרי הגבר אשר שם ה’ מבטחו ולא פנה אל רהבים” (תהלים מ, ה), ולא בטח על מצרים הקרויים “רהב”:

Q: According to the Midrash, Yosef spent an extra two years in prison because he counted on the Sar Hamashkim to put in a good word to Pharaoh on his behalf.

But what rational person would not have acted exactly as Yosef did? Should he have just hoped that the Sar Hamashkim would do him a favor without his asking for it? Surely Yosef recognized that Hashem had orchestrated this opportunity for salvation, and he would have been foolish not to make the most of it. Even the greatest of tzadikim are supposed to recognize the Yad Hashem in seemingly ordinary events, and to act accordingly. Consequently, Yosef could not have been expected to continue waiting for some sort of miraculous salvation – this was it!

A: Without question Yosef acted correctly by asking the Sar Hamashkim to put in a good word for him, and Yosef never lost sight of Who was running the show. His fault was believing that the Sar Hamashkim, and ultimately Pharaoh, would help him because justice was on his side. Yosef believed that if Pharaoh was made aware of the injustice he had suffered, it was inconceivable that Pharaoh would allow him to remain in prison a moment longer. The morality of the Egyptians, Yosef believed, would play a role in his salvation – all he needed was a chance to tell his story. (This reads very smoothly into Yosef’s words.)

For this trust in the basic morality of rehavim (the haughty), Yosef was punished with an additional two years in prison. Indeed, when the Sar Hamashkim finally deigned to mention Yosef , he did so in a scornful way and surely for his own benefit. And Pharaoh never displayed any interest in Yosef beyond what Yosef had to offer him.

This is an enduring lesson that is of particular relevance in this period of crisis for Israel and Jews all around the world. Most Jews, even talmidei chachamim with emunah in Hashem, believe that if we could just get the facts out, if we could just tell the world our side of the story, they would surely acknowledge that truth and justice are with us.

But this is false, and placing any kind of trust in the morality of our “allies” (and kal vachomer our open enemies, those with Jewish blood on their hands), is not only dangerous but sinful. It is certainly proper for us to tell our side of the story, as we must pursue natural means, but we need not try too hard to convince anyone. The truth is clear for all those who wish to see it, and those who don’t will never be persuaded by our hasbarah.

We must never lose sight of the fact that our only hope is with Hashem , and He is directly responsible for every aspect of our salvation. To put any confidence in rehavim will only prolong our troubles, God forbid.

The Demands of the Galus Jew

The mental illness of the galus Jew was on full display in a recent email correspondence I had with a Jewish woman from the United States. I will refer to the essence of the correspondence and have removed any identifying information.

She wrote that she asked around about homes in Israel. She is looking for a home that has two or three bedrooms and two bathrooms, with a nice kitchen. It must be no more than a few minutes from restaurants and nightlife (which eliminates much of the country), and was looking to spend $250 thousand. Surprisingly enough, no one was able to “find a place with those requirements”.

She concluded her initial email with the following admonishment: “How about in your next column in The Jewish Press, you make recommendations for where Americans interested in moving to Eretz Yisroel might find a comfortable home and community.”

I replied in part as follows: “Maybe your aliya wish list is a little too demanding. Israel is a large and beautiful country with many affordable communities. American Jews tend to be very materialistic, demanding, and spoiled, and if they cannot afford to live in the Old City, the center of Jerusalem, or a well-established, high-end Anglo community, they declare that they can’t afford to live in Israel and aliya is not for them. For a fraction of the cost of living in the Beverly Hills of Israel you could get a villa in other communities and give up a little on your materialistic demands in favor of the blessing of coming home.

“You mention [an expensive Anglo neighborhood], but the fact is that you would have sniffed your nose at [this neighborhood] when it was under construction. You wouldn’t have bought there at $250K and waited a few years for it to go up. Were you willing to lower your demands, you could find many more such opportunities in other parts of the country. That’s the hard truth, and I hope you will consider it.

“Life in Israel isn’t perfect, but neither are you. If you will come to Israel with a positive attitude, accept it for what it is, and help bring us closer to the goal, the land will take a favorable view toward your imperfections as well.”

Tough words, but honest and to the point.

She replied with a long diatribe about how she grew up in poverty and now donates money to Jewish institutions. She went on to call me “arrogant…insensitive and a disgrace to the title rabbi. I certainly would not want to live in a community filled with people like you. Now you have uncovered your face for the world to see…no one cares what you want.”

Woof.

Now, all that may be true, but it doesn’t negate my response to her list of demands to make aliya. I replied: “I’m truly sorry that Israel cannot offer you an apartment with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms in a developed Anglo community a half hour away from restaurants and nightlife for $250,000. Obviously the problem is with Israel, and I am a disgusting person for observing that your demands are unreasonable, overly materialistic, and display a distorted perspective of what aliya should be about. I wish you luck in finding a community that makes you happy and has only people who tell you what you wish to hear.”

She replied with another long diatribe about how she grew up in poverty and worked her way up to a nice standard of living, which she refuses to give up. “I simply cannot afford the lifestyle… Yes, there is a problem in Israel if you cannot find a residence to fit your family. You act as though I am requiring a palace. I don’t need a palace, but I do want a home above a Bedouin tent.”

My reply: “As I mentioned previously, there is a huge divide between a “Bedouin tent” and a developed Anglo community near restaurants and nightlife. Thank God the people who came to Israel before us, who truly cherished the land and built it, did not have such a list of requirements to consider themselves not “impoverished”. I never judged you as a human being, and your childhood and how much tzedaka you give are irrelevant to the discussion.

“You presented me with a list of requirements for moving to Israel that I consider unreasonable and overly materialistic, and I gave you an honest response. You reacted by heaping praise on yourself and heaping abuse on me. So be it.

“I stand by my assessment of your shopping list, and there is no reason to continue this discussion. When Black Lives Matter and Antifa pay a visit to your suburb, maybe you will adjust your requirements for living in Israel, and maybe you will even prefer a Bedouin tent in your own homeland among rude, arrogant, and overall disgusting people like me. Good luck to you.”

Well, she had an answer for that contingency! “If Antifa or BLM come to my home, they will see the end of my AR-15.”

To which I replied: “Good luck with that, Rambo.”

The Land of Israel cries for its children. It cries as follows:

“Life here might not yet be everything you want it to be. You know what? You’re not everything the Land of Israel wants you to be, either. I’m willing to view you favorably because you are the children of those I loved most, even though at times you hardly resemble them. I will do this on the condition that you view me favorably, and not complain about how I don’t resemble the land you must leave behind. I’m not supposed to. I’m different, and you are supposed to be different than the people in those lands. If you work to create a better life in Israel, I will work to make you a better person.

“This is your only home. Come here to stay and make it work.”

Most galus Jews will not listen. But maybe one more will hear the call.

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www.chananyaweissman.com

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