THE LEGACY OF LOYALTY

It is said “Fidelity sleeps on the hardest stone more swiftly than betrayal on the softest pillow”.  As a Jew one cannot overemphasize the importance of loyalty. The greatest legacy we can give to our children is love for our people and loyalty to one self.

I am reminded of the famous Medrash which relates the following - אשמדי   brought a person with two heads before King Solomon to settle a question of inheritance. King Solomon was asked to judge whether or not the petitioner ought to receive a double portion of his father's estate, one portion for each of his heads. The Wise King suggested that boiling water be poured over one of the heads, and if the other head did not feel the pain this would prove that each head was distinct and an entity unto itself.

Permit me to use this analogy for the Jewish People.  We can be compared to a multi headed organism where each head thinks for himself and acts according to his own desires and goals in life but when some societal boiling water is poured over one of these heads, we instinctively cry out in pain seeking to help the other victimized brother/sister. We are individuals, but we are always loyal and connected to one another.

 

This very cogent message comes to the fore in this weeks Torah reading of Matos, wherein we are told that the tribes of Reuven, Gad and a half of the population of Menashe came before Moshe with a request - Instead of traveling with the rest of the Jewish People across the Jordan to the Promised Land they would rather remain on the Eastern shore of the Jordan.

Hearing this, Moshe takes umbrage to their request and in a very stern voice says to them:האחיכם יבואו למלחמה ואתם תשבו פה
"Shall your brethren go to war and you shall stay here in safety?"

Moshe was teaching these tribes an important lesson in loyalty. While a Jew is threatened or endangered, no other Jew may stand idly by and pretend it is not his business. We are one and in our loyalty for each other we will always be there for one another.

These are difficult times for our Jewish State.  They need to feel that, even though we are thousands of miles away, our loyalty and our hearts and minds are with them.  We will do whatever we can through the United States government and encourage them to tell the world powers that they have  our ״backs" and will help us with additional armaments and if need be extra Iron Domes to protect the State of Israel.

 

We must continue to pray to Hashem for a quick and viable solution to this conflict and to see the day when עם ישראל will be able to live in peace and security in ארצנו הקדושה.