The Torah passages and Israel's holidays are full of important messages that are relevant and empower our day-today lives. Rabbi Shai Tahan, head of the Sha'arei Ezra community and head of the Arzi HaLebanon teaching house, opens the gates for us to understand these messages, from their source, in a clear way. This week - Lack of Clarity: Presidents' Failure to Denounce Anti-Semitism.
Doug Emhoff, the Jewish husband of Vice President Kamala Harris and commonly referred to as the Second Gentleman, expressed concern on Thursday, the first night of Hanukkah, about the rising tide of anti-Semitism in the United States. During a ceremony of lighting the National Menorah, Emhoff pointed to a "crisis of anti-Semitism" that is making it difficult for many Jews in America to celebrate Hanukkah.
Emhoff specifically criticized the presidents of the prestigious universities for their recent testimony regarding anti-Semitism on college campuses. He highlighted this testimony as an example of why numerous Jews in the country feel "unmoored and afraid."
Mr. Emhoff was addressing the presidents of three leading universities in the nation which are facing significant criticism, even from the White House, following allegations of avoiding questions during a congressional hearing.
In a widely circulated exchange, Representative Stefanik pressed the universities’ presidents to clarify whether students advocating for the genocide of Jews is against their respective university's code of conduct. Stefanik's line of questioning seemed to combine chants calling for "intifada," an Arabic term associated with violent Palestinian protests, which are being used on US campuses as calls for the genocide of Jews. When asking Elizabeth Magill, the president of UPenn, she responded, "If the speech turns into conduct, it can be harassment", she emphasized that such decisions are context-dependent. Despite being pressed to provide a definitive "yes" or "no" answer, Magill did not comply. Similar exchanges took place with the other presidents.
It might be challenging for Mr. Emhoff to celebrate Hanukkah as he hears the presidents of elite universities failing to denounce the growing anti-Semitism on their campuses. However, for other Jews, celebrating Hanukkah is not difficult at all. In fact, recent events, particularly the testimony of those shady presidents, have illuminated the Holiday of Lights, allowing us to see the true meanings of the holiday more clearly. Hanukkah serves as a beacon of moral clarity, distinguishing between right and wrong, holiness, and it’s opposite.
The distinction between Mr. Emhoff and us possibly lies in his perception that Hanukkah is akin to the Christmas celebration that his wife observes—a day of family gatherings and gift exchanges. Such celebrations are indeed overshadowed by recent events; however, the reality is that while there are family gatherings and celebrations during Hanukkah, they are for entirely different reasons.
Let's revisit the fundamental aspects of Hanukkah, perhaps shedding light on this for Mr. Emhoff. During the time of the Greek Empire, their focus was on controlling the mind and soul of the Jewish people. Despite defiling all the utensils in the Holy Temple, the liturgy specifically highlights the defilement of the oils in the Temple by the Greeks. This underscores the Greeks' particular emphasis on contaminating the oil. It is noteworthy that they defiled the oil rather than disposing of it.
The symbolism of oil is crucial here. Oil is often likened to Torah wisdom, as it has the unique quality of rising to the top when mixed with another liquid. Similarly, Torah wisdom can be objective by transcending and rising above all other wisdoms.
Furthermore, it's essential to note that only oil has the ability to produce light; other liquids do not have this illuminating quality. Similarly, only the Torah has the power to shine moral and spiritual light, while other forms of wisdom fall short—leaving the mind and heart in darkness. This concept is reflected in the verse "וחושך על פני תהום—And darkness was upon the face of the deep”, where Chazal (the Sages of the Talmud) explain that this darkness refers to the philosophy of the Greeks. In other words, when darkness was introduced, it symbolized the advent of Greek philosophy.
The Greek objective was to undermine the Jewish thought process by corrupting their Torah intellect, leading to Jews adopting Greek ways of thinking. Unfortunately, the contaminated intellect of the Greeks largely succeeded, as many Jews embraced Hellenism and assimilated into Greek culture.
However, the success of the Greek influence was limited to those who assimilated into their way of thinking. Thankfully, Hashem showed mercy upon those who remained steadfast and did not alter their way of life. As a result, they were ultimately saved from the decree of conforming to the ways of the Greeks.
This symbolism is embodied in the discovery of the jar of pure oil, underscoring the importance of maintaining the purity of our beliefs and safeguarding them from the influence of Greek intellect.
Another apparent difference is the fact that the Torah is infinite, unlike the philosophy taught at those education establishments. In these institutions, moral standards and life philosophies are interchangeable. Depending on the faculty and the principles involved, the standards might change. Today, we witness a distortion of moral values, often propagated in none other than elite universities. It's not surprising that those appointed to lead these institutions and oversee literature and ethics often fall short of minimal standards. This serves as a wake-up call for our Jewish brothers and sisters considering higher education at such places. The question arises: Do you truly want to expose your mind to such potential contamination? Especially that it has reached a point where they now teach progressive ideologies that may involve playing with people's genders and minds, which is deeply concerning.
When witnessing the moral breakdown of these university leaders, it becomes increasingly apparent that the Hanukkah message resonates deeply. Hanukkah underscores that only the Torah has the power to guide us to a moral state of mind, highlighting the importance of maintaining moral principles and ethical values in the face of adversity.
I would like to end this article with an expression of gratitude to the remarkable Congresswoman Elise Stefanik of New York, who skillfully addressed those presidents with precision. Additionally, I extend thanks to the shamful presidents of Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for highlighting the story of Hanukkah for all those who needed a reminder. It allows us all to clearly discern and articulate our stance and say loud and clear: אשר בחר בנו מכל העמים ונתן לנו תורת אמת
This article was written in cooperation with Shuva Israel