Page 3 - The Jewish Voice - February '21

The Jewish Voice, Page 3

From the rabbis

Judaism on Weapons the UAE and Israel. As part of the deal, the UAE will the same day that the Torah tells us about the only two
encounters that we know of Moses before he rises to
acquire up to 50 F-35As, the world’s most advanced
Proliferation fighter jet; more than 14,000 bombs and munitions; and greatness at the Burning Bush. In the first, he encounters
the second-largest sale of U.S. Reaper drones to a single an Egyptian beating a Jew mercilessly. In the second, he
By Rabbi Paul Arberman country. encounters two Jews fighting with each other.
Of course, it benefits the U.S. economy and gives The first story was the first case of antisemitism: Israel
In 1981, U.S. President people jobs to have large military contracts with foreign at war with her enemies. The second was a story of Jewish
Ronald Reagan concluded nations. It’s also possible that arming nations (who are, infighting: Israel at war with herself.
a large arms deal with by the way, not idolatrous) in the Middle East will aid In the first case, Moses takes decisive action by striking
Saudi Arabia involving their self-defense and will help create a counter force to the Egyptian and neutralizing the threat unilaterally.
aircraft, tanks, and Airborne the Iranian threat. Yet I am concerned. We should always But his reaction to the second case is incredible: Moses
Warning and Control be on guard to hold the U.S. to its promise that Israel becomes deeply afraid.
Systems (AWACS). It continues to have its military edge. And I am challenged By choosing these two stories of Moses’ early life to
set off a campaign by the by the Babylonian Talmudic text that sees the danger in relate to us, the Torah is conveying deep truths: While the
American Israel Public producing or selling any kind of weapon that could ever threat of antisemitism is real, the response to it must be
Affairs Committee (AIPAC) potentially be used against us. decisive and aggressive. But when faced with the threat of
and the Israeli government to block the sale due to fear us turning upon ourselves, we are helpless and hopeless.
that the AWACS would speed up the regional arms race Rabbi Paul Arberman is spiritual leader at Temple Beth As the oldest nation in existence, we Jews have endured
and erode Israel’s technological military edge. David in Palm Beach Gardens 4,000 years of persecution. We have successfully fought
There is actually a basis in Jewish law to not sell off each and every single one of our enemies, some of
weapons to non-Jews. The Talmud in Avodah Zarah 15b:10 How Moses Reacted them still actively threatening us. Sometimes we emerged
states: We don’t sell to them [idolaters] a weapon or the bruised and battered, but we always landed on our feet,
accessories of a weapon, nor do we sharpen a blade for to Civil War by attacking our enemies without mercy or regret.
them … nor neck-chains, nor fetters, nor chains of bronze But in these same 4,000 years, we have had only three
— neither to an idolater nor to a Cuthean. By Rabbi Dovid Vigler periods of Jewish political sovereignty. Two of them
Maimonides summarizes the law and adds that “one ended because of internal dissension. The third, begun in
may not sell them knives, manacles, chains… nor bears, Tensions have been 1948, the state of Israel is fighting for its survival while
lions, or any object which can damage the public. But we running high in our stitching together a dangerously fragmented society.
do sell them shields which are only for defense (Laws of country. Both sides of our The wicked generation of Noah was punished with
Murder and Preserving Life 12:12). political aisles have been the great flood because they couldn’t get along with each
A parallel text in the Jerusalem Talmud (Yerushalmi experiencing escalated other. The subsequent generation of the Tower of Babel,
Avodah Zarah 2:1, circa 3rd century) asserts that the emotions that have begun who plotted to build a tower to battle against G-d, were
prohibition is only for the selling of weapons to non- to express themselves nearly impervious to failure because of their tremendous
Jewish leaders of cities where no Jews live. If Jews do live not just unflatteringly, unity with each other.
there, weapons sales remain permissible either because the but dangerously as well. On the eve of Passover 1865, Cpl. Myer Samuel Levy,
weapons will serve to protect Jewish as well as non-Jewish Violence is never the a Union soldier from Philadelphia, found himself on the
residents or, alternatively, because the peaceful habitation answer and can never be condoned. While we certainly streets of Virginia.
of Jews within the city shows that these Gentiles are not have the right to communicate our concerns and opinions, Contrary to the popular misconception that Jews did
hostile to them. we must learn that it is only through civil dialogue that not fight in the American Civil War, indeed, roughly 7,000
The question is on my mind because of the recent any true change can occur. Jews served in the Union army and approximately 3,000
Abraham accords that the United States brokered between I find it providential that such events took place on joined the Confederacy. And despite rabid antisemitism,
both the north and south employed hundreds of Jewish
generals and officers.
Experience Dentistry with a Woman’s Touch time in our nation’s history was a distant dream. But lo
Securing any Jewish ritual items during this horrible

and behold, as Cpl. Levy walked by one house a small
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Cpl. Levy couldn’t believe his eyes and asked the boy if
he could spare some. Upon seeing his Union Blue uniform
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a Yankee Jew outside!” Without hesitation, the woman
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have the seder along with them.
Every year at his own seder, Cpl. Levy would be sure to
Joanne Green, D.D.S. recount to his wife, Sarah, and their 10 children the story
of his seder — how in a time of unfathomable disconnect
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She had both the strength and the humility to see past
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rather than division. Let us, too, have the audacity to do
Medical College of Virginia School of Dentistry - Cum Laude the same.
Hospital of the University of Penn - General Practice Residency Training
Harvard Dental School - Former Instructor Rabbi Dovid Vigler is spiritual leader at Chabad of
Boston Brigham and Women’s Dental Group - Staff Dentist Palm Beach Gardens and host of the Jewish Schmooze
Radio Show. Email him at rabbi@jewishgardens.com

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