Perashat Vayigash 5776

Perashat Vayigash 5776

Friday, December 18, 2015 Author: Rabbi Elie Abadie

Much of the Jewish historical experience has been in the Diaspora. The Israelites, as sovereign people, lived and inhabited the Land of Israel for a total of almost 1,350 years, not counting the years that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob inhabited the land. They were in the Land for 450 years prior to the First Temple, then the First Temple lasted 410 years and the Second Temple lasted 420 years, and from 1948 until now; 68 years as a sovereign State of Israel. 

The Diaspora has spanned 210 years in Egypt, 70 years in Babylon, between the First and Second Temples, and 1,947 years -  since the year 68 of the Common Era, when the destruction of the Second Temple occurred. All for a total of 2,227 years. 

Perashat Vayigash marks the beginning of the first Exile from the Land of Israel, that our forefathers experienced. It began with much fanfare, honors and a dignified welcome as members and friends of the Royal family. That did not last long, though. Within 80 years, slavery began and the last 80 years was harsh slavery. All the others Exiles, namely the Babylonian exile lasting 70 years, began harshly and ended with greater dignity, and the present Exile that started when the Romans destroyed the Second Temple, began very harshly, as the Jews were exiled and many sold as slaves. The end of this exile, which has so far lasted 1,947 years, has still eluded us, as half of the Jewish People still live in the Diaspora - even though a sovereign State of Israel exists. For some, it ended very harshly with the advent of the Holocaust; for other less harshly, as the Jews from the Soviet Block, Ethiopia and Yemen returned to the land of Israel.  And yet for others, coming from the United States and some European countries, their return was in a more dignified manner. 

As we can see, much of the Jewish historical experience has been in the Diaspora; a total of 2,227 years compared to 1,350 years as a sovereign people in our land. Much of those 2,227 years, namely 1947, were under what our Sages call “Edom”, understood to be Christendom. Those 1947 years began very harshly, continued in that manner for both millennia. Even until today, Anti-Semitism continues unabated almost throughout the entire world. For almost 2,000 years, Christendom has oppressed, exiled, enslaved, persecuted, killed, and annihilated our people. From the slavery during the Christian Roman Empire, to the persecutions of the Christian Byzantine Empire, to the English Expulsion, the Spanish Expulsion and Inquisition, to the Russian and European Pogroms, to the Holocaust. All these events in history were inspired by the Christian Church. For 2,000 years Europe, and later on the New World, was a fertile ground for the development and spreading of anti-Semitism. The Jews were considered as damned people, not worthy of salvation, killers of “god”, and an illegitimate religion. All those views were spread and inspired by the Christian Church who could not explain how come the Jews are still living and practicing their religion. 

Despite all their hatred and actions against our people for almost 2,000 years, we continued living, thriving and remained loyal to our Torah values and tradition. It is estimated that 580 million Jews, together with their descendants, were killed throughout those years of Christendom. 

This week we commemorated at the United Nations, the 50th anniversary of Nostra Aetate. (Latin: In our Time) This is the Declaration on the Relation of the Church with Non-Christian Religions of the Second Vatican Council. This declaration was promulgated on October 28, 1965, by Pope Paul VI. 

In relation to the Jews, Nostra Aetate Proclaims: 

In short, in Nostra Aetate, the Christian Church no longer holds the Jews responsible, as a People, for the death of Jesus, and reprimands all form of anti-Semitism, persecution and display of hatred toward the Jews. What Nostra Aetate does not stop is the evangelization and conversion of the Jews. It wasn’t until last week that Pope Francis I, through a document, issued by the Vatican’s Commission for Religious Relations with Jews, unequivocally stated that the Catholic Church should not actively seek to convert Jews to Christianity, and called for the Church to work to eliminate anti-Semitism. 

We applaud the Church issuing the Nostra Aetate 50 years ago, and the new document this past week calling to stop actively seeking to convert the Jews. 

We consider the Church’s proclamations of Nostra Aetate and this week’s pronouncements regarding conversion, to be the Teshuba that the Church is undergoing, to repent for all its wrongdoings against the Jewish People for the past 2,000 years. However, in any process of Teshuba, refraining from transgressing is not enough, what is needed is an active role to reverse those wrongdoings. It is necessary, to appease, redress and recompense the Jewish People. Even with all the wealth of the Christian Church, no money can bring back the 580 million Jews estimated lost due to the anti-Semitism practiced by the Church for all these years. No amount of apologies can soothe the sufferings, persecutions, expulsions, rape, mutilation and annihilation inspired by the Church. 

What the Church can do to redress all those wrongdoing is to actively preach against anti-Semitism; to reprimand, fine and excommunicate priests that are still preaching against the Jews, even until today. The Church, through the Vatican, ought to send a communique to all its Embassies to speak to the respective governments of the countries they are present in, to fight against anti-Semitism and to eliminate it. The Church should call for the protection of Jewish cemeteries and heritage sites in all the countries that the Church operates as well as others.  The Church should repay its debt to the Jews by unequivocally supporting the State of Israel, defending its sovereignty and recognizing the sovereignty of Israel over the Temple Mount and all of Jerusalem. The Vatican as a member state of the United Nations should always vote on the side of Israel against its enemies and detractors.  Lastly, the Church should return all the artifacts and utensils of the Temple in Jerusalem that were taken by the Romans and other people that are well kept under the Vatican and its catacombs. 

When the Church follows all those points, then we can say that its Teshuba has been complete and satisfactory. 

Maybe that is how we can expect this long Exile to be concluded. When all the oppressors and persecutors of the Jews will finally recognize their wrongdoings and finally appeal for forgiveness from G-d and the Jewish People. 

We all know how the Egyptian Exile ended with much wonders and miracles and a devastation of the Egyptian Empire that lasted for 800 years.  We do hope that this long “Edom Exile” will conclude with wonders and miracles, and we pray at the same time, that no devastation come to anyone - people or nation; for we all are indeed the children of One G-d.