The Why of Anti-Semitism
Adapted from Rabbi Braun’s sermon in 5772
This past Thursday marked the beginning of Israel apartheid week 2012. It is the 8th annual event run by an organization whose goal in their words is:
Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) is an annual international series of events held in cities and campuses across the globe. The aim of IAW is to educate people about the nature of Israel as an apartheid system and to build Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaigns as part of a growing global BDS movement.
Lectures, films, and actions will highlight some of the successes of the BDS movement and build / support ongoing campaigns. Speakers and full program for each city will be available on this website. Join us in making this a year of struggle against apartheid and for justice, equality, and peace.
This series of events, the celebration of Purim and the reading of Parshat Zachor and Amalek are our annual reminder that Jew hatred is alive and well in the world.
I would like to explore the why of Jew hatred through a famous scene in the Megillah.
Mordechai refuses to bow to Haman. The correct and appropriate response should be to throw Mordechai in jail, or have Mordechai publically executed to teach everyone a lesson.
Instead as we all know, Haman decides that would not be enough, rather he is going to wipe out and eradicate the entire people of Mordechai.
That seems wildly extreme and disproportionate! Why would Haman do this?
While it is unclear exactly why Haman makes this decision, the commentators in trying to explain the reaction seem to present the many different reasons given in general for why anti-Semitism exists.
The Megillah tells us that ,ו) ויבז בעיניו לשלח יד במרדכי לבדו כי הגידו לו את עם מרדכי it was denigrating to Haman, because he was told about the nation of Mordechai.
I found two explanations based on this verse and two others, one from the Gemara in Megillah and one from Parshat Zachor.
- Historical anti-Semitism (kill Jesus)
The Alshich, 16th century, explains that when Haman is told about the “nation of Mordechai” he is actually being told about the lineage of Mordechai. Haman was told that Mordechai was from the tribe of Binyamin. Haman then remembered that Saul, the ancestor of Mordechai destroyed and wiped out Amalek, the ancestor of Haman. It would not be fair to kill only when Jew when his ancestor killed an entire people. Initially Haman thought to kill only the tribe of Binyanim but then realized that the entire Jewish people should be killed.
- The Jews are their own nation and religion, they are not patriotic.
The Malbim argues that when Haman is told about the “nation of Mordechai” his perception of why Mordechai won’t bow is being corrected. Initially Haman thought that Mordechai would not bow because of a personal hatred. Once he was told that Mordechai would not bow because of a religious objection Haman decided to annihilate the entire religion to which Mordechai belonged.
- Persecution in the name of religion to hide something else.
For this I am indebted to Rabbi Benny Lau, a rabbi in Yerushalayim who found a story recorded in some versions of the Talmud but not in the present printing which tells a very different story and shows a very different side of Mordecai.
The story goes as follows.
At one time the king gave all of his generals a satchel of money to use for the capture of the empire. Haman took his money and ran through it quickly, he used it all up. Haman came to Mordechai and said, please let me borrow some money. Mordechai responded- if you will sign that you will be subservient to me, I will lend you the money. Haman agreed, the papers were signed and the money lent. The document read- I sold myself to Mordechai for loaves of bread.
It is abundantly clear why the Gemara that we have does not include this story. It presents Mordechai as a general in the army of Achashverosh, and does not portray him in the most humble light. This is not the righteous holy man that my kids come home from school singing about. It also explains the conflict between Mordechai and Haman in a very personal way.
What that means for Mordechai we leave for a different time. What is means for understanding Haman’s motive however, is as follows. The argument between Haman and Mordechai is extremely personal. The anger and animus have nothing to do with religion. Haman who swore to be Mordechai’s servant wants to turn the tables. Once the religious argument is presented however, Haman uses that to mask his true intentions.
- This is God sending us a lesson.
For the fourth reason we turn from the Megillah to Parshat Zachor that we read this morning. At the end of Ki tetzeh we read the command to remember what Amalek did to us and to wipe out the memory of Amalek from the face of this earth. Immediately preceding this, the Torah commands the Jews to have just and accurate scales.
What is the connection between just scales and Amalek?
Rashi explains that if we sin regarding weights and measures, we must be wary of enemies attacking. In other words, if we sin and are not honest and ethical than our punishment will be an attack from our enemies.
Connection to Zachor and scales God brings it. God punishes us for our unethical behavior by bringing anti-Semitism upon us. This is not a comforting argument but it is one that has its sources in our tradition beginning in Egypt.
Whatever the reason it is our obligation to be aware of the danger and to fight it. We must fight it in Israel and on the college campus. That is the message of Zachor – to remember!
I will leave you with one positive note. Purim is also the time that we remember that ultimately we prevail over our enemies with God’s help. That idea is beautifully expressed in the Midrash I saw quoted in the Torah Temimah on Esther.
Haman desired to destroy the Jews, and God told him: are you a fool? I attempted to wipe out the Jews and I God could not do it, why in the world do you think that you are going to be successful? It will ultimately be your head and not theirs!
