The Challenge of Achieving Real Change
Adapted from Rabbi Braun’s sermon in 5778
A local priest and pastor stood by the side of the road holding up a sign that said, “The End is Near! Turn yourself around now before it’s too late!” They planned to hold up the sign to each passing car. “Leave us alone you religious nuts!” yelled the first driver as he sped by. From around the curve they heard a big splash. The priest turns to the pastor and says, “Do you think we should just put up a sign that says bridge out instead?”
What pushes us to change, to reverse course? Who do we listen to and why?
There is a great episode in our haftarah that addresses this very question.
The Haftarah for Mishpatim, not the one for Shekalim, is from the 34th chapter of Yirmiyahu. Hashem tells Yirmiyahu to instruct the people to free all of their slaves and maidservants, to not work them at all. And the people agree and do as the prophet instructed them. The epiphany however is very short lived.
In the very next verse, we are told that the people took back their servants and maidservants and enslaved them once again.
That seems to really get God’s goat. Yirmiyahu then tells the people that their ancestors also violated shemittah and kept their slaves and because of this transgression of not freeing the slaves, I will free the sword and famine onto you.
Why do the people first listen to Yirmiyahu and free their slaves? What causes them to change their minds take the slaves back?
I think that the answer begins with the historical context: when does this actually take place?
Tzidkiyahu is the last king of Yehuda, and ruled after the exile of Yehoyakhin
Having been placed in power by the Babylonians, with the intention that he would be loyal to Babylon, he rebels against them, despite Yirmiyahu’s repeated warnings against this dangerous course of action. Yirmiyahu tells the people and Tzidkiyahu to submit to Babylon, since it is God’s will that the Babylonians reign at this time, and anyone who opposes this is opposing God’s will. In Yirmiyahu’s view, submission to Babylon means submission to God’s will, and this is the last and only hope to save Jerusalem from destruction. However, Tzidkiyahu ignores this advice and rebels.
As punishment for this rebellion, Nevuchanezzar and the Babylonians lay siege to Jerusalem:
At some point this siege was eased: In Yirmiyahu chapter 37 we read of the Egyptians helping the Jews and a resulting easing of the siege.
The people finally feel relief and mistakenly believe that the Babylonians are gone for good. Yirmiyahu tries to warn them that this is temporary and that Bavel will return and burn the city to the ground, and the rest as they say is history.
When in all of this does the freeing of the slaves happen? And when do they retake them?
It appears that there is a hint towards the end of the perek. In verse 21 we read
ירמיהו פרק לד
כא) וְאֶת־צִדְקִיָּ֨הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֜ה וְאֶת־שָׂרָ֗יו אֶתֵּן֙ בְּיַ֣ד אֹֽיְבֵיהֶ֔ם וּבְיַ֖ד מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י נַפְשָׁ֑ם וּבְיַד חֵ֚יל מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֔ל הָעֹלִ֖ים מֵעֲלֵיכֶֽם
“And Tzidkiyahu, King of Yehuda, and his ministers, I shall give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their lives, and into the hand of the host of the king of Babylon, which has gone up from you.
From there Rashi suggests that the taking back of the slaves happens during the easing of the siege.
And it is quite possible that the initial command to free the slaves happens before the siege is eased.
I have seen the suggestion in a couple of articles, and it allows for 2 explanations with important messages for us.
One:
The siege is heavy, and they believe that there is a real possibility that the destruction and exile will happen. There is an immediate need to do something to avert the decree and so they listen to Yirmiyahu and free the slaves. (They know the bridge is out). Once Egypt comes to their aid and the siege eases, the need is not so great and so they revert. There is no Atheist in a foxhole, but there are plenty of atheists on easy street.
Two: R David Sabato
Slave ownership can be a great burden on their masters, who must support both their own families and their slaves. During a siege, many slaves became useless, as they generally engaged in field work outside the city. On the other hand, liberating the slaves and turning them into free men contributed to the resilience of a city under siege. While slaves are indifferent to the city’s fate, since they are already deprived of their liberty, freed slaves are likely to fight alongside the people of the city and help fortify it in order to maintain their freedom.
The story thus can be reconstructed as follows: During the time of the Babylonian siege, the king and princes of Jerusalem decided to free all the slaves in a sweeping manner in order to alleviate the situation of the city under siege. The masses, who were in distress, supported this decision. But as soon as the Babylonian army left Jerusalem and the siege was lifted, the motive for liberating the slaves was cancelled, and the people therefore restored the slaves to their previous status.
I think there are echoes of both answers in our lives. What pushes people to religious change, to prayer, to being better?
Often it is an immediate need; someone is sick etc, when the bridge is out. But when all is well, we simply keep the status quo.
Sometimes it is a question of money and business interests. No skin off my back, I will think about it. You want me to change my business model, cost me money, free the slaves when I need them, I don’t think so.
The challenge for us is to grow and change even when there is no immediate need and even it is inconvenient or costly.
That is the dedication that is expected and required.
