August 30, 2002

"An Al Chet for All of Us"

These days are for soul searching and self-introspection, for teshuva and repentance. The infinitive of the Hebrew teshuva is "l'hashev," literally "to return." Returning to our past mistakes and transgressions provides us with understanding, and the means to prevent our repetition of more wrongdoing. The Sages who canonized our liturgy for the Days of Awe determined that our prayers be pluralized. Jews pray for each other as we assume collective responsibility.

So, as we lift our hands to our hearts to seek Divine atonement, we might want to include an additional Al Chet for those acts of omission, which bring death and danger to our people in Israel:

Al Chet, for the sin of signing an accord at Oslo with the PLO whose manifesto remained unchanged in its call for the destruction of all of Israel.

Al Chet, for the sin of giving arms to the Palestinian Authority, who by agreement should have been limited to a 13,000 security police force, and when the numbers reached 40,000, for the sin of continuing to provide weapons that would kill and maim our sons and daughters.

Al Chet, for the sin of failing to visit Israel and give moral support to our beleaguered brothers and sisters in the land Hashem gave us.

Al Chet, for the sin of failing to respond properly to a biased media, whose scurrilous lies have only encouraged the terrorists to kill more Jews.

Al Chet, for the sin of indulging in Jewish parochialism and divisiveness at a time when all Jews should be standing as one in solidarity with Israel.

Al Chet, for the sin of malicious forgetfulness as we refuse to remember that it was enmity among Jews that brought us to this long and painful galut, exile.

Al Chet, for the sin of "politics as usual" in Israel and abroad at a time when world Jewry should be depoliticized.

Al Chet, for the sin of Jews who publicly criticize Israel and repeat the false lies of the enemy.

Al Chet, for the sins of the past when the great Menachem Begin yielded to Jimmy Carter and Anwar Sadat in the latter's demand that Israel, not Egypt govern Gaza. Had Gaza been left with Egypt, and permanently separated from the West Bank, this war of terror could have been avoided.

Al Chet, for the sin of silence and indifference to the spread of overt anti-Semitism throughout the world.

Al Chet, for the sin of sharing our prayers with specific Jewish communities to the exclusion of others.

Al Chet, for the sin of ignoring the lessons of the past which should have taught us that the enemy has no prejudice and kills the pious and devout along with the assimilated and indifferent.

"Forgive now the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of your loving kindness and as you have forgiven this people from Egypt until now." (Bamidbar 14:19) But when does G-d show mercy? "May it be forgiven to the entire congregation of Israel and to the proselyte who lives among them, in respect of all the people whose sin was done unintentionally" (Ibid 15:26)

Many commentators interpret this to mean that Hashem offers expiation for all sins, even those committed with malice, and renders the sinners as "shogegim," unintentional sinners, as long as we are one, part of the "entire Congregation of Israel" that includes proselytes, strangers, and every one of G-d's sons and daughters whose souls heard these words and blessings at Sinai.

"For all these, G-d of forgiveness, forgive us, pardon us and atone for us." (Yom Kippur liturgy). "Let them all become a single society." In our oneness, we beseech Hashem to grant us honor and to the righteous, gladness. Then "all the wickedness will evaporate like smoke...from the earth...and Hashem alone will reign in Jerusalem, His holy city."

Shabbat Shalom