Better Be Hated for Who You Are, Than Be Loved For Whom You’re Not!

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When People Who Don’t Even Know You—You Know You’re Something Special!

What a week it’s been for world Jewry.

On Tuesday morning we witnessed the most precise attack on Hezbollah terrorists that the world has ever seen, as their beepers blew up simultaneously. This attack was followed by the far stronger explosions of Hezbollah walkie-talkies the very next day. An internal Hezbollah document prepared by the head of military intelligence was discovered today that lists 879 terrorists killed in the attack and 602 mortally wounded. All this without firing a single bullet!

On the very next day, the United Nations held a vote on whether Jews have any claim on Jerusalem or any part of ancient Judea and Samaria (the West Bank). An overwhelming 124 countries voted to condemn Israel for “occupying” Jerusalem and Judea, with just 14 countries voting in defense of Israel. All this despite the glaring irony of both these areas bearing ancient Hebrew names, the latter named after its Jewish inhabitants!

The early part of the week saw us victorious over vicious enemies. The end of the week saw us marginalized and alienated by the nations of the world.

It’s fascinating to see how the Torah this week makes a similar observation. As Moses delivers his final testament before his passing on the threshold of the Promised Land, he declares that we, the Jewish People, have finally now become a nation:

“Pay attention and listen, O Israel! On this very day, you have become a people to the Lord, your God.” (Devarim 27:9)

Yet, surprisingly, this is not the first time we have been called a nation in the Torah. One hundred and thirty years before this declaration, King Pharaoh had already called us a nation, as recounted in the Torah:

“And he said to his people, behold the Nation of Israel is greater and stronger than us.“ (Exodus 1:8)

Which one is it? Are we a nation by virtue of Pharaoh of Moses?

It seems that both options are true and subject to how we define our Jewish identity.

Pharoah was an ardent anti-Semite who devoted his life to genocide against the Jews. In striking contrast, Moses was our first leader, who led us from Egyptian bondage to the foot of Mount Sinai where we became the Chosen People, and ultimately into the Promised Land.

As Jews, we have always faced the choice of being defined either by those who hate or by He who chose us. Anti-Semites are threatened by us; Moses is emboldened by us. We can either be a Jewish Nation because of the common hatred we bear or we can be Jewish because of the mutual vision, mission, and values we share.

What kind of Jew are you?

We all know fellow Jews whose identity is defined by the Holocaust and any form of persecution or anti-Semitism. They are at the forefront of every political rally and public outcry condemning Israelophobia and anti-Zionism. Then there are Jews who are far more concerned about being a “Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation (Exodus 9:6),” focusing their efforts on fulfilling the will of G-d Almighty in this world through the study of Torah and the observance of Mitzvahs. These people are driven by a vision of constructing a holy home for G-d in this physical world, granting humanity the dignity of purpose as they create a world saturated with love and Divine consciousness.

Whereas Pharaoh insists on Jews being defined by what we’re escaping, Moses demands that we identify by where we’re going. A far cry from the jealousy of the nations of the world who cannot bear to see us thrive, the Torah this week challenges us to represent ourselves as Ambassadors of light, love, hope, morality, justice, peace, and holiness.

Indeed, the renowned sage, Rabbi Saadya Gaon (882-942 CE) famously declared that the only common denominator that runs consistently throughout every Jewish community in history is our commitment to the Torah. There simply is no other commonality between a Jew in Alexandria, Buenos Aires, or New Zealand and a Jew in Brooklyn, Constantinople, or Siberia.

Like our biblical ancestors in the Torah this week, we too have a choice as to how we will manifest our faith—through the depressing vote of the UN or the uplifting downfall of our Lebanese enemies. Will you allow Nassrallah, Sinwar, and the Ayatollah to decide who is a Jew or will you allow yourself to be inspired by King David, Rabbi Akiva, the Baal Shem Tov, and the Rebbe?

Surely we cannot allow the anti-Semite to define the Jew. It can only be the Jew who determines what it means to be a Jew! As G-d created man in His image, the role of the Jew is to sanctify this world in the image of G-d.

As we stand on the threshold of a New Year, let’s commit ourselves to a fresh start. Let’s shed ourselves from pre-existing paradigms and free ourselves to be the Jews we were born to become. Let us embrace our Father in Heaven with love through learning His Torah and observing his Mitzvahs, fulfilling our Divine mandate and drawing all of his sensational blessings upon every aspect of our lives!

Rabbi Dovid Vigler
Chabad of Palm Beach Gardens
6100 PGA Blvd, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418
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