Our Trauma is Endangering Us
Slavery, abuse and exile have a way of shaping their victims. That is why it’s important to ensure our attitudes, perspectives, and outlooks are true to who we are and not a tragic result of 2,000 years of Jewish exile.
For example, our history of horror and persecution led to a Jewish mantra, “better not to get noticed,” or like they say in Yiddish, “Zei Shtil” (be quiet). Quite clearly, the descendants of Abraham, who were called upon to be a “light unto the nations,” were not meant to “be quiet”; yet, our circumstances and survival led many to believe that “keeping one’s faith to themselves” was indeed the Jewish approach.
Today, it is recognized that this approach can and should be retired as the world needs our voice and message as ever.
Meta-messages are significant as well:
The Rebbe called attention to the fact that the image of the Temple’s Menorah with rounded branches was primarily cast upon us by the renderings of Jewish slaves carrying a Menorah carved onto the Arch of Titus, a structure built to celebrate the Roman victory over Judea and upon which the words “Judaea Capta” are engraved.
The leading Jewish scholars Rashi and Maimonides agree that the Menorah’s branches were actually diagonally shaped. (Click here for Maimonides rendering of the Menorah)
In calling for a “correction of the record” and the design of the diagonally shaped Menorah, the Rebbe wrote:
“The design of the Menorah should remind and arouse a Jew about his role to serve as a ‘light unto the nations’ — ‘it is testimony to all inhabitants of the world that the Divine Presence rests among the Jews.’ Instead, the Menorah is depicted in a way that calls to mind the exact opposite — how Rome was victorious over the Jews, Heaven forbid!
“It would be proper to renew our efforts in this regard — that all those who produce illustrations of the Menorah should depict the branches diagonally, as is the opinion of Rashi and Rambam.”
There is another attitude of which we must cleanse ourselves.
Thousands of years of trauma led to a Jewish question, “what will the Goyim (nations) say?”. The fear of losing the support of our host nations and neighbors often paralyzed us from acting in our self-interest.
That trauma is now endangering us. The task currently before us is too critical and important to ask, “what will the goyim say?”, what will the UN, ICC, or even the world’s leading politicians say. The time is now to ask, “what do the Jewish people need to do?”.
We can’t be shaped by the Menorah on Titus’s Arch; we need to be inspired by the Menorah of the Temple. It’s not a time to “be silent”; it’s a time to speak out.
It’s a time to shed 2,000 years of fear and move forward with courage, conviction, and confidence.
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For more about the design of the Menorah see Why Insist on Depicting a Straight-Branched Menorah?
