The Day After Israeli Elections and Pesach

The Israeli election is officially over and some Israelis, American Jews and even the American president seem bitterly disappointed with the result. It’s only natural that after any election there will be some hard feelings and sadness. This is especially true in Israel, where elections seem like life-or-death affairs that will entirely determine the fate of a vulnerable population surrounded by enemies.

So it wasn’t surprising to see name-calling and bitterness on social media following the election results. Although I can understand the disappointment, I think this is a good time for all of us to take some deep breaths and remember that anger is almost never productive for bringing about positive social change or justice.

Alan Morinis‘ engaging book, Climbing Jacob’s Ladder, is about Alan’s initial exploration of Mussar, a Jewish spiritual and ethical practice designed to refine positive character traits and put practitioners in touch with their rich inner lives. During his journey, Morinis, who later founded The Mussar Institute,  realized that his desire to improve the world could only be realized through a loving heart.

When I identify anger as the root of my motivation to bring good into the world, I see the contradiction. And I see a potentially incendiary outcome. Whether that means I burn myself up or I set fire to something or somebody else, the world just isn’t going to be better for that action. 

The alternative that I see is for me to home in on the soul-trait of compassion (page 161)

With the holiday of Pesach (Passover) approaching quickly, it might help to remember that the Children of Israel (Bnei Yisrael) were barely a nation when they were in Egypt. Our sages teach that they had sunk to the 49th level of impurity. They were arguing with each other and Moses was even questioning G-d.

Moses spoke before HaShem, saying, ‘Behold, the Children of Israel have not listened to me, so how will Pharoah listen to me? And I have sealed lips!’ (Exodus, 6:6-11)

Things seemed bleak, surely there was a lot of frustrating and anger. But eventually, with G-d’s help and guidance, we pulled it together and experienced the revelation at Mount Sinai.

In his excellent Pesah Haggada, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks notes that although four seems to be a symbolic number during the Pesach seder – four questions, four sons, four cups of wine and four expressions of redemption – one can actually make the argument that five is really the key number, with Rabbi Tarfon saying in Tractate Pesahim (118a) that we recite Hallel over the FIFTH cup of wine. This might be because each of the “fours” mentioned above has a little something missing, according to Rabbi Sacks.

But Israel is not yet at peace. In the Diaspora assimilation continues apace. Many Jews are estranged from their people and their faith. Something is missing from our celebration –the fifth cup, the fifth deliverance, the fifth verse, the fifth question, and the fifth child. That is a measure of what is still to be achieved. We have not yet reached our destination. The missing fifths remind us of work still to be done, a journey not yet complete (page 133)

There is still a long way to go, unfortunately. And the only way we will successfully reach our joint destination is with smiles on our faces and love in our hearts.

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