This week’s Parsha contains the “Tochacha” the curses that will befall our nation if we do follow the right path. The curses make frightening reading, reminiscent of much of the suffering, tragedies, and the holocaust. This text is read quietly and quickly, with various customs as to who is called to the Torah for that particular portion. The Chatam Sofer proposed that an announcement should be made ”who wishes to be called up”, so as not to upset anyone. If no one comes forward the Bal Koreh is called up.
The curses appear in the third portion (Shlishi)which has been laid out so that reading begins and ends on a positive note, to sweeten the pill. In conclusion in Ch 26 verse 42, Hashem proclaims that despite all, even when we are in the land of our enemies he will not rejected us, and will remember the covenant (Brit Avot) . R Baruch Halevi Epstein explains that there are two types of rejection, permanent or temporary. Permanent rejection is when you don’t like something, or perhaps allergic to it (like me and Broccoli). Temporary rejection is when you are fed up with something or someone at the moment, but you get over it, and Hashem is telling us that he will never abandon us.
R Meir Simcha of Dvinsk (1843-1926) in the Meshach Chochma takes a long and detailed look at how the Jewish people have survived in the Diaspora. He explains that we have survived through the constant renewal of the Covenant Hashem made with our Forefathers (Brit Avot). Yakov, was the first exile, and created a protective mechanism, as the Midrash tell us – “we did not change our clothes and we did not change our language.” R Meir Simcha explains that all through the ages our Rabbis and Sages constantly created barriers between us and the gentiles, so as to keep our unique identity. He warns of this loss of identity and uses the amazing phrase “you will think Berlin is Jerusalem”. In a fascinating parallel the Chatam Sofer ((1762-1838) was against the Austrian Emperor’s decree giving the Jews equal rights.
I was recently reading an interview with Philip Roth, the American novelist and this reminded me of his recurring dilemma of Jewish and American identity. In one of his books “The Plot against America” he creates a scenario where Charles Lindbergh, a known anti-Semite, becomes US President and persecution of the Jews begins. We remain different for better and for worse, and in the words of Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks the world needs to appreciate “The Dignity of Difference”.