PARSHAS Shoftim 5784
Hersh, Our Brother
Aliza Nabatian
Co-Director,
JSU Central Florida
This past week was agonizing for the Jewish people. We viciously lost six precious souls. For some, the hostages feel like people we know. Especially Hersh Goldberg-Polin, our fellow Jewish-American, and his valiant parents.
To me, he was the reminder that every hostage is somebody’s Hersh. Every soldier killed, every innocent bystander harmed – these individuals are each a whole world. These strangers are our brothers and sisters. The connection between us can be seen in the fact that at least two Jewish souls born this week were named after three of the hostages. Baby Shaul Hersh and baby Eden Carmel.
This week’s Torah portion speaks at length about the Jews going to war. In between the chapters about war there is a seemingly incongruous section that describes a situation where an unknown man is killed in between two cities and the killer is unknown. The Torah then details the responsibilities to properly take care of the deceased. Why is the Torah written in this specific sequence?
One of the things I love most about Torah learning is how attuned it is to human nature. This should be unsurprising, as the Torah’s Creator is the same as the human one. Yet it is deeply comforting to know that no matter how many thousands of years pass, Hashem still knows us and understands us.
One of the inevitabilities of war is that people become desensitized to death. With so many people dying in such a short span of time, it is hard to feel the heartbreak over each and every one. The chapters on war are paused, and the situation of an unknown victim is mentioned to show the amount of care and respect that is given to one solitary stranger. It is a reminder that while we are in the midst of a war each victim still represents a world unto itself, and recalls to us the immeasurable value of human life.
The beauty of life and the pain of its loss are infinite. If we are able to feel the full scope of feeling, we can perhaps channel it into stronger action, stronger prayer, and with G-d’s help we should see the redemption speedily in our days.
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