Community Magazine July 2009

A Financial Crisis in Halab The Jewish people have confronted economic crises before, and somehow great communities have always been able to find relative prosperity – even under the often restrictive laws governing Jewish commerce in host countries. One such instance occurred approximately four hundred years ago, when the community of Halab experienced a severe drought. Not a single drop of rain fell for three years. Nowadays, modern transportation methods could help drought-ravaged regions survive by transporting food and water from other areas. Back then, however, a severe drought posed the threat of economic ruin and widespread starvation. As the situation continued to deteriorate, the kehila (congregation) approached the sadik Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto, who is known by the acronym “Rif” (not to be confused with Rabbi Yizhak Elfassi, the famous Medieval codifier who is also known as the Rif), to plead to Gd on their behalf. The Rif responded by instructing the community to observe a public fast the following Thursday. On that day, the entire community gathered in the k’nees (synagogue) and poured out their hearts in impassioned prayer, begging the Almighty to end the dreadful crisis. After hours of heartfelt prayer and supplication, the Rif rose and addressed the congregation. The crowd sat attentively, thirstily absorbing the rabbi’s every word. Suddenly, in the middle of the lecture, two men in the congregation began conversing with one another. Their conversation gradually grew louder, to the point where it disturbed the people around them. Repeated requests to keep silent had no effect. Finally, the synagogue’s gabbaim had no choice but to demand that these two men leave the k’nees. Just as the Rif finished his lecture, the skies darkened and rain began to fall. The members of the congregation excitedly gathered around the Rif kissing and thanking him for ending the drought. The two men who had so rudely disrupted the lecture also came to thank the rabbi, but the congregants, still fuming over the men’s disrespect to the rabbi, refused to let them through. The Rif, however, in his unparalleled humility, instructed that the men be allowed to approach. He warmly drew them towards him and blessed them as sincerely as he had blessed everybody else. A Meritorious Agreement That night, the Rif saw in a dream that A Stimulus Plan from RABBI YONATAN MAGAZZINICH T he seven years of plenty seem far behind us as one of the worst financial crises in modern times continues to pose financial challenges to just about every American across the economic and social spectrum. Across the world, and certainly here at home, legislators have introduced “stimulus packages” cumulatively amounting to trillions of dollars in an effort to jumpstart the flailing economy. But while even sponsors of these initiatives readily admit that there is only a speculative chance of success for these unproven measures, a historical record from Halab (Aleppo, Syria) may offer an unconven- tional option with far better fundamentals. Old Halab The Old Synagogue of Halab 78 Community magazine