Community Magazine December 2013

18 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE a position to either destroy Jerusalem or “support” it. This had the potential to be either a moment of great achievement or a moment of great catastrophe. Tragically, the Jews squandered the opportunity for the former, and therefore had to suffer the dreadful consequences of the latter. Why would a siege offer the opportunity for greatness? What is it about this particular kind of threat that has the potential to elevate the Jewish people? A siege is uniquely suited for fomenting unity and cohesiveness. The residents are trapped and in crisis, and must work together to find a solution. They are all in the same proverbial boat, threatened by a common enemy and facing the prospect of the same horrific fate. There is perhaps no greater trigger of unity and cooperation than the feeling of being besieged. Once the siege is in place, the differences and petty arguments suddenly seem meaningless. Everyone is all together, and must come together as a team to overcome the crisis. If the people rise to the occasion, they can work together to “support” their wall. They can transform the harsh reality of being besieged into a great blessing, and seize this opportunity to spread love and respect across party lines. This is what happened during the time of Hizkiyahu. He led the people toward unity and cohesiveness, and the city was spared. But this is not what happened during the Babylonian siege. The people remained divided, and thus instead of “supporting” the wall, they caused it to crumble. The Babylonians then marched in, and eventually set the Temple ablaze. Atoning f� �e Sale of Yosef The prophet Zecharyah foresaw the time when the fast of Asarah Be’Tevet, like the other fast days, will be transformed into an occasion of great festivity and celebration. He concludes this prophecy by admonishing, “ veha’emet ve’hashalom ehavu – but you must love truth and peace.” The great potential of these days will yet be realized, but on the condition that we commit ourselves to “truth and peace,” to proper ethical behavior and maintaining peaceful relations among ourselves. By correcting the mistakes made by our ancestors, we can finally seize the opportunity presented by these occasions and bring our long-awaited redemption. But to accomplish this, we need to explore the root of the problem, the origins of acrimony and strife among Jews. Rav Meir Simha Hakohen of Dvinsk (1843-1926), in his Meshech Hochmah , writes that all interpersonal offenses have their roots in the incident which we have been reading about in the weekly Torah portion – the sale of Yosef ( mechirat Yosef ). Every sin a Jew commits against his fellow is a product of that sin committed by our otherwise righteous forebears, when ten brothers conspired to sell another as a slave. This concept, of the lingering effects of this sin that still remain with us to this day, is manifest in several different