If Netanyahu runs for elections as head of Likud, I will, again, vote for him

Dear readers,

The following post was published on Facebook by Tal Gilad this morning. It was written in Hebrew and translated into English by me.

The truth is that I was planning to write  one on my reasons for voting for Netanyahu, following Netanyahu’s brilliant Press Conference last night. Watching his body language, listening to his wisdom evoked in me the exact same sentiments that no one other than Tal could describes in  words. Thank you for another great observation, Tal.

Here is the translation of his post:

Yes, of course I will vote again for Netanyahu if and in the hope that he heads Likud.

Not only because of his contributions to Yisrael’s economy, its security, power, and status in the world arena.

Neither will I vote “just in spite” against the Supreme Court or the Left and definitely not against the dear and beloved brothers on the Right who are upset with him and who are correct in every word, except that they lack patience  and prudence.

Not because of the Peace Agreement with the Emirates.

I will vote for him  since if in this inferno that he and his family are going through, in all the soul consuming experiences, the demonstrations, blood libels, ewers of hatred, defamation, lies,  sticks in the wheels from all corners of the political spectrum, if, among all this, he manages to maintain equanimity, function normally, carry out important international agreements,  head a rickety government of the most problematic, most neurotic Nation in the world, during the most horrific circumstances plaguing the world, if he still succeeds at doing all this, without moving a facial muscle, except for a light smile, and without even one hair moving on his head – then this man is not made of iron, but from some substance which cannot be found on Earth.

Yes, this is exactly the man that each State could only dream of as a leader.

Violence and Incompetence

A few days ago, I came across the following quote by one of my favourite writers, Isaac Asimov:

“Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.”

The path of human history has been bespeckled with episodes of violence. Violence has been used against political adversaries, those who practice difference of religious and other creeds, "wrong" colour, fragile people of all ages and various other reasons.
Unfortunately, violence still plagues humanity. It is around us and seems to be fed by the tongues of fire of hatred, ignorance and, sadly, apathy as well.

Some have wondered as to what Asimov meant by the above quote.

There are those who depict it as, if violence is the last option, one is incompetent. Others, view it as violence is the first option of the incompetent.

As much as I am certain that Asimov meant  the latter, in my view, violence should not be part of any equation, if we can help it. 

Instead, I believe that we should be addressing the subject of Incompetence, its sources and how it can lead to violence.

Incompetence is the inability, ineptitude to do something successfully. It can manifest itself over a large spectrum of fields, intellectual, physical emotional and moral as well.

Part of humanity, so it seems, has lost its moral agent. It no longer seems to live up to a certain code of conduct created by humans like us all. For them, the seams that distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong, just and unjust, that which has limits and limitlessness, unity and division, have come unraveled and blurry.

In cases of violence, it is always easy to blame others. How convenient it is to hold someone else responsible for such a breakdown of values, be it the system, the government, apathy or lack of police enforcement. “Yes,” admit those who are pointing a blaming finger at the ‘system,' the culprits who commit violence are horrible and should be punished ….but….but….but…”

 Invoking or utilizing violence, I will venture to say, is to a certain extent, a form of deficiency, be it cognitive or moral. Furthermore, I do not believe it is an inherent deficiency. In my view it is an acquired one. It is this deficiency, I reckon, which is the root cause of Incompetence. Hopefully, it can be reversed or corrected.

I am not here to blame anyone, offer any earth-shaking suggestions or magic solutions. I am merely an observer who is trying to contain that which we have experienced around us, one who cares and wants to make a difference, be it the smallest.

There is not much that I can do to improve our world but I certainly do as much as I can, and mostly for the sake of posterity,  in my own little world. As a teacher, I wish to restore competency, good judgement, and clarity of thought. I try to rehearse the foundations of morality with my students as much as possible. I stress to them the importance of debating opposing views while maintaining the dignity of difference and agreeing to disagree. I do my best to equip them with the skills and the proper compass in the hope that these will guide them wisely and unharmed through the twists of their Life’s terrain.

Only time will tell whether I have succeeded.

Shavua tov to all.

Re'eh

"See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse,” (Deuteronomy 11:26) is the first verse of this week’s Parasha. It is also where the Parasha draws its name from (Re’eh – see). The great prophet, Moshe, is about to reminding his congregation that only leading a life where they observe G-d’s directives will gain them His blessing. Moving away from the mitzvot, on the other hand will bring a curse upon their heads and their way of life.

To most of us, “seeing” invokes the connotation of perceiving with the eyes or discerning visually. I doubt that this is what G-d had in mind when He put these words into Moshes’s mouth. The “seeing” that I believe He wanted  Am Yisrael, a nation in its early stages of development, to exercise is to rather focus on grasping and deducing mentally following their reflection on the message that this Parasha is about to deliver. It is the way they observe themselves, their conduct and how well they understand that which will determine their fate.

Am Yisrael is still in a disarray, at the stage of their infancy. They have undergone a few traumatic experiences during their wanderings in the desert.  They are about to enter Eretz Yisrael.. The fear of what awaits them when they enter the Land and take their life into their own hands is gnawing in their heads. They perceive themselves as victims and act as such. They are still stuck in their recent past.

Moshe knows it. He uses the occasion to hand them a moral compass. So, rather than spend time unwinding them, softening his approach towards them, or removing their concerns, he does the opposite. He wants them to look into the future, prepare themselves for their new reality and shed off the shackles of victimhood. He reminds them of and reviews, yet again, the many mitzvot they have heard more than once during their time in the desert, as he passes on the message that it is up to them, their deeds and the way they lead their life that will be the founding principle of their blessings.

In other words, G-d wants them to take responsibility. The message Moshe delivers, in G-d’s name, uses the singular form of “see,” not the plural one (Re’u). This lesson is not aimed only at Am Yisrael as a nation. It is meant for every individual member of it. A personal message from G-d. It is not about others, it is about us, it is about me, you, and our own personal moral orbit. It is all about choices. No one can make the selection for us. If we choose the curse, we will suffer. On the other hand, if we conduct our life properly, we will not only improve our own universe but that of others as well.

May we all understand and incorporate the difference between the two and live a fulfilling life endowed with the best of every blessing.

Shabbat Shalom