The Day After.......

These three words, if you ask me, are loaded and are relevant to so many situations and circumstances. For some, these words denote that something epic or terrible which presaged them is going to bring upon us one or another doomsday prophecy and the end of the world.

For others, myself included, on the other hand, they reveal a sliver of hope, hold the promise of renewal, rebirth and better days ahead.

The seam which separates between the two is not always a thin one and not always easy to cross, let alone smoothly. The process can be bewildering, taunting and depressing to some.

  

And it is precisely on that very unpredictable joint between the Days of the Chinese Communist Party virus  (AKA Corona) and what the we refer to as “The Day After,” where the world stands. The uncertainties, distrust, the need to change behavioural patterns and learning to face and deal with the unknown, take their toll. The nameless and uncharted future results of the current crisis are certainly bigger and more ominous than that which is presently known, a harsh reality that we are forced to face.

That, however, does not scare or deter the optimist in me. I know that we shall overcome these difficult days and come out of them stronger. It may not happen soon, but it will happen. Moving forward is our only option. A cure and hopefully a vaccine will put an end to the calamity that has befallen humankind.

So where and how do we begin to address this?

Firstly, any reasonable person would tell you that in order to effectively deal with a problem, one must spot its cause, its source.

Despite all the confusion and havoc, one dictum, nevertheless, remains undeniably clear and factual. The origin of the virus is in a lab in China. Though we are still shrouded in darkness as to how it first appeared, at least we know its starting point, its source.

Having said that, let me explain that when I mention China, I am not referring to the average person on the streets of Zhongguo, the Mandarin name for all the territories of the People’s Republic of China. The Chinese are very friendly and harmless people whose sole desire is to live in peace and tranquility. I have been there a few times, did business deals with them, was a guest at their home and spent time in their company. My arrows regarding this sordid “Corona” affair are directed ONLY at China’s brutal communist regime. There are many examples of how that government subjugates its people, how it endeavours to control every aspect of our lives, buying chunks of our world, stealing intellectual properties and others. I, however, am specifically referring to the painful issue of child or underage labour.

Unfortunately, there is almost no available economic study of child labour in China. We do know, however, that “as the largest developing country in the world, China was classified as posing an “extreme risk” of child labor as indicated by Maplecroft’s 2014 Child Labor Index” (Maplecroft, 2014).

That, for me, as  a human being, as a mother, as a teacher is a very disturbing piece of information. It is that distressing detail that I want you, dear readers, to see in front of your eyes when we finally reach the Day After. I ask you to remember it as you search the internet for “finds,” and keep your post offices buckling under the piles of deliveries containing cheaper items that probably originate in China. Did you ever stop to think why Chinese products are so cheap (in addition to their bad quality)?

The answer is child labour.

Why not pay more and buy products made in our own back yard? Why not support our own industries and home economy that have suffered so much because of the way the Chinese Communist Party handled the spread of the virus? Why not make the Day After a better day for our own home, for us, for our future generations?

Hopefully, along the path to recovery from the pain' loss and suffering of the day before, the Day After will also help build a better world for all.

Kavod

Kavod is Hebrew for Honour.

Honour, a word which originated in Latin, could mean a host of concepts to many. To some, it means glory, renown, dignity reputation. In Hebrew, however, the language which I, as a Jew, define myself in, it bears those and much more, a lot more.

Hebrew is a language based on the system of roots. As such, in most cases, words that share the same root are related in their meaning.

The root for the Hebrew word Kavod כָּבוֹד   is  כ,ב,ד k,v,d . It is the same root for the word, “heavy,” כָּבֵד, (kaved).  What follows then is that these words are related as they stem from the same root. We generally refer as heavy to something that weighs much and thus has a stronger influence on our lives. Honour is generally given to anyone who bears significance and meaning.

Kaved,“Liver” in Hebrew, is another word that stems from the same root as Kavod. It is that internal organ in our body whose role is to break down the food we eat, a very significant role. It was also discovered in the past that the liver is the heaviest internal part in the human body.

Kavod, appears in the Tanach 119 times. In most cases there, it is used to describe G-d.  In other cases, when it is used to describe humans, it almost always refers to their inner beauty and good qualities. These are the qualities that are the reflection of that spark of G-d, His image, that is in each one of us. Every one of us, therefore, holds the potential to adorn themselves with the title of being Honourable.  We can, through our deeds and behavior, choose to highlight these inner traits or we may choose to ignore and scorn them. Dignity, the state or quality of being worthy of earning Honour or respect, and integrity are the compass that will dictate and guide us, humans, in choosing the right path for ourselves to be merited and deserving of Honour. That, as Roger Froikin, my mentor, has just reminded me is consistent with our great Jewish ideology and tradition of 3400 years.

This concept is also reinforced in the literature of our sages where the following saying is emphasized.  “Those who run after Kavod, the Kavod evades them…. Those who run away from Kavod, Kavod chases them.
 "הרודף אחר הכבוד הכבוד בורח ממנו, והבורח ממנו ..., הכבוד רודפו"

Again, what that saying implies is that in Judaism, genuine Honour is not external, one which is given for a flaunt of wealth, social or other position or a role. Neither is it one that can be actively sought, demanded or imposed. Rather, it is earned. It is earned for wisdom, honesty and modesty which are expressed through their deeds and behaviour. Therefore, when we witness people for whom all that matters are their title and their affluence yet when asked to engage in a matter that they consider beneath their dignity, we refer to them as players in the game of Honour.

As we enter the Jewish New year of 5778, I express a silent prayer for Am Yisrael, in particular, and the world in general. I pray that this year will bring Peace, unity to our fractured world and above all the earned cloak of  Kavod, Honour, to all.

Shanah Tovah