Rischa D'Araisa Statement on the Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza

The humanitarian crises in Gaza are a result of the terrorist attack on Israelby Hamas on Shmini Atzeres-October 7,2023. Hamas’s continued behavior demonstrates cynicalindifference to the fate of the inhabitants of Gaza. Israel wasfully justified in responding militarily. Hamas and its partners – including “civilian”collaborators who aided and abetted atrocities such as murder, hostage-taking,imprisonment and torture – are ultimately responsible for thehorrific conditions in Gaza. Yet this does not free Israel’s government fromresponsibility for conditions within Gaza that it can monitor andimprove. These conditions are dire. Seventy percent of the buildings,including hospitals and schools, have been reduced to rubble. Inhabitants have been displaced many times. The war has continued for close to two years andmalnutrition is leading to famine. We acknowledge the many millions of meals Israel hassupplied from its own resources as well as the vast amount of aid from other agenciesthat the army has allowed induring these 22 months of war. Israel must continue to attempt to the utmost extent of its capacity to alleviate the lack of minimal food and medical care for millions ofpeople, men, women andchildren in Gaza. We are not naive. We realize that some food aid will end up in Hamas' hands and that this aid provides them with economic and social weapons they will use to brutally hold on to power. However, given that the policy of withholding foodaid was shown to be ineffective, erring on the side of mercy is called for. The evils perpetrated by Hamas have provoked much justifiableanger amongst Israelis and Jews all over the world. This anger does not justify vigilanteism and reprisalsagainst the Arab population in Yehuda and Shomron (the West Bank). All Orthodox Jews should protest the lawlessness andcruelty of that behavior. In the long course of this war, ministers with yarmulkes and tichels have advocated strategies and tactics such as mass deprivation and indiscriminatesuffering. We repudiate such perspectives and positions as inimicalto the morality and ethics of a nation described as rachmanim,bayshamnim v’gomlei chasadim – merciful, self effacing, and performers of kindness (Yevamos 79b). Orthodox Jewry, who are the most loyal supporters of Israel, have a special responsibility to encourage maximizinghumanitarian aid in Gaza and to contribute to that aid. We must publicly declare that Judaism is committed to the biblical teachingthat all humans are created in the Divine image, and that we are true descendants of the Avos who follow the path of God in living a life of righteousness and compassion. In this regard, we quote from the the Netziv (Rabbi Naftali Zvi YehudaBerlin) zt”l’s introduction to Sefer Bereishis. In explaining why Chazal refer to this first Bookof the Torah as Sefer HaYashar, he writes these still stirring and fundamental words: This was the greatness ofour forefathers. In addition to being righteous,pious, and lovers of God to the utmost degree, they were also yesharim. That means they werecivil with the [other] nations of the world, despite [the latter]being detestable idol worshipers. Ourforefathers nevertheless extended them love and evinced concern for theirwelfare, as this fortifies [God’s]creation… we see how our forefatherAvraham exerted himself greatly in prayer for the welfare ofSodom. He desired theirsurvival, even though he totallydetested them and their king due to their evil ways . Avraham was the father of a multitude of nations. For even when one’sson is not walking in righteousness, A father still]seeks out his wellbeing and benefit… See how magnanimous ourforefather Yitzchak was with his enemies and was reconciledto a much greater extent than befitted the insufficientminimal words of appeasement articulated by Avimelech . Our forefather Yaakov was justifiablyfurious with Lavan who clearly wanted to murder him and it would have happened were it not for God’sintervention. Yaakov nevertheless spokewith Lavan in a gentle manner, and quickly accomplished arapprochement with Lavan, in a way that was extolled byour sages in Bereishis Rabbah (Parasha 74), “[Better] the anger of theforefathers than the modesty of the descendant…” This is thebehavior that sustains the world, which is the theme particular to thisBook, the Book that describes Creation. A Book known as Sefer Ha-Yashar, highlighting whatwas embodied in so much of our forefathers’ actions. We the co-creators of Rischa Daraiisa call on Orthodox Jewry to model theseattitudes and on Medinas Yisroel to put this legacy into practice in dealing with thecivilian Arab populations of Gaza, Yehuda and Shomron. Rav Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kivelevitz This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate