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shevereshtus

@shevereshtus

Dec 18

On why it's a bad idea to reflexively say 'Make Aliyah!' whenever terrorism strikes the diaspora

A thread

One of the most heartwarming phenomena we’ve seen since the creation of the State of Israel is the unity from the rest of the Jewish world shown when Israelis face hardships. Whether it’s wars, rockets, terrorism, or natural disasters, the diaspora Jewish community immediately rallies, no questions asked, to pitch in, help, or support Israelis in whatever capacity they can.

This is, of course, reciprocated. The Israeli Government has, at least in matters of terrorism, persecution, or natural disasters, dispatched whatever personnel were necessary to help diaspora Jews on the ground. Whether the recent attack in Australia, the 2021 Surfside Condominium collapse in Miami, or yearly in Uman for Rosh Hashana, Israelis and their government do whatever they can to help. They have not limited themselves to helping Jews, either, but in fact dispatch troops and allow private organisations to go help around the world whenever a major tragedy strikes, as we’ve witnessed in. It has even been willing to send its citizens to hostile countries, though the help was not always accepted.

It’s easy to be cynical and assume that, at least in part, this is a form of hasbara rather than purely selfless humanitarianism. It therefore becomes easy to dismiss these efforts as a form of ’Look how nice we are! Please like us!,’ even though there is no doubt that they’re also performed out of a sense of duty and doing the right thing. There is, after all, a similar impulse in Jewish philanthropy that leads mega-donors to give very little to the Jewish community and instead give to the community at large. Their generosity is real and admirable, but it also opens them up to accusations of signaling, a kind of reflexive attempt to placate false accusations of tribalism. While their philanthropy is still very much appreciated, it is undercut by a seemingly unspoken quid pro quo.

Obnoxious but Well-Meaning is still Obnoxious

Just as self-serving charity is still self-serving, so it is with obnoxious but well-intentioned advice. Neither is likely to achieve its goal.

The Talmud in Shabbat 105b condemns someone who is being lazy to eulogize a Sage, or makes inappropriate comments about his death, such as ‘Why are you sad? He’s in a better place,’ to those who mourn him, as people who deserve to be buried alive. Not quite literally, of course. It’s simply the rhetoric they use to highlight the moral failure of those who engage in such behavior. It might be entirely true that, after 120 years, someone reunited with his maker is in a better place than he was in this physical world, with all its travails. The truth of the statement is not the issue; it’s the timing.

An increasingly common phenomenon of the past decade is that, unlike when something tragic happens in Israel, sympathy seems to flow only one way. For many influencers on social media and the louder pro-Israel voices, instead of genuinely mourning the tragedies that happen to Jews worldwide, any attack on a Jew becomes another opportunity to sing the same old tired chorus: ‘Oh no, that’s sad... Anyway, that’s why you should make aliyah.’

No Diaspora Jewish voice after October 7th told Israelis ‘Well, that’s why you should make yeridah!’ The idea that, in the midst of grief and tragedy, it’s the right time to politely berate people for their circumstances is an aberration. Or, at least, it should be. Could you imagine someone walking up to Holocaust survivors and chiding them for not moving to the British Mandate instead of staying in Europe?

It’s not to say that there is no place for that conversation. It is true that, prior to the Holocaust, many were roaming from Jewish community to Jewish community all over Europe, prophesying that a dark cloud had gathered, and Jews needed to flee. Most famously, Jabotinsky exerted all of his energy doing just that, until it quite literally killed him. I’m sure at other times in Jewish history, others were doing the same. Sometimes they were right, and sometimes they were wrong.

The key factor is that it happened before, not after, tragedy struck. It is still a relevant conversation to be had, but certainly not before the bodies have even been buried. While we’re still reeling in pain, it’s not the time to come and tell us, ‘It could all have been avoided if you’d made other decisions.’

Especially when it comes off as a smug and self-satisfied ‘the kind of decisions I made’ remark.

Read 6 tweets

shevereshtus

@shevereshtus

Nov 17

Kabbalah and Chassidut of Islam & Xianity, the Sun and the Moon, and looking for what you’re lacking.

A (not so short) thread

https://twitter.com/shevereshtus/status/1990211216862851444

As a preamble. This was spurred on by a post from @DBashIdeas which highlighted the fact that the Xian world follows a solar calendar, while the Muslim world follows a lunar calendar, and Jews follow a mix of both. This led me to make this post:

https://twitter.com/shevereshtus/status/1990211216862851444

@DBashIdeas Now, the differences between all three religions and how they are viewed in Jewish mysticism is something I’ve learned a lot about in the past, and even taught in classes or given speeches on Shabbat in Synagogues.

While I’m sure this came up, I never found an answer.. until now

Read 29 tweets

shevereshtus

@shevereshtus

Nov 2

"A RABBI owns [that website]! Could you ever imagine if a priest or minister doing that?!"

"A former ultra-Orthodox Rabbi who now leads a progressive congregation is one of Mamdani's main backers! How could he be antisemitic or bad for the Jews?

They are not Rabbis; a thread.

"How can you say they are not Rabbis? They both received Orthodox Rabbinical ordination!"

Yes. You know who else has an Orthodox Rabbinical ordination? My electrician. My plumber, too. The accountant that lives a few doors down my house. My landlord.

None of them are Rabbis.

There are multiple levels of Rabbinical ordination, but for the sake of brevity, let me put it this way: the basic level of Rabbinical ordination is the equivalent of a GED.

It's something that, especially in Hassidic or ultra-Orthodox circles, everyone gets between ages 19-23.

Read 12 tweets

shevereshtus

@shevereshtus

Sep 30

As Yom Kippur approaches, it is time for two yearly religious rituals to take place:

Kapparot & and the protests against Kapparot.

A thread to demystify, explain, and give the history to this much-maligned practice.

Yom Kippur means Day of Atonement. Kapparot, plural of Kapparah, means atonement as well. This ritual usually happens on the day before Yom Kippur, at dawn.

If you’re unfamiliar about Yom Kippur, this primer will help you before you continue on:

chabad.org/library/articl…

The ritual of Kapparot is centered around charity. Either money is donated to the poor, or a chicken (or other animal, more on that later) to feed them.

Prior to the donation, a short prayer is read, and the donation/animal is waved around gently over the head three times.

Read 29 tweets

shevereshtus

@shevereshtus

Sep 25

Explaining and demystifying the antisemite’s favorite Jewish ritual (which is not actually a ritual):

Metzitzah b’Peh

A thread.

Metzitzah b’Peh (MBP from now on) is Hebrew for ‘Oral Suction.’ It has been integral to the circumcision process since time immemorial.

It has become a common tool for antisemites to attack Judaism due to how admittedly puzzling the practice seems from the outside.

Let’s first deal with the history of MBP:

The oldest written reference to it dates to the Mishnah, nearly 2,000 years ago, where it lists MBP alongside the essential steps of circumcision.

It is brought up within the context of actions you can violate the Shabbat for.

Read 19 tweets

shevereshtus

@shevereshtus

Sep 15

A lot of people don't understand why so many people are mourning Charlie Kirk, it had such an impact on so many people, and why it will have a long term effect.

It has very little to do with politics, or religion, and everything to do with humanity.

A short thread.

I never watched a single Charlie Kirk debate prior to his death. I never watched him speak on any topic for any amount of time. I never read what he wrote. The most I knew of him were parts of clips here and there. Yet, his death really affected me.

I'm far from alone.

I still knew of Charlie Kirk. It was hard not to.

He was a man deeply passionate about what he believed, and wanted to talk to you about it.

He would show up to campuses, and he would be willing to give anyone time to discuss ideas if you were willing to discuss back.

Read 13 tweets

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