The Answer to Anti-Semitism—R' Dovid Rhodes

I am a judge in an annual essay contest that has topics for Jewish Youth from across the whole spectrum of Jewish observance.
They run the gamut of Yeshiva homes to homes where one of the parents is not Jewish. This year’s topic is “WHEN YOU GO
TO COLLEGE, WHAT WILL YOU DO TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM ON CAMPUS?” As expected, there were a whole range
of answers from engaging anti-Semites, educating people, enforcing stricter laws about prejudice and joining Jewish clubs and
groups to fight the problem. However, if we look at the origins of anti-Semitism, we will see that it all began at the time of our
initial formation as a people. There is no question that there was a decree on the descendants of Avraham from the Bris Bein
Habisarim (for various reasons as told to us by Chazal) that the Jewish people had to be subjugated in Egypt. However, the level
of the servitude and its severity was directly proportional to the actions of the Jewish people. The Possuk says “UBNAI
YISROEL PARU VAYIRBU VAYITZRESHU” The Possuk compares them to SHERATZIM, rodents. What does this mean?
This was the perception of the Egyptians about the Jews. They viewed the Jews as rodents that where infesting their
neighborhoods. The Jews started off in Goshen. However, because of a vast increase in population growth they felt too confined
and started spreading out throughout Egypt. When the Jews started to become part of Egyptian society, the Egyptians resented it.
It became so bad that Pharaoh felt that something had to be done. The Jews where to powerful an element in society to just
enslave outright, so he devised a plan called “OPERATION PERACH”. The Gemorah says that it was ‘PEH RACH” a soft
voice called public service and loyalty to the country. They asked the Jews to help in Public building projects for the good of the
country. Even Pharaoh himself participated. Eventually it was this ploy that enslaved them. Only Shevet Levi was not enslaved.
Why? Yosef, with great insight instituted a law that anyone who was a priest was exempt from all taxes. Yosef’s intention was
that all the Jews would live in Goshen and have the title of Priests and that would mitigate any form of intense slavery.
However, the Jews had other plans. The Jews wanted to be good Egyptians and be part of Egyptian society. They would focus
on this world while giving lip service to Ruchnius. That was their downfall. We see the same thing happened by Haman. When
Haman approached Achasveirosh to kill the Jews he was afraid to do so. He said that everyone that tried it got severely
punished. Haman said to him “YESHNO AM ECHAD” Chazal say that the word YESNO means sleeping. The Jews are not
paying attention to the Mitzvohs. The proof is that they went to your party even though you showed tremendous disgrace to their
holy vessels from the Bais Hamikdosh. Achasvierosh said ”What about their Torah Scholars?” Haman answered “AM ECHAD”
they do not listen to them and they have no influence over them. Mordechai told them not to go to the party because it was a
Chillul Hashem. The people said that it is a Kiddush Hashem to show that we are good citizens of the Persian Empire. We
respect our King and fit into Persian society. That will protect us from anti-Semitism. What happened? The exact opposite. A
decree was sent out to destroy all these “LOYAL” Jews. The Possuk says that the more the Egyptians afflicted the Jews the more
the Jews grew as a people. This was the exact opposite if the intentions of the Egyptians. Because they were forced to be Jews,
they were given a BERACHA from Hashem. When Pharaoh decided that all male children that where to be born should be
thrown into the Nile River, Amram the Gadol Hador, separated from his wife Yocheved and gave her a Get. Then everyone did
what he did and gave their wives Gitten. Amram said that why should we have children just to have them killed. His daughter
Miriam said that his decree is worse than that of Pharaoh. Pharaoh only decreed against the males and you decreed against the
males and females. Pharaoh’s decree may happen or not. However since you are the Gadol Hador everyone will listen to you.
Amram took Yocheved back despite the terrible decree against the Jews and a child Moshe was born who was the savoir of the
Jewish people. The truth of Hashem is the opposite of the conceived truth of people. There is a story about a small shul in
Russia that the army wanted to take over for a barracks. They told the town that they had 60 days to vacate the building. This
was a terrible decree for the town. The Rav of the town could not understand why Hashem issued such a decree. One of the
congregants told him that the army will have to do a lot of fixing up. The roof has leaks, the paint is peeling, the floor boards are
loose etc. Immediately the Rav called the town together and instructed them to paint and fix up the Shul. They said “Why, the
Army is just going to take it over anyway?” The Rav said that the reason this terrible decree is happening to us is because
Hashem said that if we do not care about our own Shul to keep it beautiful, then Hashem does not care about it either. When the
people showed that they cared about the Shul then Hashem cared about it too. The army then decided that the Shul was too
small for their needs. The basis to fight anti-Semitism is not détente, protests, articles etc. It is all about strengthening our
Judaism. When we show Hashem that we take our Judaism seriously than Hashem will make sure we can fulfill our obligations
to Him in a tranquil environment without our enemies interfering in our AVODAS HASHEM. We should not look for answers
outside of us. All the answers are found within us.