Ki Thisah: follwership

Ki Thisa: followership

I am writing from Jerusalem in the midst of a war against Iran. Iran was formerly known as Persia (The Shah changed the name to a cognate of Aryan [ not a complete coincidence] in 1935.) The  Jews, who were dispersed through the Persian empire, were threatened with annihilation by the machinations of Haman, who had become the chief advisor of the foolish King Achashverosh.  Clever Mordechai and beguiling Esther, through a set of remarkable coincidences, rescue the Jews from destruction. That is a quick summary of the megillah that  we read this week, on Tuesday in most of the world and Wednesday in Jerusalem. This year we read that megillah with intermittent missile attacks forcing sheltering from bombs and shrapnel. Iran had been attacked by Israel  (and the US) because it had renewed Haman's threat. The leadership of Israel (and the president of US)  had determined that a pre-emptive strike  was wise. The retaliation was predictable. 

In the parsha and in the megillah, we hear a great deal about the leaders: Moses, Mordechai, Esther. Few people are in those positions. Most people are in  the mas of humanity for most things. Individuals do important things, but their accomplishments are hard won and recognized only by their peers or beneficiaries. Their names are not recorded in the book (like Moshe); their books are not read in an annual ritual of celebration (like Mordechai and Esther).

How would I have dealt with the golden calf?  Would I have participated? contributed? celebrated? watched from a distance? I do not know. But the guilt for the act was distributed to everyone. The participation of Aaron, Moshe's brother, who was left in charge, implies that it was dangerous to fail to support the great Golden calf project.  It was a situation in which the choice of faith in Gd was unrealistic, but Gd demanded it anyway.  This is a recurrent religious demand. 

Purim is the greatest example of , "They tried to kill us, they failed, lets eat"  This is the witticism that expresses a view of Judaism. It is the Judaism of deliverance from persecution, the Judaism that sees the world populated by irreconcilable antisemites. It is not my favorite view, but currently it is evoked by the ongoing rocket barrages. I need it to justify the actions of Israel and the US. It is a way to understand the acceptance of the statements of the Ayatollah

The beginning of the parsha, the poll tax in which everyone counts the same comes in contrast to the Golden Calf. Th e golden calf was  made from reclaimed jewelry (which probably alienated the original recipients) which implies wealth. Idolatry contains an element of the rich subjugating the poor. Shabbath, which is also prominently mentioned in the parsha, is the great concession to the worker: a day when there is no boss. Gd requires it. It is an antidote to the idolatry of work

Am I following the right path? I have the Shabbath to consider it