A famous question is asked regarding a particular passage in
our Parsha. When G-d is about to bring the grand finale of the 10
plagues; the killing of the first born, Moses instructs the Israelites
to place some blood on the lintel and doorposts of their homes. The
purpose of this blood is to indicate to the angel of death that this
was an Israelite home and these homes were not to be touched. The
classic question posed is why must the Israelites identify
themselves. Can't this angel, an emissary of the Almighty identify
the Jewish homes? The classical answer given is that one must do
something actively to secure their own rescue and well being. You
can't just sit back and wait to be saved. You have to get up and
actually do something.
There is another question that is less asked but leads to a
meaningful response. After the blood is placed on the door, Moses
tells the Israelites "None of you shall go out of the house until
morning." While it sounds reasonable enough to stay inside while
this destruction is taking place, the Talmud raises the question in
the name of Rabbi Yosef who asks "Why is it written 'None of you
shall go out of the house until morning.'" Rabbi Yosef's answer is
fascinating. He says "this tells us that as power has been given to
"the destroyer" to do violence, he does not distinguish between a
righteous person and an evil one." If an Israelite leaves the
house, he's as susceptible to the plague as anyone else.
A profound theological statement can be found in Rabbi Yosef's
statement. The destroyer does not distinguish between the righteous
and the evil. Does the destroyer exist today? Indeed, in the form of
natural disasters, diseases, accidents, illnesses, tumors, and
unfortunately, the list goes on.
Rabbi Harold Kushner develops this theological line in his book
When Bad Things Happen to Good People. He writes that a tumor has no
consciousness. The righteous are not protected and the evil are not
more susceptible. There are many, many reasons to be a good, decent,
righteous person, but it doesn't buy one an insurance policy against
life's ongoing plagues. Sadly, no one is immune and sadly we are
forced to learn this lesson again and again.
When bad things happen to good people, there are no easy
answers to make any one feel immediately better. We can't help but
feel saddened and pained. Healing takes time and somehow healing does
come. Good things indeed happen to good people. Wounds don't always
heal fully and perfectly but healing does come.
Each Friday evening, we sing a beautiful verse of Psalm 92
called the Sabbath Psalm. The meaning of these words Ma gadlu
ma-asecha
Ya is How great is your creation, Oh G-d. We live in an amazingly
wonderful world governed by order and filled with beauty. We can
count on the sun rising in the morning and the winter turning into
spring (not always in January as it did this week though). But we
live in an imperfect world where "the destroyer" still wreaks some
havoc and no distinctions are made between the righteous and the
wicked. Rabbi Yosef taught this in Talmudic times and his teaching
resonates with meaning still today.
The answers to the first and second question above seem to
contradict each other. The first tells us that we can contribute to
our own salvation and well being by a positive act and the second
tells us that there is no immunity for the righteous. Ultimately, the
truth involves a synthesis of these two answers. There is indeed much
we can do for our own well being yet there are those modern day
plagues that still happen beyond our control.
Don't just stay home in the hope of being protected by a sign
on the lintel. Go out and live life as fully and joyfully and as
righteously and hopefully. That is the best answer we can give today.
