Q&A: Afflicting the People for a Holy Purpose
Afflicting the People for a Holy Purpose
Question
The cantor finished Ne'ilah, and instead of saying “Hear O Israel” and blowing the shofar exactly on time, the synagogue sexton handed him pages with the names of the hostages, and he read them out one by one in the women's section, and men cried. After that there was also a prayer for those on their way to the soldiers, and only then “Hear O Israel.”
Bottom line, they kept hundreds of people — men, women, and children — in the fast for about 2–3 minutes longer.
Is that justified for the sake of this lofty goal?
Is the sexton’s well-known left-wing orientation relevant to the discussion?
Answer
I think 2–3 minutes is not terrible. In many places that happens anyway because the prayer service gets delayed. It seems to me that what’s relevant to this question is the questioner’s “right-wing orientation.” I don’t think concern for the hostages and prayer for their return are a left-wing matter. Nor is a prayer for the soldiers. If they are suffering and/or fighting for you, you can hold out another 2–3 minutes for them. I’m sure everyone there survived that terrible suffering and injustice.
What, concern for the hostages has already become left-wing?
That’s news to me.
Concern for the hostages is concern for the hostages.
Not right-wing and not left-wing.
What have we come to???