In Parshas VaYishlach (B’reishis 32:12), as Yaakov is about to encounter Eisav, he cries out to Hashem, “Save me, please, from the hands of my brother, from the hands of Eisav.” Rashi, in his commentary, explains that Yaakov was pleading to be delivered from the hands of his brother but behaves like the wicked Eisav.
Facing enemies is tough enough. But when you realize that you are being opposed not just by your known enemies, it makes the battle all the more difficult.
Throughout the years of Jewish history, we have witnessed betrayers from within our own ranks. The “eirev rav,” the “mixed multitudes” of Jews and others, instigated many of the incidents during the Jewish wandering in the desert, which brought us nothing but trouble from an angered G-d.
During the Second Temple period, the Hellenistic Jews, who sided with the Greeks, were a major source of opposition against the Hasmoneans in their struggle to maintain independence from the Syrian-Greek occupiers. The Cantonists were Jews who collaborated with the Tsarist government in kidnapping Jewish boys for conscription to the army.
During World War II, there were those Jews who tried escaping the wrath of the Nazis by cooperating with them. In the end, they met the same fate as their fellow Jews.
What we have witnessed in our own times conjures up those images. A few months back, 77 Democrats signed a letter to President Biden asking him to embargo arms against Israel. There were several Jewish congressmen in that group, including Jamie Raskin and our beloved Jerrold Nadler.
More recently, the Republicans introduced a bill to sanction the ICC (International Criminal Court) in The Hague, Netherlands, for ruling that Israel is guilty of genocide and its military must face the charges of being a war criminal. That bill did not get past the Senate. Why? Because Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer organized the Democrats to oppose that bill.
The Trump administration is doing what we dreamed would be done: expelling pro-Hamas agitators who have brought fear and misery to Jewish students in countless colleges throughout the country and withholding funds from universities that tolerate anti-Semitism. The reaction from Nadler? “Today’s announcement… sends a chilling message that universities must align with the MAGA agenda or face financial ruin.” This coming from a man who did not lift a finger to protect Jewish students from the horrific riots taking place at Columbia in his own district.
Protest mastermind Mohamed Khalil is facing deportation, as he violated the rights granted him as an immigrant on a visa. Schumer is horrified at the lack of due process.
Mike Huckabee is another dream appointment of Trump – as ambassador to Israel. The man loves Jews and Israel with a passion. He is of the firm belief that Judea and Samaria belong to the Jewish people.
You can scream when you see that the Reform movement sent a letter to every US senator, urging not to vote for Huckabee’s confirmation. They made the absurd claim that he is Messianic, and they are bothered that he does not consider Palestinian statehood an option.
Thank you, brothers. You embolden our enemies, and you make our friends wonder why they fight for us.
So much of this virtue-signaling and leftist heart-bleeding became fully exposed for the fraud that it is at the President’s address to Congress. At the address, there were moments when anybody with a care in his or her heart would have risen to applaud. And it included many individuals the Democrats claim to embrace and champion. A woman marred for life by a male competing in the sport. The mothers of two slain young daughters, brutalized at the hands of illegal immigrants. And most notably, a young African American boy stricken with brain cancer who only wanted to join the police, for which President Trump awarded him official status as a member of the Secret Service.
The reaction? Every Republican rose to applause. Every Democrat remained seated. This reprehensible behavior on the part of the Democrats made it plain for all to see. They don’t really care about women’s rights. They don’t care about victims of crime. They absolutely do not care about the plight of an African American boy. Their only care is their miserable agenda, which thankfully took a beating in November.
I wrote to a local Queens representative last week pleading with her to change parties from Democrat to Republican. As a wholesome wife and mother, I am sure she does not approve of half of what she votes for to remain within Democratic Party lines. I believe she will only gain in the Orthodox community and her other constituents as well. And her conscience will be a lot clearer. So far, I have not heard back from her.
Eisav is no longer taking cover under the guise that he is a pious person, as he did with his father Yitzchak. He is exposed for what he is. We need to make our voices known. Too bad much is directed at our own brethren.
Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld is the Rabbi Emeritus of the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, President of the Coalition for Jewish Values, former President of the Vaad Harabonim of Queens, and the Rabbinic Consultant for the Queens Jewish Link.
