We often hear the word “unity” being thrown around, but what does unity truly mean? The dictionary defines unity as, “the state of being united or joined as a whole”, but has that even been achieved? We say that Jews are united, but as there ever been unity among us?
Chaburah is split into four parts:
-
Was there ever unity amongst Jews?
-
What does it even mean to be unified?
-
If we are unified, what responsibilities come with that?
-
Conclusion
1. Was there ever unity amongst Jews?
The first question you must ask is did G-d or man create the necessity of unity?
The notion of unity is in the basis of creation.
Now that we see the world is based upon the necessity of unity, has that even been achieved amongst Jews?
(ב) ויחן שם ישראל. כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד בְּלֵב אֶחָד,
(2) ויחן שם ישראל AND THERE ISRAEL ENCAMPED as one man and with one mind —
(2) Having journeyed from Rephidim, they entered the wilderness of Sinai and encamped in the wilderness. Israel encamped there in front of the mountain,
We can infer that the necessity of unity to receive the Torah is paramount, but what does Gd do to ensure that all of our needs are taken care of to try to ensure we are unified in following His commandments?
(ה) עֲשָׂרָה נִסִּים נַעֲשׂוּ לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בְּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ. עוֹמְדִים צְפוּפִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים רְוָחִים...וְלֹא אָמַר אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ צַר לִי הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁאָלִין בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם:
(5) Ten miracles were performed for our forefathers in the Temple: they would stand up crowded and bow down with [enough] space; and a person did not say to his fellow, "The place is too cramped that I should lodge in Jerusalem."
(ג) לפי סדר הפרשה וכו'. אף על גב דיש להשיב שלכך לא נאמר 'יום ראשון' שאין ראשון בלא שני, וכיון שלא היה שני לא יתכן לכתוב ראשון, ולכך כתב "יום אחד" (קושית הרמב"ן), מכל מקום כאשר כתב משה התורה כבר היה ז' ימים, והוי למכתב 'יום ראשון' מששת ימי המעשה שהיו בעת הבריאה, שהרי כל הכתוב לשון עבר - "והארץ היתה תוהו ובוהו וחושך" (פסוק ב), הוי ליה למכתב גם כן 'יום ראשון' מששת ימי המעשה, ואילו כתב 'בראשית היה בורא אלקים שמים וארץ והארץ תוהו ובוהו' אז היה התירוץ כך, אבל כאשר הכתוב מדבר לשון עבר - שפיר מצי למכתב 'ויהי יום ראשון', שהרי בעבר כבר היו ששת ימי המעשה. ונראה שמה שפירשו רז"ל (ב"ר ג, ח) שלכך נכתב "יום אחד" שהקב"ה היה יחיד בעולמו ביום הראשון, אין הפירוש "יום אחד" יום שהיה הקב"ה בו אחד, שזה היה דרש רחוק מאד, אלא פירושו כמשמעו שהיום אחד, רק מפני שהוקשה להם דהוי למכתב 'יום ראשון', כמו שאמרנו למעלה, כי בעת שכתב משה רבינו עליו השלום התורה כבר היו ז' ימי בראשית, והוי מצי למכתב 'יום ראשון', וכתב "יום אחד" להודיעך כי זה היום היה אחד, שלא היה ביום הזה שום שניות לגמרי, רק אחדות גמור. כי הזמן שהוא היום מתיחס אל הדבר שנמצא בו, ומפני שלא היה נמצא בו רק אחדות נקרא "יום אחד", כי הזמן שהוא מתיחס אל הנמצא בו הוא ברור. ועוד יש לתרץ קושיא הראשונה, שכיון שהיו הימים נבראים, וכבר התחיל בבריאה, אף על גב שעדיין לא נשלמו - שייך שפיר 'יום ראשון' מן הימים שנבראים עתה, שכל ששת ימי בראשית ענין אחד נחשב לגמרי, והוי מצי לכתוב 'יום ראשון':
We see in the temple Gd performed many miracles. Now in times without the temple, what miracles are achieved today because of unity? Is it still a value today?
In 1948 in the establishment of the State of Israel, there were three forms of military: the Hagana, Etzel and Lechi. After the War of Independence, they united to form the Israeli Defense Forces. Even though the military was now unified, the government was far from that.
In 1967, during the Six Day War for which Jerusalem was recaptured, all sides of government unified to form one goal to win the war. Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Neriah famously explains that we only merited recapturing Jerusalem from the unification of the government and the military. We only deserved the immense miracle of winning the war because we were unified.
2. What does it mean to be unified?
In following of the commandments and the Torah, we are all unified in the basic requirement to fulfill them. But how is that achieved?
וכל עבירות שבתורה מכל העולם לא והכתיב (ויקרא כו, לז) וכשלו איש באחיו איש בעון אחיו מלמד שכל ישראל ערבים זה בזה
The Gemara asks: And with regard to all of the other transgressions in the Torah, is punishment not exacted from the entire world? But isn’t it written: “And they shall stumble one upon another” (Leviticus 26:37)? This verse is homiletically interpreted to mean that they shall stumble spiritually, one due to the iniquity of another, which teaches that the entire Jewish people are responsible for one another.
(א) נָקוּד עַל לנו ולבנינו לִדְרוֹשׁ שֶׁאַף עַל הַנִּגְלוֹת לֹא עָנַשׁ אֶת הָרַבִּים עַד שֶׁעָבְרוּ אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן, מִשֶּׁקִּבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת הַשְּׁבוּעָה בְּהַר גְּרִזִּים וּבְהַר עֵיבָל וְנַעֲשׂוּ עֲרֵבִים זֶה לָזֶה (סוטה ל"ז; עי' סנהדרין ע"ג):
(1) הנסתרת לה' אלהינו THE SECRET THINGS BELONG UNTO THE LORD OUR GOD — ...There are dots on the words לנו ולבננו to suggest that even for the revealed sins (those committed openly), He did not punish the community until they had crossed the Jordan — from the moment when they took upon themselves the oath on Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal and had thus become responsible for one another (Sanhedrin 43b; cf. Sotah 37b).
We see from these sources that unity is achieved through the general responsibility we have for each other. The aspect of unity reaches beyond the benefits of being unified, it is a core connection we share.
Baal Shem Tov Hakodosh:
Our rabbis have taught us that Jews are responsible for each other, we are all entwined because we have the same root.
***Doesnt matter where you are now, we all come from the same place.
3. What does this responsibility we have for each other mean in practical terms?
The Gemara asks: And are descendants not punished for the sins of their ancestors unless they adopt their behavior? But isn’t it written: “And they shall stumble one upon another” (Leviticus 26:37)? This verse is homiletically interpreted to mean that the Jewish people shall stumble, one due to the iniquity of another, i.e., they are punished for each other’s sins, which teaches that all Jews are considered guarantors, i.e., responsible, for one another.
רבינו הלל על הסברא
Jews are responsible for each other. Just like a guarantor pays someone from his own money if the person cant, same things here. Whenever a Jew is in distress we are obligated to help them.
From these sources the requirement to help a fellow Jew is clear. The practical implication of this responsibility is found in the requirement to take care of one another.
(ב) כמפני חרב. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ וְכָשְׁלוּ אִישׁ בְּאָחִיו, זֶה נִכְשָׁל בַּעֲוֹנוֹ שֶׁל זֶה, שֶׁכָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲרֵבִין זֶה לָזֶה (ספרא; סנהדרין כ"ז):
(2) כמפני חרב AS IT WERE BEFORE THE SWORD — A Midrashic explanation of וכשלו איש באחיו is: one will stumble by reason of the sin of the other (באחיו is taken in the sense of: on account of the other), for all Israelites are held responsible for one another
(2) It appears that what Moses wanted with this new covenant was to make the Israelites responsible for one another in their מצוה-performance. Each Jew has to see to it that his fellow Jew does not stumble and commit sins. The proof that this is what Moses had in mind here is to be found in verse 28 of our chapter where the Israelites are relieved of their responsibility when the nature of the sin committed is one that is secret. The Torah emphasises הנגלות, "publicly committed sins," must be dealt with by ourselves. It is clear that that verse speaks of the mutual responsibility of one Jew for the conduct of another. Naturally, the degree to which we have to carry out this responsibility varies with our position in the community.
We see the basic commandment to be responsible for each other in a monetary sense, that we are inherently connected and affected by each other. Are these just good ideas or are they codified in Jewish law?
-
והוא עניין "כל ישראל ערבים זה לזה" (שבועות לט) שזכרו חז"ל, כי הנה על ידי זה נמצאים מתקשרים קצתם בקצתם ולא נפרדים איש לעצמו. והנה מידה טובה תמיד מרובה, ואם נתפסים זה על זה בחטא, כלשכן שיועילו זה על זה בזכות
The Talmud (Shevuot 39a), in discussing the domino effect of sin, concludes with the Aramaic phrase, Kol yisrael arevim zeh bazeh, meaning all of Israel are responsible for each other. This phrase is the basis of the notion of communal responsibility in Jewish law. If one Jew sees another Jew at the verge of sinning, he has an obligation to step in and help. Even more so, it implies an obligation on all Jews to ensure that other Jews have their basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter taken care of. Simply by virtue of being a Jew one is responsible for the well-being of other Jews, and vice versa.
(א) מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁל דִּבְרֵיהֶם לְבַקֵּר חוֹלִים. וּלְנַחֵם אֲבֵלִים. וּלְהוֹצִיא הַמֵּת. וּלְהַכְנִיס הַכַּלָּה. וּלְלַוּוֹת הָאוֹרְחִים. וּלְהִתְעַסֵּק בְּכָל צָרְכֵי הַקְּבוּרָה. לָשֵׂאת עַל הַכָּתֵף. וְלֵילֵךְ לְפָנָיו וְלִסְפֹּד וְלַחְפֹּר וְלִקְבֹּר. וְכֵן לְשַׂמֵּחַ הַכַּלָּה וְהֶחָתָן. וּלְסַעֲדָם בְּכָל צָרְכֵיהֶם. וְאֵלּוּ הֵן גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים שֶׁבְּגוּפוֹ שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם שִׁעוּר. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכָּל מִצְוֹת אֵלּוּ מִדִּבְרֵיהֶם הֲרֵי הֵן בִּכְלַל (ויקרא יט יח) "וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ". כָּל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁאַתָּה רוֹצֶה שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ אוֹתָם לְךָ אֲחֵרִים. עֲשֵׂה אַתָּה אוֹתָן לְאָחִיךְ בְּתוֹרָה וּבְמִצְוֹת:
(1) It is a rabbinic positive precept to visit the sick, comfort the mourners, escort the dead, dower the bride, accompany the [departing] guests — — as well as to cheer the bride and the groom, and to assist them in whatever they need. Even though all these precepts are of rabbinic origin, they are implied in the biblical verse: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18); that is, whatever you would have others do to you, do to your brothers in Torah and precepts.
(רכג) מי שיש בידו למחות ואינו מוחה. ואין בפיו תוכחות. ועל מעשה חטאים לא ילטוש עין ולא ישגיח. ולא יהיה להם לאיש מוכיח והנה נצטוינו לבער הרע מקרב עמנו. שנאמר (דברים יג) ובערת הרע מקרבך. ואמרו רבותינו - כל מי שיש בידו למחות באנשי ביתו ואינו מוחה נתפש על אנשי ביתו. יש בידו למחות באנשי עירו ואינו מוחה נתפש על אנשי עירו. יש בידו למחות בכל העולם ואינו מוחה נתפש על כל העולם. ונאמר (ויקרא כו) וכשלו איש באחיו ודרשו בו ז"ל איש בעון אחיו ואמרו כל ישראל ערבים זה לזה.
The responsibility of helping each other through the sense of unity goes beyond just feelings, but is a required commandment. We are required to help each other and be united just as any other commandment.
4. Conclusion:
Article: https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/providing-food-clothing-and-shelter/
(Print out attached)
Story: Story of Rabbi Meir Shapiro
(Attached)
Summary:
We learned first that unity is essential and found in the creation of the world. Although unity seems like a foreign concept, throughout the Torah and modern Jewish history unity has been achieved. Gd performs many miracles to ensure that unity takes place and rewards the performance of it.
Unity is not something that once achieved is completed, rather unity is a continuous process of responsibility that we must constantly pursue.
From that unity, beyond the responsibility we have for each other we are also deeply affected by each others actions.
There are various laws to ensure this unity, being codified in simple terms of what each person is required to do for each other.
The article or story of Rabbi Meir Shapiro teaches us that no far we are removed from each other and on a surface level might seem very different, each Jew is deeply connected and all share a common bond that unites us all.
From a philosophical or common law perspective, the Torah teaches us the power of togetherness and how we are truly better together.