Gilead in the Days of Gaza

It is difficult, if not impossible, to find the words to speak about this week.

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר, אַל תְּרַצֶּה אֶת חֲבֵרְךָ בִשְׁעַת כַּעֲסוֹ, וְאַל תְּנַחֲמֶנּוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁמֵּתוֹ מֻטָּל לְפָנָיו,

Pirkei Avot 4:18

Rabbi Shimon the son of Elazar says: Do not try to assuage the anger of your friend in the height of your friend's anger; do not try to comfort your friend when your friend's deceased lies before him;...

ברטנורא על משנה אבות ד׳:י״ח:ב׳

וְאַל תְּנַחֲמֶנּוּ בְשָׁעָה שֶׁמֵּתוֹ מֻטָּל לְפָנָיו. שֶׁבִּשְׁעַת הַחֻרְבָּן כִּבְיָכוֹל הָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתְאַבֵּל, בִּקְּשׁוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת לְנַחֲמוֹ, וְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ מְשִׁיבָן (ישעיהו כ״ב:ד׳) אַל תָּאִיצוּ לְנַחֲמֵנִי:

Bartenura on Pirkei Avot 4:18:2

"do not console him at the time when his deceased lies before him": As at the time of the [Temple's] destruction - as if it were possible - the Holy One, blessed be He, was mourning. [When] the ministering angels tried to console Him, the holy spirit answered them, "Do not rush to console Me."

We are in a time of national aninut, when our dead are still yet to be buried. It could take weeks or months before we, as a people, are ready to reckon with this reality - and receive comfort. Yet is there comfort at all?

ברכות ס״ד א:י״ד

אַל תִּקְרֵי ״בָּנָיִךְ״ אֶלָּא ״בּוֹנָיִךְ״. ״שָׁלוֹם רָב לְאֹהֲבֵי תוֹרָתֶךָ וְאֵין לָמוֹ מִכְשׁוֹל״. ״יְהִי שָׁלוֹם בְּחֵילֵךְ שַׁלְוָה בְּאַרְמְנוֹתָיִךְ״.

Berakhot 64a:14

The Sages interpreted this verse homiletically: Do not read your children [banayikh], but your builders [bonayikh]. The learning of Torah builds peace for a generation. As it is stated: “Those who love Your Torah have great peace; there is no stumbling block for them” (Psalms 119:165); and “May there be peace within your walls, prosperity within your palaces” (Psalms 122:7)

If you take anything from today, let it be this - our small act of Torah study will bring the world some peace.

I've always been fascinated by Poe - and his poetry resonates particularly this week, not for its gothic and haunting character, but for its utility in conveying the profundity of sadness and violence that we have experienced.

Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted— On this home by Horror haunted—tell me truly, I implore—Is there—is there balm in Gilead?—tell me—tell me, I implore!” Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

The question of balm is not the only religious reference in this poem - but it is the most direct question, fragmented by grief - is there any comfort in religion? But what is Gilead, and what is the balm?

ירמיהו ח׳:כ״א-כ״ב

(כא) עַל־שֶׁ֥בֶר בַּת־עַמִּ֖י הׇשְׁבָּ֑רְתִּי קָדַ֕רְתִּי שַׁמָּ֖ה הֶחֱזִקָֽתְנִי׃ (כב) הַצֳּרִי֙ אֵ֣ין בְּגִלְעָ֔ד אִם־רֹפֵ֖א אֵ֣ין שָׁ֑ם כִּ֗י מַדּ֙וּעַ֙ לֹ֣א עָֽלְתָ֔ה אֲרֻכַ֖ת בַּת־עַמִּֽי׃ {ס}

Jeremiah 8:21-22

Because my people are shattered, I am shattered; I am shadowed, seized by desolation.

(22) Is there no balm in Gilead? Can no physician be found? Why has healing not yet Come to my poor people?

בראון-דרייבר-בריגס, אֲרוּכָה א׳

...

BDB, אֲרוּכָה 1

† אֲרוּכָה n.f. healing of a wound, restoration (properly the new flesh that grows at the wounded spot, Arabic أَرِيكَةٌ; Fi^{JPh. xiii. 114–6}, so Fl De on Is 58:8; v. also Di)—א׳ 2 Ch 24:13; Ne 4:1; אֲרֻכָה Je 30:17; 33:6; cstr. אֲרֻכַת Je 8:22; אֲרֻכָֽתְךָ Is 58:8;—always fig. a.healing, restoration of Israel Is 58:8, here c. vb. צָמַח, elsewhere c. עָלָה; Je 8:22 (‖ רָפָא), c. עָלָה Hiph., subj. י׳, 30:17; 33:6 (‖ id.) b.restoration of walls of temple 2 Ch 24:13, of walls of Jerusalem (cf. Fi supr.) Ne 4:1 (both c. עלה).

Gilead (Gilad), in Hebrew, we are told means piles of testimony - something we have become accustomed to this week. But the language is so particular to our moment - even the 'healing' we are asking for is the new flesh, just the scar - just the scab - to stop the bleeding.

Gilead is a place of violence in the Tanach. It has few positive connotations - Eliyahu's birthplace, a place of obscure refuge for David, but scarcely more. Read on below some of the stories of Gilead.

תענית ד׳ א:ז׳

יִפְתַּח הַגִּלְעָדִי — דִּכְתִיב: ״וְהָיָה הַיּוֹצֵא אֲשֶׁר יֵצֵא מִדַּלְתֵי בֵיתִי וְגוֹ׳״, יָכוֹל אֲפִילּוּ דָּבָר טָמֵא. הֵשִׁיבוּ שֶׁלֹּא כַּהוֹגֶן, נִזְדַּמְּנָה לוֹ בִּתּוֹ.

Taanit 4a:7

By contrast, there is the case of Jephthah the Gileadite. Upon leaving for battle he issued a statement, as it is written: “Then it shall be that whatever comes forth from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace…it shall be to the Lord and I will bring it up for a burnt-offering” (Judges 11:31). This might even have been an impure, non-kosher animal, which he had committed himself to sacrifice. In this instance, God responded to him unreasonably, and his daughter happened to come to him.

הושע ו׳:ח׳

גִּלְעָ֕ד קִרְיַ֖ת פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן עֲקֻבָּ֖ה מִדָּֽם׃

Hosea 6:8

Gilead is a city of evildoers, Tracked up with blood.

(Writing 150 years before Yirmiyahu - therefore, not a single instance of violence, but a trend)

חזקוני, במדבר ל״ה:י״ד:א׳

את שלש הערים מנין ערי מקלט שלהם משום דבגלעד נפישי רוצחים כדכתיב גלעד קרית פועלי און עקובה מדם כלומר אף ההורגים במזיד גולים לערי מקלט ולפיכך צריכים היו אותם שבגלעד לערי מקלט בשוה לאותה שבארץ כנען כדתנן במכות בראשונה אחד שוגג ואחד מזיד גולה לשם, בראשונה פרש״‎י בתחלת דינו והיינו דכתיב כאן ולא ימות הרוצח עד עמדו לפני העדה למשפט והכי איתא בסיפרי הכל מקדימין לערי מקלט ב״‎ד שולחין ומביאין אותו משם שמי שנתחייב מיתה הרגוהו ומי שלא נתחייב מיתה פטרוהו.

Chizkuni, Numbers 35:14:1

He views this as proof that Moses viewed the likelihood of these cities [of refuge] being needed on the east bank was far greater as in Gilead murders would be more common than in the “Holy Land” on the west bank. He backs up this surmise by quoting Hosea 6,8: גלעד קרית פועלי און עקובה מדם, “Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked up with blood.” This suggests that initially even intentional killers were in the habit of using these cities as cities of refuge.

Clearly there is no place more ridden with violence than Gilead. What, then, is the meaning of asking for balm from it?

But we spoke not only of the profundity of violence, but also sadness we experience. It is a sadness not only of absence, but of pure loss and grief:

There are calamities for which it is possible to accept consolation. A person may have had an illness from which he recovered. Although he had been in great danger and in tremendous pain, when with God's help he was healed, he was immediately consoled for all the pain he endured. Similarly, if money was lost, then when God restores the lost fortune, consolation follows quickly. But when lives are lost, it is impossible to accept solace. It is true that when the pain is due to the loss of family and loved ones, or to the loss of other Jewish people because they were precious and are sorely missed, it is possible to take comfort in other surviving relatives and different friends. But any decent person mourns the loss of others not simply because he misses them; it is not only his yearning for them that causes pain and distress. The real cause of his grief is the death of the other – the loss of life.

(Rabbi Kalonymos Kalmish Shapira, Sacred Fire: Torah from the Years of Fury 1939-1942, translated by J.H. Worch [Jason Aronson], p.200, Shabbat Nachamu – August 9, 1941)

Of course, there is nothing more dripping in grief than Eichah:

איכה ב׳:י״א

כָּל֨וּ בַדְּמָע֤וֹת עֵינַי֙ חֳמַרְמְר֣וּ מֵעַ֔י נִשְׁפַּ֤ךְ לָאָ֙רֶץ֙ כְּבֵדִ֔י עַל־שֶׁ֖בֶר בַּת־עַמִּ֑י בֵּֽעָטֵ֤ף עוֹלֵל֙ וְיוֹנֵ֔ק בִּרְחֹב֖וֹת קִרְיָֽה׃ {ס}

Lamentations 2:11

My eyes are spent with tears, My heart is in tumult, My being melts away^-g Over the ruin of my poor people,^-h As babes and sucklings languish In the squares of the city.

איכה רבה ב׳:ט״ו

(טו) כָּלוּ בַדְּמָעוֹת עֵינַי, אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר סִיקוֹסִים נִיתַּן לָעַיִן, דִּמְעַת הַסַּם, וְדִמְעַת הַחַרְדָּל, וְדִמְעַת קִילוֹרִית, וְדִמְעַת הַשְֹּׂחוֹק יָפָה מִכֻּלָּן. שְׁלשָׁה דְמָעוֹת רָעוֹת: דִּמְעַת הֶעָשָׁן, וְדִמְעַת הַבְּכִיָה, וְדִמְעַת בֵּית הַכִּסֵּא, וְשֶׁל תִּשְׁחֹרֶת קָשָׁה מִכֻּלָּם. וּמַעֲשֶׂה בְּאִשָּׁה אַחַת שֶׁהָיָה לָהּ בֵּן תִּשְׁחֹרֶת וּמֵת, וְהָיְתָה בּוֹכָה עָלָיו בַּלֵּילוֹת עַד שֶׁנָּשְׁרוּ רִיסֵי עֵינֶיהָ, אָזְלַת לְגַבֵּי אַסְיָיא אֲמַר לַהּ כְּחוּלִי מִן כַּחֲלִי וְאַתְּ מִנַּשְׁמָה. נִשְׁפַּךְ לָאָרֶץ כְּבֵדִי, מַעֲשֶׂה בְּאִישׁ אֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ בֵּן תִּשְׁחֹרֶת וּמֵת, וְהָיָה בּוֹכֶה עָלָיו בַּלֵּילוֹת, עַד דִּנְחַת כְּבֵדֵיהּ, אֲמַר כְּבָר כְּבֵדֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא גַבְרָא נְחַת מַאן בָּכֵי עֲלוֹי וְלָא אַהֲנֵית כְּלוּם.

Eikhah Rabbah 2:15

"My eyes are spent with tears": Rabbi Elazar said: Limitations were imposed on the eye ... There are three harmful tears: The tear caused by smoke, the tear caused by weeping, and the tear caused by the lavatory; and the tear over a young person is the worst of all. There was an incident involving a certain woman who had a young son who died. She cried over him at nights until her eyelashes fell out ...

"My heart is in tumult, my being (kevedi) melts away": for example: a certain man, his adult son died and he was weeping over him each night until his liver (kevedeh) collapsed, and he said: "My liver is heavy and has fallen under its weight because I am weeping over him and all of this does not matter."

Phenomenal sadness and violence - but that is not where our tradition ends. Our rabbis also inform us of the other kinds of tears: [There are tears that are beneficial:] The tear caused by a drug, the tear caused by mustard, and the tear caused by eye balm; and the tear of laughter is the best of all. Because for each action by the Divine, there exists and must come the 'equal and opposite reaction'. Even in the depth of our sadness, our rabbis give us a glimpse of the tears we have yet to come - tears of joy and healing.

Now let us re-examine Gilead - properly, Gilad. A name that is embraced in modern Israel and by Jews around the world not because it means 'piles of testimony' and is a sanctuary for murderers - but because it can, in its same spelling, mean 'endless joy'. And the biblical Gilad, as violent as it was, also served as a centre of commerce for medicine- exporting its famous balms in caravans we read about earlier in the Tanach. Out of the place of desperate violence comes a healing unlike any other - and out of each conflict, over time, must come some measure of peace. As Shlomo puts so beautifully:

קהלת ג׳:ד׳-ח׳

(ד) עֵ֤ת לִבְכּוֹת֙ וְעֵ֣ת לִשְׂח֔וֹק עֵ֥ת סְפ֖וֹד וְעֵ֥ת רְקֽוֹד׃ (ה) עֵ֚ת לְהַשְׁלִ֣יךְ אֲבָנִ֔ים וְעֵ֖ת כְּנ֣וֹס אֲבָנִ֑ים עֵ֣ת לַחֲב֔וֹק וְעֵ֖ת לִרְחֹ֥ק מֵחַבֵּֽק׃ (ו) עֵ֤ת לְבַקֵּשׁ֙ וְעֵ֣ת לְאַבֵּ֔ד עֵ֥ת לִשְׁמ֖וֹר וְעֵ֥ת לְהַשְׁלִֽיךְ׃ (ז) עֵ֤ת לִקְר֙וֹעַ֙ וְעֵ֣ת לִתְפּ֔וֹר עֵ֥ת לַחֲשׁ֖וֹת וְעֵ֥ת לְדַבֵּֽר׃ (ח) עֵ֤ת לֶֽאֱהֹב֙ וְעֵ֣ת לִשְׂנֹ֔א עֵ֥ת מִלְחָמָ֖ה וְעֵ֥ת שָׁלֽוֹם׃ {ס}

Ecclesiastes 3:4-8

(4) A time for weeping and a time for laughing,A time for wailing and a time for dancing; (5) A time for throwing stones and a time for gathering stones,A time for embracing and a time for shunning embraces; (6) A time for seeking and a time for losing,A time for keeping and a time for discarding; (7) A time for ripping and a time for sewing,A time for silence and a time for speaking; (8) A time for loving and a time for hating;A time for war and a time for peace.

We are living in a time of war and hate. In reading the above, people always focus on the verbs - but remember, in this case, let us focus on the refrain - time. And time. And time, and time - this will, with G-d's help, eventually bring us the healing and balms we all require.

May we and our children grow to live in a time of laughing, dancing, gathering stones, embracing, seeking, keeping, sewing, speaking - love and peace.