Rabbi Breit's Blog

There is a devious slipperiness in making public pronouncements that you know won't result in any action or change. It offers a chance to posture yourself as generous or good, or to defame and threaten another person, without having to pay any real cost or take accountability. 

There is no shortage of social media posts and videos of angry people spouting gory, vicious threats. When confronted, such speakers say it was just talk, only words — they never really intended anyone bodily harm. They face no cost, hold no accountability. But it became just a little bit easier to see the person insulted as less deserving, less respectable, less human. 

Yesterday, 19 Senate Democrats, including both Senators from Georgia, voted to suspend arms sales to Israel in the face of a war Israel is fighting on at least seven fronts against armed belligerents seeking to harm and destroy the nation. None of them expected the resolution to pass, to actually strip Israel of smart bombs and tanks as it fights against militants paid by an Iranian regime that has school children chant “Death to America.” None of them had to make any realistic analysis of what the world would look like with weaponry east of Europe concentrated only in Russian and Iranian supplied hands. None of them had to visit the war zone, see how weapons are used or dive into the tangle of reality. But it allows them to posture themselves as good and compassionate.

This sleight of hand is not new. In the Torah, after Sarah dies, Abraham goes to buy her the Cave of Machpelah as a burial place from the Hittites. Ephron the Hittite, in front of all his people, insists he’ll give it to Abraham for free. He looks good and generous in front of his people. But the rabbis teach this was no real offer because in a few verses he says coyly, “Between me and you, what is land worth four hundred shekels?” — a subtle hint of the demanded extortionate price for the land.

But Abraham is not dissuaded by pronouncements. He insists on paying and he pays the extravagant price for ownership of the cave. Ephron’s hollow offer isn’t treated as reality, but as the performative gesture it is. And Abraham, to his credit, does not seem resentful or appalled or even annoyed. He doesn’t respond to hollow words with hollow words. He buys the cave for the actual price Ephron gives at last. And then he presses on to the next important action he has to do; he turns to finding a wife for his son Isaac (although he is now very clear that Isaac shouldn’t marry any of the locals). 

The sages teach that Abraham is a true example of righteousness, for “the righteous say little and do much.” The wicked, by contrast, “promise much and perform not even a little.” Abraham, vulnerable as he is and surrounded by those who say quite a great amount, focuses on what the right next action is. And he does it.

We too should proceed with wisdom and caution in the face of those whose words and actions do not match. But, more importantly, we must not get caught in the casuistry of their words to lose track of what the right thing is to do.

Shabbat Shalom.