ע"ה prepared by Partners in Torah in memory of Naftali Fraenkel, Gil-ad Shaer, and Eyal Yifrach introduction curriculum source Material Discussion questions ntroduction n the summer of 2014, three sraeli teens, Naftali Fraenkel, Gil-ad Shaer, and Eyal Yifrach, were kidnapped and eventually murdered by terrorists on their way home from school. ithin moments of the news of the kidnapping, Jews from all around the world came together by the thousands to pray for their safety. hen news of their death became known, all of us experienced it as a personal tragedy and we mourned together as one family. Different opinions and individual interests were all put aside as everyone joined in with dedication, sensitivity, and understanding working together with the understanding that Naftali, Gil-ad, Eyal, were our sons. (President of srael Reuven Rivlin, cited in www.israelnationalnews.com January 15, 2015) n conjunction with the anniversary of their death, June 3 rd has been designated as an international Unity Day in order to join together once more on behalf of our sons. e would like to invite you to review this specially prepared curriculum together with another person so that the memory of the three boys continue to bring Jews together in thought, in action and most of all, in mutual respect and love. Thank you. (f you would like us to assist you find a suitable study partner, we will be happy to do so in advance of June 3 rd in order to coincide with Unity Day. For more information, please call 800-STUDY-4-2.) copyright 2015 Partners in torah page 1 Partners in Torah is a division of Torah Umesorah
Unity Curriculum t s not uncommon for people to put aside their differences when calamities such as 9/11, the 2004 Tsunami in the Pacific, or the 2011 Tohoku earthquake in Japan strike; indeed, for a few weeks or months the whole world stands unified to help the victims. The changed perspectives and feelings however, often do not last. By contrast, the sense of unity amongst the citizens of srael and abroad brought about by the murder of the three boys appears to have been more substantive. Understandably, part of that feeling has dissipated, but many believe this tragedy was a turning point in intra- Jewish sentiment. Discussion Questions: f you agree the sense of unity was more substantive and long lasting, how might that be explained? After all, the natural disasters were of a far greater scale of human tragedy so it would seem more logical their memory would have a greater long-term effect. f you had unlimited resources at your disposal, what would you do to cultivate a sense of unity and build bonds among Jews of different backgrounds? Despite all the unlimited funds you spent, do you believe that sense of unity would last? Source 1a: Talmud (Zevachim 116b): שכשניתנה תורה לישראל... נתקבצו כולם ]אומות העולם[ אצל בלעם הרשע ואמרו לו מה קול ההמון אשר שמענו? שמא מבול בא לעולם? אמר להם חמדה טובה יש לו בבית גנזיו ]התורה[... וביקש ליתנה לבניו... פתחו כולם ואמרו ה יברך את עמו בשלום. hen the Torah was given to srael, the sound reverberated from one end of the world to the other. [The kings of the nations] gathered around the wicked prophet Balaam and asked, hat is this tremendous sound that we hear? Perhaps a flood is coming to the world! Balaam replied God has a precious gift [the Torah] and He now wishes to bestow it to His children. They all responded: May G-d bless His people with peace. copyright 2015 Partners in torah page 2
Discussion Questions: T he giving of the Torah was accompanied by thunderous sounds that reverberated across the globe. t is understandable that someone unaware of what was happening would be terrified, but why would they specifically think that a flood would occur? Understandably, the kings became at ease when they learned their destruction was not imminent. hy did they then proceed to bless the Jewish people and to bless them with peace? hat is the connection? Source 1b: Rabbi Meir Shapiro (as quoted in Kol Avinoam) כאשר אוה ע ראו אחדות גמורה בין בנ י )כמש כ ויחן בלשון יחיד( חשבו שבודאי הקב ה מתכונן להביא חורבן לעולם ותהיה עת סכנה לכל יושבי תבל כי מצעו שבזמן שסכנה משותפת באה לעולם, אף אותם שהיו שונאים מאז ומעולם פתאום מתאחדים ונעשו חברים ועובדים שכם מאחד שינצלו מהסכנה. וכ מ בדור המבול שבתיבת נח ששם חיו כולם בסכנה גם זאב גר בשלום עם הכבש. וכן היה אצל בלק ובלעם ששנאו זא ז מאז ומקדם ומ מ נתאחדו כאשר הסכנה מבנ י התקרבה להם. ולהכי שפיר חשבו שהקב ה מתכונן להביא מבול. hen the nations of the world saw the unprecedented unity among the Jewish people, they feared that G-d was planning to destroy the world. They noted that when a shared threat seems imminent, bitter enemies suddenly unite and work together to be spared from the danger... [Upon experiencing the renewed unity among the Jewish people], they thought another flood was about to happen. Apparently, the nations of the world not only heard the thunderous sounds, but also saw a great wave of unity arise among the Jewish people. As we have seen in Source 1a, when the nations of the world discovered the unity they saw in the Jewish people was not the result of a calamity and that it was qualitatively different than that which was experienced at the time of the flood, they were not only relieved; they were moved to bless the Jewish people. Discussion Question: hat relevant lesson about Jewish Unity can be drawn from this story in the Talmud? copyright 2015 Partners in torah page 3
Source 2: Passover Haggadah (Dayeinu) אילו קרבנו לפני הר סיני ולא נתן לנו את התורה דיינו f G-d had brought us near Mount Sinai but did not give us the Torah, it would have been sufficient. The multiple components of the Passover story starting with the exodus from Egypt and ending with the Jewish people receiving the Torah are broken down into individual parts in the Dayeinu song. Each part is to be appreciated, independent of anything else. t is understandable, for example, why we must appreciate being released from slavery, independent of anything else that followed. Discussion Question: hat benefit could there be in bringing us near Mount Sinai without receiving the Torah? Please consider the following sources to arrive at an answer to this question and to build your own understanding of how to achieve lasting Jewish unity. Source 3: Exodus 19:2 and Midrash (as cited in Rashi s commentary) ויחן שם ישראל נגד ההר. ויחן שם ישראל :כאיש אחד בלב אחד. A nd srael encamped there opposite the mountain (Mount Sinai) as one person with one heart. Source 4: Rabbi Meir Shapiro (continuation of previous quote) לא זכו בנ י לקבלת התורה אלא בשביל האחדות וכמבואר בילקוט בפר יתרו דכשבאו לסיני הושוו כולם אגודה אחת. אמר הקב ה התורה כולה שלום ולמי אני נותנה, לאומה שהיא אוהבת שלום. T he Jewish people merited receiving the Torah only because of the unity they achieved. copyright 2015 Partners in torah page 4
Source 5: Midrash Yalkut Shimoni, Emor 247:651 ישראל לא ישובו לארצם עד שיהיו כולן באגודה אחת. The Jews will not [fully] return to their land until they are all one unit. Source 6: Rabbi Shlomo Gantzfried (Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 12:2) גם יקבל עליו קודם כל תפילה, מצות ואהבת לרעך כמוך, ויכוון לאהוב את כל אחד מישראל כנפשו, כי אם חס ושלום יש פירוד לבבות ישראל למטה, אז גם למעלה אין התאחדות; אבל התאחדות בגופיהן שלמטה, גורם התאחדות ודבקות נפשותיהן למעלה, ועל ידי זה גם תפילותיהן מתאחדות, ואז בהיות תפילותיהן כלולות יחד, היא רצויה לפניו יתברך שמו. B efore beginning any prayer, one should accept upon themself the mitzvah to love your fellow as yourself and have in mind to [literally] love every single Jew as yourself. f there is G-d forbid Jewish disunity on this world, there is no unity in the upper worlds. Conversely, unity on this world creates a corresponding unity in the upper worlds. This leads to the joining of everyone s prayers together, and their subsequent acceptance by G-d. Source 7: Rabbi Chaim Shmuelevitz in Sichot Mussar (Shvi it 5731) לא די בידידות ובהנהגה חיצונית, אלא צריך שתהא אהבת איש לרעהו מעמקי הלב, שלא יהיה בלב שמץ טינה ומחשבה לא טובה על זולתו, כי אם רק יחס של כבוד וחיבה. וזהו ענין כאיש אחד בלב אחד. S uperficial friendships are inadequate. Rather, one must love their fellow Jew from the depths of their heart. One may not even have a trace of ill-will or bad feelings towards his fellow, only a relationship of love and mutual respect. This is precisely what the Midrash [to Exodus 19:2, quoted in Source 3 above] means by as one person with one heart. May our study in memory of the three boys bring comfort to their families and help bring all the Jewish people closer to one another. copyright 2015 Partners in torah page 5