Daniel Greenfield / Sultan Knish Articles at DanielGreenfield.org

The planned genocide that drives forward the Purim story is seemingly set off by a series of confrontations between Mordechai and Haman. Day after day Mordechai refuses to bow to Haman, but Haman seemingly takes no notice of this. It is only when the king's servants question Mordechai and then pass along whatever he said to Haman that Haman takes notice and becomes infuriated. What did Mordechai say to the King's servants that they passed on to Haman? Taking the Megillah literally, "they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's words would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew." . Mordechai's explanation for why he refuses to bow was simply that he was a Jew. Yet why did this simple fact infuriate Haman to the extent of plotting genocide, and for him to make the statement to his wife and advisers that "Kol zeh einena shoveia li...", "All I have is worth nothing to me whenever I see Mordechai the Jew sitting before the king's gate....

With Passover we celebrate the redemption of the Jews from Egypt. What is the significance of this redemption? Was it merely slavery that we were redeemed from? In fact 4000 years before Hitler, Pharaoh had built his own system of genocide for the Jews. Like Hitler he began by accusing the Jews of disloyalty to his own countrymen, he followed this up by building the first work camps for the Jews and then implementing the first plan of genocide to wipe out the Jewish people. Millennia before Hitler, Pharaoh had a systematized plan of genocide in place. The Jews would report to work building his pyramids for him under Jewish foremen and work themselves to death and the Jewish newborn boys would be killed by Jewish midwives. Like the Kapos and the Yevesketsia, Jews would do the dirty work and Pharaoh would reap the benefits. And what did Pharaoh have the Jews build for him? Pyramids, tombs of the dead for a kingdom of death in which the Pharaohs would be buried, eternal rulers of the dead...

Parshas Shemini begins with the words Vayehi Beyom HaShemini. We learn that the opening Vayehi, And It Was, portends a mixture of tragedy and joy. As in Vayehi Yaakov, that saw Yaakov reunited and living with his son Yosef but in exile and as a prelude to slavery. Shemini begins with the final dedication of the Mishkan, on the eight day after seven days of Moshe Rabbeinu performing the Avodah, bringing the Korbanot, Aaron steps into his role as Kohen Gadol, brings the Korbanot and as both brothers leave the Ohel Moed at the conclusions, they are privileged to see the Shekihna appear. A heavenly fire consumes the Korbanot. But Vayhei, though there is celebration there is also tragedy. Two of Aaron's sons bring an alien fire and are killed by fire from heaven. Moshe tells Aaron that with this event the word of G-d, Bekrovai Ekodesh, has been fulfilled. Moshe warns his brother and the remaining sons not to leave, not to mourn and to eat of the Mincha. Aaron and his sons do all this an...

In the face of human evil people often demand, "Where is God?" But as Purim should teach us the real question is never where is God, but where is man. God is always where he needs to be. Our concern is not with where is God but where is man. On Purim a near genocide of the Jewish people took place that was averted and though we celebrate it while giving thanks to God, we never see His hand clearly at work in it. There are no great open miracles. The earth doesn't open up, the sea doesn't part, the sky doesn't rain fire and the mountains don't tremble. Instead a seeming minutia of events on the part of human add up to bring salvation. In the aftermath of the destruction of the temple and the fading of prophecy from the world, Mordechai and Esther confronted a world of men that had with its persistence of evil driven away God. For thousands of years God had sought man in grand and open ways. Now man would have to seek God by understanding that he is present even...

Ki Tisa contains some of the more baffling events in the Torah as the Jewish people, shortly after hearing the ten commands, proceed to create an idol and worship it. Various explanations have been given for what happened but I think it is instructive to explore the mindset behind these actions. It is Moshe's failure to return on time that encourages the construction of an idol to take the place of Moshe saying, "Rise and make us a god who shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him." The statement contains two admissions, that Moshe is a man and yet that he brought them out of Egypt. If they simply wanted another man to take Moshe's place, they would have elected a leader. Clearly while they believed that Moshe was a man, they did not believe that he was merely a man. At the Sea, it is said, "Vayaminu Be'Hashem U'Be'Moshe Avdo", "They Believed in G-d a...

One of the more obscure and curious events that occurs in Parshas Shemos is the encounter at the inn at Shemos 4:24-26 כד וַיְהִי בַדֶּרֶךְ, בַּמָּלוֹן; וַיִּפְגְּשֵׁהוּ יְהוָה, וַיְבַקֵּשׁ הֲמִיתוֹ. 24 And it came to pass on the way at the lodging-place, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him. כה וַתִּקַּח צִפֹּרָה צֹר, וַתִּכְרֹת אֶת-עָרְלַת בְּנָהּ, וַתַּגַּע, לְרַגְלָיו; וַתֹּאמֶר, כִּי חֲתַן-דָּמִים אַתָּה לִי. 25 Then Zipporah took a flint, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet; and she said: 'Surely a bridegroom of blood art thou to me.' כו וַיִּרֶף, מִמֶּנּוּ; אָז, אָמְרָה, חֲתַן דָּמִים, לַמּוּלֹת. {פ} 26 So He let him alone. Then she said: 'A bridegroom of blood in regard of the circumcision.' Part of the answer, as it often does in the Torah, lies in simply reading the Psukim in context, even though the action seems to jump around wildly. Going back two Pesukim we read: כב וְאָמַרְתָּ, אֶל-פַּרְעֹה:...

Parshat Yitro begins with the arrival of Yitro, father in law of Moshe. What is Yitro's response to Moshe relating to him what has occurred? Vayihad, it says, a word which is interpreted in various ways. One interpretation relates Vayihad to Yehudi or Jew, meaning that Yitro converted to Judaism. Vayihad could also be interpreted as related to Yahid or individual, meaning that Yitro became an individual at that moment. Exodus Chapter 18 א וַיִּשְׁמַע יִתְרוֹ כֹהֵן מִדְיָן, חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה, אֵת כָּל-אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אֱלֹהִים לְמֹשֶׁה, וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַמּוֹ: כִּי-הוֹצִיא יְהוָה אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִמִּצְרָיִם. 1 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel His people, how that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. What made Yitro's action so individual on hearing over what G-d had done to Moshe and the Jewish people? Let's consider the difference between Pharaoh and Yitro. At every turn Pharaoh might repent ...

Parshat Besalach has the Jews departing Egypt with the Egyptians armies in rapid pursuit. In that process it features two sets of baffling behaviors, one by the Jews and the other by the Egyptians. The Egyptians behave in a seemingly insane manner, heading off in pursuit of their escaped Hebrew slaves even after the devastation of the ten plagues and even proceed down into the split sea. The Jews by contrast seem to complain endlessly once they are out of the sea displaying little faith in G-d. In fact both behaviors are ultimately attributable to a lack of faith in G-d, but a different sort of lack of faith. The showdown at the sea follows a long series of punishments visited on Egypt by G-d. Why specifically punish Egypt, a bleeding heart type might ask. Why not have Moshe arrive in Egypt and spend the next decade or so urging Egyptians to repent backed by wonders and miracles, but not by punishments? The key though is that the Egyptians lacked a specific kind of faith in G-d. ...

The story of the end of Yaakov's life takes place in Parshas Vayechi, the word "Vayechi" meaning "and he lived". It seems paradoxical that the story of Yaakov's death should be titled with the beginning "and he lived", yet that is the true approach to both life and death. Yaakov's life was truly worthwhile and meaningful because he lived it. His legacy was in the sons he left behind and the nation he built. While Yaakov dies in Vayechi, he lives on in the birth of the Jewish nation. Before Yaakov Avinu passes away he insists that his son Yosef swear an oath to bury him in Caanan, within Eretz Yisrael, the Land of Israel. He insists on an oath, Tahat Yirechi, something that only Avraham had insisted on, when it came to finding a wife for his son Yitzchak not from the people of Caanan. What is the connection between the two? The answer is that both are fundamental to the question of Jewish identity. Avraham's oath insisted on a rejection of i...

Before the brothers cast Yosef into the pit, they refer to him in a derogatory manner as the Baal Hahalomot, the Master of Dreams. When they propose to sell him into slavery, they say, now we shall see what will become of his dreams. After all in his dreams Yosef had seen himself as the ruler, now that he was cast down and sold into slavery, it would seem that only in his dreams would he ever rule. But what are dreams anyway? There are two ways of looking at dreams. Dreams can be the most important thing in your life, the thing you dream about. Or dreams can be absolutely meaningless, vaporous dreamstuff, the chaotic spray of the subconscious. What sets one apart from the other and gives a dream meaning? The source and root of the dream itself. How then does Yosef rise to power and rule? It is because of his dreams, as the Baal Halomot that his brothers mockingly called him, he is raised out of the pit to interpret Pharaoh's dream. Yet what is it that gives Yosef the ability to int...

Parshas Vayeishev begins with Yaakov our Forefather dwelling in the land of Caanan for Vayeishev literally means to sit or in this case to dwell. Originally when describing Yaakov and Esav as young men, the Torah said that Yaakov was a "Yoshev Ohalim", a sitter in tents. Now having returned home again, Yaakov has also returned to dwelling in tents. The Midrash comments on this, Rotza Yaakov Leishev BeShalva, Yaakov Desired to Dwell in Peace Yet G-d had other plans for him. It seems as if dwelling in peace was not what G-d wanted from Yaakov. When Yaakov had first sat in tents and studied, he had been the second son and then he had been thrust into deceiving his brother and father, into fleeing to the house of his uncle, laboring their for years in the open field, combating deceit and betrayal and after all these years only to return home and still to find no peace there. Now on returning home the Midrash tells us that Yaakov worried that he lacked two merit vis a vis Esav on...

Parshas Vayislach begins with Yaakov's encounter with Esav. Yaakov makes multiple preparations for this, but the bulk of it seems to involve appeasing Esav. Yaakov sends train after train of cattle to Esav. And he even calls this tribute, "Mincha Le'Esav", a term commonly used for Korbanot, Sacrifices to G-d. And worse when he meets Esav, he proclaims that seeing him is like seeing the face of G-d. Satisfied that the blessings that Yitzchak gave to Yaakov, that he would dominate and rule over him, have come to nought, Esav hugs him and goes on his way. Yet what is the price that Yaakov pays for this tribute, for this Mincha Le'Esav? The end of the Parsha lists in detail Esav's genealogy. Tribe after tribe, chieftain after chieftain. Why do we need to know all this information? We need to know it because it serves as a consequence. There in that moment stood Esav and from him would descend Amalek and Edom and Rome and Germany. In that moment so much evil might...

Parshas Toldos begins with the story of Yitzchak but quite soon transfers to the story of Yaakov. Yitzchak emerged in the previous two Parshas as a miracle son and in Toldos he becomes quickly a father, his story submerged within that of Yaakov, the father of the tribes of Israel. There are any number of seemingly strange events in Parshas Toldos. Rivka at first is doubting that she was right to even want children when she experiences the turmoil inside her and goes to seek an answer from G-d. G-d tells her that there are actually two enemy nations fighting inside her. Not exactly the most reassuring of news. Then Esau appears willing to trade his birthright for some lentil soup and yet weeps and mourns when the blessings of the birthright fall of Yaakov. Yitzchak who is supposed to be righteous, for some reason loves Esav and insists on blessing him originally. To understand a lot of this we need to go back to the first case of sibling rivalry in the Torah, that of Kayin and Hevel. Li...

The first obvious question that arises in Parshas Chayei Sarah is why do we dedicate so much time to discussing Avraham's purchase of the Maarat HaMachpelah, the Cave of the Forefathers? The funeral of Sarah herself goes all but unmentioned and the funeral of Avraham is a footnote, yet apparently the details of the fairly ordinary bargain is somehow of crucial importance. Some commentaries tell us that this retelling provides proof of our legal right to the cave, but this seems rather redundant. After all doesn't Rashi already tell us that the reason the entire Torah began with the creation of the world was to tell us that G-d had created all the world and had the right to distribute lands to whom he wanted and therefore had the right to give Israel to the Jewish people. Why then do we need the sale of this particular piece of land, above and beyond G-d giving us the entire land? And what is the connection between this sale of the land for burying Sarah our Foremother and the m...

Parshas Vaeira begins with G-d appearing to Avraham as three angels come bearing news, news of the imminent conception and birth of a child and the destruction of Sdom. The destruction of Sdom has long ago passed into our lexicon, yet Sdom appears to be the only city that G-d actively destroyed in the Torah, since bringing the flood. Not the cities ruled by Nimrod, nor even Pharaoh's Egypt, which was marked but not destroyed. What therefore made Sdom so uniquely vile that it required the personal intervention of G-d to destroy it? It could not have been mere corruption and evil, because that was not so unique. Even the Caananites, who were expelled and destroyed, were not destroyed in a massive spectacular event as Sdom was. In Pirkei Avot we are told that Midat Sdom was Sheli sheli ve'shelcha shelach, What is mine is mind and what is yours is yours. On the surface this may seem somewhat ungenerous but overall not all that hideously unreasonable. When Avraham rescues the fallen...

Avraham begins Parshas Lech Lecha as the wanderer, indeed the Parsha itself is named after the act of exile. Thus far both preceding Parshas, Bereishis and Noach, involved a forced exile, Adam from Gan Eden and Noach from the earth itself. Yet Avraham's exile is unique for it foreshadows a new sort of exile, not from a better place to a worse one as with Adam and not a salvation from destruction to dispossession as with Noach, but an exile from a worse place to a better one, thus reversing the path of mankind up until that day. That long exile that his descendants, the Jewish people would suffer, is still that exile with a final return to a better place than the one we left. No matter what travails we suffer in the journey, we are still Avraham's children traveling through foreign lands on the way home. Avraham's travails however usher in new problems. When Avraham reaches Egypt, he passes off Sarah as his sister, which leaves her under the authority of Pharaoh. He then acc...

In this parshas Eikev the Jews are warned about coming to believe that Kohi Ve'Etzem Yadi, My Strength and the Might of my Hand, was the means of the victory and their conquest of Israel. As Devarim is the last book of the Torah, but not truly the last because the Torah is a circle and as we conclude the last Parsha of Devarim we begin again reading Bereishis. In Bereishis when Adam sees Chava for the very first time he gives her a name that attaches to all women, 'Isha' and states his train of logic for doing so stating that since she was taken from a man. Etzem Me'Atzomai Basar Mi'Besorai, Bone of My Bone and Flesh of My Flesh, she should be called Isha, woman, since she was taken Me'Ish, from a man. In both cases we see the use of Etzem and a focus on the physical. The Jews are warned about coming to believe that their physical strength achieved their victory. Adam focuses on his physical connection with Chava, what was physically taken from him, but not a sp...

Parshas Mishpatim is essentially an extensive selection of laws, as befits its name. After the transcendent spiritual closeness to G-d on Sinai, it seems a rather mundane topic, and yet the 10 Commandments themselves, were those of law. Moses is often described as the Lawgiver, yet in actuality it is G-d who is the Lawgiver. Today is also Mevorchim Rosh Chodesh Adar, the blessing for the new month of Adar, which will begin on Sunday and Monday. Adar famously highlights Purim, the festival of lots, in which Haman cast lots to decide the date for the destruction of the Jewish people. The very use of lots is random, leaving things to the chaos of chance. Haman's people, the Amalekites, are described in a somewhat similar way, when it says, Asher Karcha Baderech, They Encountered You Along the Way. Kara tends to be used to describe things that happen at random, by chance. Haman's impulse to wipe out the Jews also seems random. He encounters a single Jew, Mordechai, who does not bow...