Dina's Story and the Rabbonim of Today - Leah Marinelli on Last Weeks Parsha
The following message came from The Awareness Center's Daily Newsletter:
The following comment was made by Board member Leah Marinelli on an article sent out "Question Authority - Case of Rabbi Yona Metzger"
Interesting point you brought up. In last week's parsha, the sons of Yaacov massacre the men in a whole town because their prince had raped and sodomed their sister Dina. Sounds terrible at first, but one of the commentaries points out that the townspeople did the worst sin in the world - they allowed their leaders to be evil. After all, they witnessed him dragging her against her will through the streets, and knew what he was doing to her while he kept her prisoner. Yet they did nothing. If people can't stand up and question the horrible behavior of their leaders, then we are choosing to be just like them. I know that you don't believe in capital punishment or revenge killing, but it is just an example.
I wonder what punishment is in store for the rabbis and the ignorant masses who ignore the suffering of the survivors of abuse when the facts are obvious in front of them?
- Leah Maranelli
posted by Jewish Survivors at Thursday, December 20, 2007
3 Comments:
There is an idea in Judaism that a person is either for good (G-d) or bad / evil – there is no such thing as “neutral” or “not getting involved.’ Meaning – when an injustice is done in the world we have to stand up and fight for sake of good (G-d) like Dina’s brothers did and also like Pinchus. Merely, saying that one is as “neutral” or “not getting involved” is the same as doing the evil act oneself. Its only good and bad no neutral – allowing bad to occur and get away with it is being an accomplice to evil (ie you are evil not neutral)
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1196847392681&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
A 34-year-old convicted pedophile was under arrest Thursday on suspicion of sexually abusing an 11-year-old boy, police said.
The suspect, a resident of northern Israel who was apprehended at Jerusalem's central bus station while serving a suspended sentence, confessed to abusing the boy and five other children, Jerusalem police spokesman Shmuel Ben-Ruby said.
The child molester had previously served a seven-year sentence for sexually abusing a girl, and was serving a two-year suspended sentence when he was arrested Thursday.
The pedophile was remanded in custody by a Jerusalem court for five days.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1196847393079&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
A 75-year-old Jerusalem woman was assaulted at the entrance to her city home by a would-be robber on Thursday, in the latest in a series of attacks on seniors in the country, police said.
The elderly woman was attacked by a 20-year-old suspected Jewish assailant after she opened the door of her central Jerusalem home, Jerusalem police spokesman Shmuel Ben-Ruby said.
The assailant fled the scene after the woman's husband came to her assistance.
The senior, who was lightly injured in the late-afternoon incident, was evacuated to Jerusalem's Sha'are Tzedek Hospital.
Last month, a 79-year-old woman who lived alone was savagely assaulted and robbed in her Jerusalem apartment.
The entire world, include most Jews stood by and remained neutral when the Nazis invaded Czechoslovakia. What ended up happening? Millions of Jews and millions of others were victims of genocide. Remaining "neutral" is not a positive attribute, rather those that do not stand up to injustice have blood on their hands, not just the perpetrators.
It's a lot to think about.
-Leah Marinelli
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