Shabbat Shalom!
Those of you who know me know that I have a
real interest in history and geography.
I love to learn about different cultures and countries all over the
world.
So it was a nice coincidence that my portion
begins with a history and geography lesson.
Back in ancient Israel, farmers would bring
their first fruits to the temple in Jerusalem and when they presented them,
they would recite a formula that begins with the words: “My father was a
wandering Aramean…”
This verse takes the history of the
Israelites from their roots in what is now Iraq and describes their adventures
in Egypt as slaves; leading up to the Exodus, their wanderings in the
wilderness of Sinai and eventually to their final destination – the land of
Israel.
The early history of the Jewish people was
one of wandering and persecution – and a key lesson of that history is to
appreciate having found a home, and to be sympathetic to the needs of strangers
– or others who are persecuted.
The geography part is to appreciate the
chance to cultivate a land rich in produce with ample water. The whole reason they went to Egypt in the
first place was because of a famine, something not uncommon in that part of the
world.
These historical and geographical lessons teach
us, then, to be sensitive to those who are suffering, as well as to appreciate
the bounty of a good harvest with enough water to survive. That’s why the farmers made that presentation
when bringing their first fruits.
You can learn a lot about a nation from its
particular history and geography.
For example, I’ve always been interested in
North Korea. From their geography, we
learn that they also have lots of famines.
So no food, no water, and the people are totally isolated. Add to
that, they have little education (except for those in the capital city), no
money and no hope. You can’t cross into
South Korea – the DMZ is arguably the most militarized border on earth. And China controls their northern frontier
and if anyone tries to escape their, they end up in prison camps.
Or take Germany and Japan. They are two of the most powerful military forces
in the world. But their history has
taught them important lessons about what can happen when you go too far. So they are very reluctant to use force.
Poland is weak and for centuries it has been
like a ping pong ball being squeezed by Germany and Russia. That history has shaped them as a nation.
And take the nation of Malawi, in Africa. My mitzvah project involves assisting the
people of that country with medical supplies.
You can make a donation at https://www.gofundme.com/jakesmalawiproject.
Why did I choose Malawi? Well, for one thing, it’s one of the poorest countries on earth, so the need is very
great. But it is also easy to send
supplies there, because there is no major conflict going on currently in the
area. It’s located in southeast Africa,
with Zambia on the west, Mozambique on the east and south and Tanzania on the
north. These are all pretty peace-loving
countries. The people are known as the
“heart of Africa,” both in that that they are close to the middle of the
continent and because they are kindhearted.
Their flag has a sunset – they have beautiful sunsets. The people there, from what I’ve heard, are kind
and warm. That’s why I chose to help the
people of Malawi.
So you can see how we can learn about a
nation from its history and geography.
As I become a bar mitzvah, I hope to use my interest in these subjects
to help make the world a better place.
No comments:
Post a Comment