Betrayal

Rabbi Reuven Mann

This week’s parsha,  Mikeitz, continues with the fortunes of Yosef in Egypt. After an amazing string of successes and promotions in the house of Potiphar, things took a negative turn when he fell prey to the fatal attraction that seized Potiphar’s wife.

Yosef resisted the temptation with all his might, but this only increased her sinful determination. He endeavored to explain to her in cogent terms how evil it would be to betray the master who had invested all his confidence and trust in him. 

But she would not hear it. It appears that reason and morality are no match for unbridled, lustful desire. Her unrequited passion soon turned to hatred for what she perceived as his rejection.

When she sought revenge by falsely accusing Yosef of attempted rape, Potiphar was placed in an impossible position. He had no choice but to accede to his wife and condemn Yosef to prison.

While imprisoned, Yosef interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh’s chief baker and butler, both of whom had sinned against their master. The former was executed, while the latter was exonerated and restored to his position, exactly as Yosef had predicted.

Yosef confided his innocence to the butler and entreated him to intercede with Pharaoh to secure his freedom. Last week’s parsha concludes with this verse: “And the chief butler did not remember Yosef, and he forgot him.”

So much for gratitude. We have all found ourselves in Yosef’s position at some time in our lives. I often say, “If you live long enough, you will never be surprised.” Betrayal is the one human propensity we can almost always count on.

While considering this phenomenon, we should also look within and ask whether there have been times in our lives when we emulated the butler’s behavior; when we failed to remember someone who had greatly benefitted us and subsequently “forgot” him.

At present, this matter is very much on my mind, as I know it is on the minds of many of my fellow Jews and decent people of all backgrounds. I have been writing this weekly Torah article for seven years and have steered scrupulously clear of any political issues or personalities. This is the exception.

While on the subject of betrayal, I am compelled to express my distress concerning the U.S. decision to abstain from the U.N. Security Council vote that declared the Jewish presence in Judea, Samaria, and East Jerusalem (the “West Bank”) to be illegal. 

This is a betrayal of U.S. policy established by President Lyndon Johnson after the Six-Day War (and endorsed by every subsequent administration, including this one) that the status of the conquered territories would be exclusively decided by the disputing parties in free and direct negotiations. 

Israel has been a faithful ally of the U.S. and, as the only democracy in the Middle East, has carried the torch of freedom in a region otherwise governed by brutal dictators and terrorist regimes. 

America has been a great friend of the Jewish state and, until now, has vetoed every U.N. resolution that was harmful to Israel’s interests. President Obama has now decided to break with our country’s long-standing policy and align with Israel’s enemies, who support and glorify terrorism, in his effort to brand her as a violator of international law.

The U.S abstention constitutes a blight on our record of solidarity with our closest ally, and on our unequivocal support for democratic societies above primitive, barbaric ones. It constitutes a betrayal of American values, our special relationship with Israel, and our commitment to the war against terrorism. This vote is a shameful endorsement of the anti-Semitic Palestinian Authority, which not only refuses to recognize the Jewish state, but is sworn to its destruction.

The President has not shown similar vigor in denouncing the endless incitement to violence propagated by Palestinian officials and educators. Their constant demonization of Jews and indoctrination of schoolchildren in the culture of jihad and genocide has rendered true peace an impossibility.

Yet Obama has chosen to reward their intransigence and to punish Israel, the only place in the Middle East where Arabs, Christians, and Jews can live peacefully with full human rights and dignity. America’s misguided abstention brings shame to all U.S. citizens who have been proud of their nation’s long history of support for freedom and democracy and its forceful opposition to tyrannical regimes.

President Obama was not compelled to do this. His presidency is in its final moments. It is standard operating procedure for a departing leader to defer major policy decisions that will impact our future to his successor. He should have allowed the vote to be postponed until the new president, who will have to deal with its consequences, is in office. That would have been the appropriate and fair thing to do.

Yet he chose to make his exit on this terrible note of betrayal to Israel and the Jewish people, even though Jewish Americans have overwhelmingly supported him in both of his presidential campaigns. So much for gratitude.

In this season of Chanukah, we are filled with faith in Hashem. Let us hope and pray that the new president will take a different approach and rectify the horrible wrong that has been perpetrated. This will restore the dignity, righteousness, and pride of our wonderful country.

Shabbat shalom v'chag sameach.