We've Lost So Much. Let's Not Lose Our Damn Minds - Rabbi Sharon Brous | Bereishit 5784 / 10.15.2023

[@sxt4447]

I am a Black Christian woman from the US and I’m so glad I came across this video. I am not on social media because the vitriol is so gross that it is not worth engaging with. I have both Israeli Jewish and Palestinian friends who are afraid and distraught. It’s so important that we listen to our friends and be that bridge that leads to reconciliation. My heart breaks for the Jewish and Palestinian communities who have lost so much. We are all children of our Father Abraham. May we treat one another with love and tenderness like the brothers and sisters we are. May God bless you Rabbi ❤

[@MissJoy16]

Thank you so much for this kind message and your open heart. I wish this response was more common. Thank you for reminding me that there are good people like you out there.

[@OffbeatsMusic]

@@MissJoy16co-sign ❤❤❤❤❤

[@erikaracheln]

Thank you so much for this comment. ❤

[@anna-xz9yj]

As a Jewish woman in the US, thank you for your beautiful comment. If there were more people like you, this world would be a better place.

[@Curious-traveler]

You are a good example of what it means to be Christian. We need to listen to others and try to find our common humanity.

[@trevorstoute364]

thank you for saying it

[@crusading4u]

I have watched many sermons over the past few days nationwide regarding Israel, and have to say this was the most dynamic. Thank you very much, Rabbi Sharon!

[@alee1700]

She is not the exception but the rule amongst the Jewish community globally but is being drowned out by Bibi and the zealots

[@davidschalit907]

She is a fool!

[@MatinaLiosi-o3d]

Thank you so much for your wise words. ❤

[@SitiMaryam]

powerful & brave Rabbi Sharon. my heart goes out to the families affected and to the Jewish community who are grieving. no lives are worth less. everyone is equal in God's eyes. absolutely we should face these moments with great solidarity together.

[@Larrysturn]

Blessings Dear Rabbi. Your words opened my heart and may just allow me to sleep tonight.

[@susanacorrigan351]

God bless you Rabbi. I pray for your son

[@andremadethis]

Thank you, Rabbi. Your message helps me stand in sorrow and solidarity with you and your people. Thank you. May peace be with you.

[@richardrapoport6167]

Your words are of great, great comfort at this most difficult time. I thank you so very much.

[@phyllishershkowitz3806]

Thank you Rabbi Sharon for voicing my feelings. I too feel alone, and can't believe what is happening to my people.

[@mimiwatching]

Thank you. ..it is the only answer to peace. .

[@eligoitein6499]

We are blessed ton have a rabbi such as Rabbi Brous among us at this time. In a time of such as this moral and mortal danger, she offers not just inspiraton, or wisdom, or passion , or Hope, but somehow all of these together

[@dih2606]

Yes, tears are flowing for such wisdom in a time of such suffering

[@bennychicago]

We must elevate this Rabbi's voice in our national discourse.

[@VideocraticMedia]

Thank you Rabbi Brous. Such moving words.

[@jxgreer]

Thank you Sharon, you are a true Rebbe for us. Xoxoxo

[@rufangzhao555]

I am a Chinese American through naturalization and an atheist and I stand with Isreal 100%. Stay strong

[@mikalmmd]

I think Rabbi Brous did as skillful a job possible, being a rabbi, to speak both about the Jewish community, and how important it is to be connected to the Jewish community and belong to the Jewish community, while at the same time, realizing the obvious that there is a much larger community, that we all belong to called humanity, and that that is the community we must really pay special attention to. But even as I recognize it as a tightrope she has to walk and I can’t think of what I would have said in her place, I would hope there would have been more emphasis on our common humanity than on our tribal affiliation. In my book “Connection Disorder,” I wrote a chapter about what makes connection so hard. The first part was bad actors, individuals or groups, who through violence and/or lies, provoke an increase in tribalism, pessimism that leads to apathy and hopelessness, that leads to a lack of action. Regarding bad actors, I can see George Orwell ruefully grimacing from his grave as he sees the plot of his novel "1984" being acted out in our present time. Like the dictatorial superpowers in "1984" Hamas and the current Israeli government act as if they are in collusion to maintain a perpetual state of war in order to perpetuate false tribal distinctions and more important, distract the greater population from the corruption and ineptitude of both governments. In a recent great NY Times article, there was this excerpt - “A nation is defined as a group of people with a common language, a common past and common dreams. By this definition, any parent will tell you that all the world’s babies are children of a single nation. They have a common language, a common past, common dreams. They speak the same, get angry and cry at the same things, laugh the same way. When my three children were young, I marveled at how they communicated effortlessly with other babies, no matter the language of the lullabies their parents sang them at night. The whole of this nation of infants - Jewish, Arab, Palestinian, Israeli - wants just one thing: to grow up to a good life. It’s a simple dream. Our role as leaders is simple too: to make that possible. By Ayman Odeh Mr. Odeh is an Arab Palestinian citizen of Israel and a member of the Knesset who wrote from Haifa.”

[@BSerrell4]

Thank you for making this available

[@ggeorgeherny]

Thank you Rabbi and may your son be protected and returned safe to you soon. A Rabbi I once knew told me the mezuzah is slanted because the world is still not whole but have crazy fundamentals from all paths that do not let us live in Peace. We have a long journey for Tikkun Olam. 😢

[@AlBergstein]

Superb. ❤

[@eddiebalta5290]

Thank you Rabbi for articulating the pain and grief that sits in me since all this started. ❤

[@jar8425]

Thank you, Rabbi Sharon. You've cut to the heart of the matter. It is heartening to hear your words and know that such humanity exists in our world. My Rabbi of Blessed Memory, Aryeh Hirschfield, was such a voice as yours. He too could rail against Israel and those in the broader world who supported Israel by condemning Palestinians. I support you and your hope that we don't lose our minds. As someone who is married to someone who was the same gender as I when we met, and who is now transitioning to another state, I've felt ostracized for just existing - even in my own faith community. I've watched cisgender old men push out an amazing rabbi from our community for the sin of being a woman in a relationship with a gender non-conforming partner. So I get the isolation. I live with it. I also hear your words and hope that our isolations can be cured. From your lips... Baruch Hashem ~

[@babsOntheTube]

Thank you for this; it is very powerful.

[@Tamar-sz8ox]

Excellent commentary , a shield 🛡️ of Light & Protection to you and Love ❤️

[@whitefalcon76]

Thankyou Rabbi. Yours is the voice and message we all, the world needs to hear.

[@aoae-hf3rz]

people were horrified when Israel was attacked and sickened by the violence, they cried because of all the men, women, children and elderly who were murdered, there was outrage when the violence was returned, people were horrified again, because the same thing happened, people were murdered again including children. What in the heart of a human changes about their outrage at violence just because it happens to the other group of people. Our humanity is based on empathising with HUMANITY, this is why we feel for you, not because you are Jewish but because YOUR ARE HUMAN.

[@TreasaVeigas-qq5jm]

You are God's own, beautiful, civilized, special, chosen people. We are with you through it all. God is on your side. God bless you.❤❤❤

[@TheJo201]

Many Blessings To you Rabbi Brous May Hashem Creadle You in his Bussom and the Rest of the Jewish Community in Such a Difficult Time

[@browninkdesigns959]

This was a beautiful sermon

[@lc1261]

Thank you… Love is the only way!

[@auntihooha]

I grew up Lutheran with a father that lived as a child during the Winter War of 1939 in Helsinki. His terrorizing me with stories of war and his bible-thumping, misogynistic take of Christianity made me turn away from God at the age of 4. When Fiddler on the Roof came out, I was about 10, and when I saw the movie, I wanted to be with those people- they had so much love for each other and so much respect- all that was missing from my life. I wanted to become Jewish. That soundtrack has always been one of my most-played. I listen to you, Rabbi Brous and also to Rabbi Simon Jacobson and during the last few months, you two have helped me get through the days. I cry every day. I'm sickened by the violence and hatred everywhere - Thank you for your words because I feel so alone - it's hard to talk to even my Jewish friends about these events, because as you very well know, Americans assume that if you feel compassion for one "side" that you must hate the other "side." We are One and we need to learn how to feel empathy for each other - we need to start communicating - I appreciate your message and hope to be able to help spread it.

[@susanacorrigan351]

Thank you Rabbi. We are one. May Hashem bless our people Israel. I send you love

[@jamesvandemark2086]

This hits home. (sephardim ancestors) This is not right, Yes, speak out!🔯

[@appropriatelyinappropriate13]

Well stated, Rabbi Sharon. We need more voices like yours to navigate through this incredibly important and scary time. Please keep it up. Compassion and understanding isn't about choosing a side, it is the only side if the cycle of senseless violence is going to end.

[@jimmywantania4848]

saya Kristen di Indonesia. setuju pendapat ibu yang terhormat.

[@paulcorrigan8530]

Thanks to Rabbi Brous. Such moral clarity from someone who has consistently underlined the common humanity of both Jews and Arabs has been rare in the last month, on either side. It should never be thought controversial to point that out, by anyone. I dare say she made the case that defending Hamas is barbaric better than the current Israeli government ever could. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and that peace might prevail from the Jordan to the ends of the earth.

[@elissaaltman7684]

Thank you 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@mmaren]

Thank you

[@nancylamb1117]

Thank you, Rabbi for saying what we all feel.

[@sharozmakarechi9741]

Tears.

[@tinawalker8174]

The most powerful response full of deep truth and pain thank you.

[@aliabdollahi3320]

We need to appreciate such wisdom.

[@daveneil3969]

Lets not "lose our minds" (nor close our eyes) to the fact that a majority of the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza support the Oct 7th massacre as documented by a recent survey cited in this JPost article entitled: Palestinians in Gaza, West Bank strongly support Hamas, October 7 attack. You can google that article. In memory of the Kutz family- peace activsts who were murdered on Oct 7th.

[@avivaleh]

This Rabbi and others like her contribute to the problem. They need to speak up for us and stop acting as PR for those that wish us harm.

[@toribaltimore]

The opposite of LOVE is oftentimes misconstrued as HATE when, in fact, it's INDIFFERENCE. Apropos, you can either make peace as ambassadors, or you can combat the ire of disquieted indifference as sentries.

[@tonsnoby]

Such a deep and powerful sermon. I believe the fact she's a woman and a mother is a big factor. Thank you Rabbi, for saying what needed to be said in this trying times.

[@suzienakasian2494]

“We are one people, we just wear different clothes.” ,..Annie LaMott!

[@rachelzarit2010]

Thank you for these words.

[@spodvoll]

Powerful. Kol HaKavod again

[@amykaufman6327]

Brava

[@QueenYak]

Bravo...deeply felt compassion for all people, articulated with courage and strength. This woman is a true leader.

[@cami-loo108]

I am not Jewish or Palestinian but I remember seeing this conflict on TV when I was a kid, I'm 61 years old. What I have consistently have seen over the years is sympathy expressed within each community "look at how we are being persecuted" and that evil exists on the other side. Until both sides see each others suffering and not focus solely on our own suffering with compassion and respect then no healing will take place. I agree, the Jewish people and the Palestinian people will forever be tied to conflict, war murder and oppression until they can truly see each other as human beings. I pray for healing and peace on both sides.

[@vedawattieram1974]

So sad but rings true. So tired of people taking sides. The ideologies on both sides...😢😢😢 l feel such compassion ...but my compassion offers no tangible help for both the Jewish and Palestinian peoples.

[@JackieEco]

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@Lemarcus03]

As someone who is not Jewish but has come to know many Jewish people, I pray for all the victims of 10/07. I also pray for all of the Palestinians caught in the Gaza bombardment. While I freely admit that I'm not the most informed person with an opinion, my hope is that one day there will be a shared Israel for 2 peoples that both have a claim to a land, each in their own way. My hope is that this video finds its way to many people pf ALL Nations.

[@medtech977]

There were two countries formed in 1948. Jordan for Palestinians, Israel for Jewish refugees. 850,000 Jews were exiled with NOTHING from Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran when Israel was formed. That was ethnic cleansing by Arabs. Have you read about that? The land was divided with Israel getting a measly 20%, Jordan got 80% (mufti was hitler’s buddy). Still not enough although Jews lived on the land for 4000 years continually. Seeing the Hamas slaughter, there can be no one state solution. Jews need their own country where they can be the majority, free from terror, war, antisemitism, and pogroms that have gone on for centuries. Jews want peace, proposed 4 times and Arafat and Abbas walked away, actually abbas did not even show up. We just want to be scientific, artistic, and help mankind. Witness Salk, Sabin, Rosenwald, IT’s Brin and Zuckerberg, Einstein, many Nobel winners. It’s in our genes. Can you imagine what this 0.1% of the world population could have done if they weren’t harassed and discriminated against?!

[@That_Freedom_Guy]

I care about justice and human dignity, so I can't blame the victims of ANY atrocity. I know most people assume we must take one side or the other, because at least it is being honest and we know where they stand. Fence sitters, on the other hand, seem weak and fearful of the responsibilities of taking a side. I represent the fourth option, peace and respect, from all and too all. The reality is that our warfare economy has far too many vested interests in the preservation of the status quo. Evil is always carried out under the cloak of untouchable sacredness. I have a message to the "high wizards of Oz": Take your smoke generators and mirrors, your speaking trumpets and ectoplasm, and go away. Its over. People can see your nakedness. See ya.👋bye.

[@annaponting7693]

It seems I sensitive to say this at this time. There are no comparisons. However we Roma and Sinti died in camps like Dachau along side our brothers and sisters of Abraham's children. We continue to suffer pograms in places like Ukraine to this day. Our elderly there are survivors of the Holocaust and refused any welcome to other countries. We too are alone, attacked, accused, suffered mass murder. We mothers stand with all mothers as did our mothers before that. Jel o develisa Go with God.

[@prickly-pear]

Dignified.

[@sharonlampert7452]

JEWS: THE CHOSEN PEOPLE Deliverance of Moses, Wisdom of Solomon, Courage of David, Victories of Joshua, Heroism of Esther, Blessings of Generations of Pious Rabbis, Dream of Herzl, Leadership of Ben-Gurion, Queen Fundraiser of Golda Meir, Reign of King Bibi, Valor of Yoav Gallant and Bravery of Mighty Israel Defence Forces. 🇮🇱 AM YISRAEL CHAI 🇮🇱 1300 BCE - 5784 -2023 - Eternity Israeli Operation Iron Pen 🖊️ Princess Kadimah 8TH Prophetess of Israel

[@natirvinii9120]

Rabbi Brous - thank you for such a thoughtful expression of our collective humanity …brokenness is all of us.

[@bennettjoseph1481]

As an athiest Jew who has conflicting progressive and conservative views on many topics, including Israel, thank you for articulating what you did. It is helping me and others. I guess those chants of "From the river to the sea.." at the rallies were more than an innocent catchphrase..

[@MissJoy16]

Very true. They want to put us all in the same gas chamber in the end. And we need to keep in mind that we have friends and allies as well. It's unfortunate that we have to put so much effort into discerning who is who

[@davidschalit907]

You "guess"?!

[@bennettjoseph1481]

@@davidschalit907 - I was employing subtle sarcasm.

[@mustaphajohn5873]

Time to separate the wheat from the chaff -- as intelligent as Israelis are as a group, given the number of intellectuals living in the holy land, the worse thing you can do is to remain silent, and become complicit with this ungodly endeavor. I still worry about a friend who moved to Jerusalem many yrs ago to attend a Rabbinical school, I hope he is safe 🙏🏽

[@Orlando-ym6hi]

You are right Lady everyone just keeps talking about Palestinians as victims and not what Hamas did. As a Christian I don’t blame today’s Jews for what happened to Christ only your forefathers and the Romans because I believe in the Bible and the Bible said so. But Jesus was a Jew and I love this Jew more than anyone in this world I adore him and he knows it. Hope you and Palestinians can live in peace someday

[@chayap.199]

“He Who is Compassionate to the Cruel Will Ultimately Become Cruel to the Compassionate”

[@BestMexicoMovers]

While Rabi Sharon is obviously a brilliant and compassionate, lovely person, I'm sorry to say that, in my opinion, she still doesn't get it. She does not know, as a group, who her friends are and who they are not. She still wants to believe in the world as she wants the world to be rather than the world how it is. For example, she was shocked how her "friends" on what she calls “the Left” supported Hamas. The rabi felt a new loneliness. I am sorry to report that, as Jew, I was not shocked at all and I did not feel a new loneliness. The Left has made itself extremely clear to anyone who is listening, how they feel about Jews. The only way the rabi missed it is if she wanted to miss it. I didn't miss it because I was listening, and I didn't lose any "friends" on the Left who supported Hamas because anyone who is on the Left scorned me years ago, so I have no Leftist “friends,” Jewish or otherwise. It will be interesting to see if the Jewish students on campuses beg to be let back in to their old social circle of Jew haters. To me, it is a very open question. As you might imagine, my political views are definitely in the minority of Jews. As a group, Jews will still vote as they did before, and still support and give money to the people who side with Hamas. I never did. I also assume that Rabi Sharon is referring to people who think like me to not lose our own minds as well. I appreciate her concern, but she has not convinced me to think like she does about her “friends”. I am aware that the vast majority of Jews disagree with me. I am sorry for the pain all Jews feel over this, but especially for the double pain that the rabi and most Jews feel that I do not, because, unfortunately, I was not surprised. I wish you peace, irrespective of your opinion.

[@avivaleh]

Thank you! We need Rabbi's that are brave enough to stand up for us, the Jewish people, and stop acting as PR for Islamic extremists that wish nothing but harm. The West Bank Palestinians are showing more support for Hamas since Oct. 7th than the people in Gaza (who are forced to show support). At this point, she and people like her are mocking themselves by continuing to bury their head in the sand.

[@Cracker2828]

Rabbi Brous, I was a student of yours at Milken. While I appreciate the message of maternal empathy, you must acknowledge the following set of facts: - 89% of Palestinians want to live under Sharia law per Pew - Palestinians in Gaza voted for Hamas by majority in 2006 - Palestinians in Gaza have a majority supportive view of Hamas per AP in 2021 - Islamic Jihadists span the globe and outnumber Jews - Many Jihadist mothers rather their children die as martyrs while killing Jews and help build a caliphate then show empathy to Jewish kids While I respect your views and prayers for the world, the true issue in the world is Islamic Jihadism, not right wing Israeli politics or the Jewish community realizing their need to invest in more protective measures to protect their families.

[@Regal2800]

She clearly has very little understanding of the situation in Israel. Unfortunately your facts will fall on deaf ears.

[@debbiepine6721]

Listen again

[@amyfrobertson]

❤

[@avivaleh]

Rabbi Sharon Brous, it's important to recognize the impact of your actions in shaping current perceptions among liberals. The narrative that you have perpetuated, suggesting these individuals seek peace, is now clearly contradicted by their actions. It's evident that their motivations are not about land, peace, or self-determination, but rather driven by religious extremism with the intent to eradicate those who don't align with their belief system. The reality is, their goal is not coexistence through a two-state solution, but the establishment of a caliphate. Acknowledging and apologizing for your role in inadvertently promoting their agenda is crucial. You've unfortunately been a part of their publicity efforts, leading to significant support from liberal intellectuals globally. This mistake has contributed to the broader issue we face. True teshuvah, or repentance, begins with admitting the terrible mistake of speaking on their behalf when in fact you, a Rabbi, should have protected us, your Jewish people.

[@joyma82stonebridge91]

There's a hebrew letter yod. I think it's symbolic of how God comes close to us like how u sit with those who mourn and don't speak until they speak. Sorry that's resh :-/ but I like you resh shin and rosh I need to learn more but I pray for u and am playing for u every day x

[@SS-cs6wt]

I'm muslim. Not a Palestinian, but an ardent supporter of their right to self determination. I have grappled with what this rabbi is saying myself. When Oct 7th happened, I will admit (ashamedly), a part of me was happy... Before you shut off your mind, let me try to explain. I don't totally understand it myself. And I know in hindsight I was 10000% wrong. But in that moment, it wasn't that Hamas killed innocent people that made me happy. It wasn't that Jews were killed. It was that an extremely oppressed people, living in prison for decades, somehow someway, managed to show some type of resistance and autonomy. They even managed to re-take some land, even if for only a couple hours. It wasn't about killing or body counts. I also do not think this "nothing justifies Oct 7th", "there is no context", carries any weight. These are all empty slogans. Of course context matters. Of course, the "why" matters. The "why" is all that matters when trying to cure a disease. The holocaust happened by the most educated, advanced, forward thinking society of the time. If that is worthy of study, isn't this???? By saying context doesn't matter, you are essentially outsourcing all the serious analysis and discussions to right wing hawks. After 9/11, Osama Bin Laden released a letter explaining why they did what they did. No media outlets showed it. Nobody was interested in the slightest to read it. Why? Don't you want to know why people are saying they are doing what they are doing? Explanation is not justification. Its common sense. When battling gang violence in the United States, isn't it important to learn about the socio/economic factors that cause one person to kill another person for a street neither of them owns??? How is this different? The difference here is we are scared of what we might hear and the corresponding decisions we may be forced to make, if we really are interested in peace... Condemning apartheid and the occupation is a noble thing to do. Especially when your group is the one in power and has to give up concessions in order to achieve that. No doubt about this. But lets be real, at the end of the day, your condemnation does not change the misery of the 5 million Palestinians living under a brutal occupation. Only freedom will change that, not your or my pontifications. Imagine this hypothetical...One day you are sitting in your home, eating dinner with your family. Then one day the police come in, forcibly remove you and your family from your home, and put in a family from New York in that home instead. Its raining outside, but the police at least gives you a tent to stay in. All the while, you see your fireplace on in the house, the lights on, you see the silhouette of a people laughing and singing, while you are huddled in the tent. The people in the house, peek out the window to see if you are still there, they can see you, but they also see the police, so they feel safe. After a while, the people inside the home forget about the people outside and stop looking out the window. But the people that are homeless, with a key of the house wrapped around their neck as a reminder, never forget. They get more and more bitter. Now take this hypothetical story, and make it real, because it is real. They have been robbed of their humanity for decades. We all stopped looking outside the window, but that does not mean the dispossessed are not still there seething, yearning to return. What would other people do? We know what the Israeli state would do, because no matter how bad October 7th was, what Israel has done, by any metric imaginable, has done exponentially worse (before and after Oct 7th), including the original sin, for which it has never addressed. This is what oppression does. It dehumanizes the oppressed obviously, but what people don't get, is that it also dehumanizes the oppressor as well. That is how I did not internalize the 1,400 Israelis killed. The same way Israel and its supporters are comfortable inside an occupied house and don't internalize the suffering of the Palestinians. I was wrong for that, but I understand now why and how I thought what I thought. But even after these self congratulatory enlightenments which we achieve, it still does nothing for the Palestinians that are suffering and being killed. The solution is a one state solution, with equal rights for all. A two state solution, based upon 1967 borders. Or the complete extermination of the Palestinians. There is no 4th option. And just because we all can sleep well at night in our homes, the homeless don't really care about our feelings. More and more terrorists are being created in Gaza as we speak. And the cycle will never be over, until the Israel deal with its original sin. Death is death. I really don't care if its by someone yelling Allah Akbar and stabbing someone, or a clean shaven devil in a suit pushing a button to level an entire refugee camp. We need to get serious and handle the source of the problem. Forget about all the politically correct ways in which we express ourselves. Everything is just a distraction.

[@marthabacker8539]

Certainly got the attention of the world, a tipping point? We need peace and to be able to live together, reading ISRAEL by Noa Tishby, The Lemon Tree about Arabs and Jews and the idea of recovering and healing... Mother to Mother, to Sister to Sister, and Brother to Brother...we are descendents of Abraham, cousins. so it can be done, great minds, maybe come from this page, to make it happen. Thank you Rabbi Brous/ and community.

[@SS-cs6wt]

@@marthabacker8539 I pray so as well. But bullets are profitable and resources are scarce. So corrupt politicians will always distract and divide people to further a small groups interests. Happens everywhere by everybody. To be honest, I feel hopeless sometimes. Not about life, I feel the afterlife will right the inequities of this world, but my ability to make a difference. I guess all we can do is all we can do. At least do that small part so that when we meet our maker we can say, I tried to stand with the weak and voiceless. Whoever and wherever they may be.

[@lsblatt1]

You are an anti Semite

[@omarkabanda6396]

I came from Africa and its funny that Israel is an exporter of diamonds with no mines hmm here in Congo we know who is displacing millions

[@rafiraviv5]

In ISRAEL we speak Arabic now, we don't understand what are you saying.

[@nickolasgaspar9660]

In Greek language we have two words which unfortunately both are translated in English as "justify". 1. Δικαιολογώ 2. Aιτιολογώ The first one means to Justify ,to accept an action as just based on the available facts and our moral principles, while the second means to identify whether the known reasons are sufficient to explain the phenomenon independent of our external principles and values. In the case of Hamas's attack the reasons are more than enough to explain(not justify) this type of attack. I will argue that it was at a far smaller scale than expected because the one thing we do know is that human response to violence is always asymmetrical. i.e. the two US nuclear bombs were drop on Japan (killed ~200.000 people) as a response for the 2.500 dead soldiers and stuff is one example and the US reaction over USS. Liberty attack (thankfully it didn't materialize) were orders to nuke Cairo ..is a second one. Emotions build up and amplify all our reactions. Of course in a broader framework outlined by our human values and principles such an act is unjustifiable under any circumstances. In the really narrow framework shaped by the Israeli regime and the available resources of Hamas, this violent act was more than to be expected, it was a natural human reaction and inevitable under this on going environment. Whether we justify it or not changes nothing since the causal relations between the oppressor and the resistance's forces are there, creating their own isolated "ecosystem" of values and its only a mirror of the occupation in a very very condensed form. The blood is on the hands of those(West) who allow this relation to exist and keep producing asymmetric responses.

[@FiveRivers.]

13,000 dead, and counting. Where is the humanity?

[@lanonstop3522]

You’ve convinced me that even a child’s life is worth your justice sick sick individual it needs to stop …stop killing babies and playing victim

[@sidneystein8160]

Lofty ideals and high minded morals are not what we need now. A Rabbi like this with no military experience and a poor grasp of history is part of the problem we have in the US Jewish community. Inbal Lieberman who was head of security of a kibbutz in southern Israel, recognized what was happening, gathered her well-trained security team, distributed weapons and eliminated the Hamas terrorists as they entered her Kibbutz. That is what we need. The only reason Israel or the US continue to exist, is because of a strong military. If your Jewish, and have no tactical skills in which you can rely on to defend yourself , then you are foolish. There is no pacifism in Judaism. עם ישראל חי.

[@dannyanavian1515]

You lecture about Istraels mistake, how about yourself lost 10 million in assymilation

[@orgogal]

Why is she wearing a Talit? Are these people Jews? It's not custom even for male Rabbis to wear a Talit while making a sermon.

[@baruchevenezra7279]

You say our sages but disobey them in wearing men’s clothing/Tallith ve Tziziyoth.

[@RB-rn8tq]

Unfortunayely unlike what the Rabbai says and wants to belive, there is context to all of this. Palestinians have been dehumanized by Israel for 75 years and now the Israelis are getting the same treatment. The Israeilis have succeeded to desensetize the world to the suffering of Palestininans and now the world is showing desensatidation towards their suffering. This is not a justification but an explanation of what is happening here. Unless we address that underlying context we are not going to break this vicious cycle.

[@atlantagal9701]

Hamas has done a lot to desensitize the world to the suffering of the Palestinians. It is oppressive. The Palestinians voted Hamas into office and then Hamas subsequently refused to hold elections, and those who were oppressed failed to rise up.

[@54tristin]

This is only partially true! It is Hamas and its cynical use of both the Palestinian people and religion that has brought use to this threshold. They forced a state of permit war on the people of Israel when peace was offered to the Palestinian people, and have used these poor people as puppets and shields when Israel refuses to be disposed of.

[@tariqkhonji6556]

Where were your crocodile tears when the Palestinians suffered a thousand October 7s at the hands of the Isralis? What happened that day was terrible but I don’t have to condemn it just like I don’t have to condemn a rape victim who murders their rapist.

[@DavidMueller666]

Rabbi Brous, you have endured much suffering and your words are wise and appealing. Nevertheless, I expected more. I thought you would speak against the psychotic rage that the State of Israel has given itself over to as it responds to these terrible crimes by Hamas. The response by the State of Israel is insane and immoral.

[@MissJoy16]

What do you think Israel should do/should have done?

[@DavidMueller666]

@@MissJoy16 The State of Israel should repent.

[@Dovwssmn-ky7jc]

The psychotic rage is hatred for Jews. It’s that simple.

[@Eltopo1368]

You are a good Jew Rabbi, but to suggest that if we just treat them better, a bit more love and stop participating in the only legal election in the Middle East that elected someone you don’t like all we be well. Why did you have to go there?

[@BT-nl4yg]

Rabbi??????😂😂😂😂 talit but no kipa??? What a joke

[@itdrasada8361]

You are not the only human on this earth.

[@richardrapoport6167]

How dare you justify the animalistic brutality and the absence of humanity of these wanton killers who completely DEFILE the tenants of Islam and the holy ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ‎ al-Qurʾān!

[@ameliamartinez7303]

BOOOOOOOOO

[@christinagrimmiefish]

a rabbi??? she is wearing a tallit for crying out loud, in Hebrew we say 'hashem yishmor'. god save us from these kofrim and kofrot.

[@NachalatYehuda8]

That's all you can focus on at this time?

[@brooklyn2349]

don't be distracted by an appearance that's unfamiliar to you. Listen to what she says. She speaks truth

[@christinagrimmiefish]

למינים ולמלשינים אל תהי תקווה. וכל הזדים כרגע יאבדו. וכל אויבך וכל שונאיך מהרה יכרתו. ומלכות הרשעה מהרה תעקר ותשבר. ותכלם ותכניעם, במהרה בימינו. ברוך אתה השם, שובר אויבים ומכניע זדים. @@NachalatYehuda8

[@christinagrimmiefish]

​@@brooklyn2349

[@marysunshine2498]

Not a rabbi, never will be. But message is sound.

[@nicoangel690]

She is no Rabbi

[@jeanneelliott7243]

❤