A few days ago, rumors began to spread that the horrifying footage of the massacres of Shemini Atzeret, filmed in real time by the evil subhuman terrorists of Hamas, was going to be leaked from IDF sources (This is quite aside from allegations made by Israel that “journalists” from various outfits were embedded in Hamas units, knew about the massacre and filmed it live, and did nothing prevent it from happening- allegations that, if true, make the “journalists” nothing more than terrorists). Even though it was meant to be seen only by a select group of journalists, decision makers and thought leaders, the concern was that it would spread far from the original audience. The IDF spokesperson has denied that the video was leaked, and various platforms, including TikTok, have confirmed that it isn’t on there. In an age where information travels at lightning speed, it is important to realize that false information travels at double that speed…There is a line, often misquoted in the name of Mark Twain, that “A lie can travel the world and back before truth puts its pants on.” So much information about what is happening in Israel is widely disseminated without verification, often with the flimsiest of sources (“My sister told me she spoke to her brother-in-law whose sister-in-law’s neighbor is in Gaza and said…), so it is important to verify information before deciding whether it is worth spreading to others.
At the same time, it is essential that we avoid watching these videos, should they in fact find their way into our social media feeds, whatsapp accounts or email. Trauma experts have spoken about the lasting traumatic effects these videos can engender- what you see can never be unseen. My teacher and mentor Rabbi Yona Reiss, Av Beth DIn of the Chicago Rabbinical Council stated the following in an email sent to the Chicago community:
In my opinion, it is prohibited as a matter of Kavod HaBrios, Kavod Hameisim, and Zilzul Hameis, to view any of the videos that portray the murder and violation of Jews by the Hamas terrorists. Parents should also take the necessary steps to ensure that their children will not be exposed to these images, which can also lead, G-d forbid, to terrible trauma.
Rabbi’s Recommendations
I would urge everyone to participate in the Yom Kippur Kattan service on Monday at 4:45 PM, and, if at all possible, to fast that day as well. It will be a meaningful Tefillah, containing some of the structure (Selichot followed by Kel Melech Yoshev) and some of the same text as the Neilah prayer on Yom Kippur. On Monday, we pray and on Tuesday, we march - it is not too late to join the 30+ Shaare members who are going to Washington for the rally. I hope to see you there!
Last Week’s MSOTW
Last Week’s MSOTW is the shul in Cornell University’s Center for Jewish Living, also known as 104West, formerly the Young Israel House. This community was the target of anti-Semitic threats, the source of which was later identified as a junior named Patrick Dai. While I am usually a civic booster of Rochester, it brings me no pride that Mr. Dai grew up in the affluent Rochester suburb of Pittsford. As I was born in Ithaca, I have a soft spot for this community and this shul. Kudos to Cornell alumni and former Shaare members Daniella and Evan Smith, who identified the shul right away as they know it very well. Runner up goes to Steve Natinsky. This Week’s MSOTW
This week’s MSOTW, without a picture, in in Israel - it has had a renaissance in the last few weeks, due to the efforts of a remarkable woman and of many IDF soldiers. Name the shul, the location and, for even more bonus points, the woman behind its revival.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky
Congregation Shaare Tefilla 6131 Churchill Way Dallas, TX 75230
