Can a Monk Be a Jew?
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This Rosh Hashanah, the challenge to “choose life” is more urgent than ever.
Imagine an alien landing on planet Earth, perplexed to discover that Israel – but a dot on the map – is the center of global attention.
Equally perplexing is the upside-down narrative, where:
Our perplexed alien wonders: What factors are creating this obscene moral inversion?
Our alien discovers that the core of this insanity is antisemitism, a metaphysical force that persecutes Jews – not for what they do, but for who they are: the moral vanguards of humanity, standing firm against corrupt values and fraudulent beliefs.
Yet the alien cannot understand how this antisemitic insanity became mainstream. Why do so many intelligent, accomplished people – politicians, academics, celebrities and influencers – hypocritically promote anti-Israel blood libels? Do they actually believe these lies? Are they ethically challenged, unable to distinguish between terrorists and their victims?
Are they in denial, hoping that by appeasing jihadists the problem will somehow go away? Or have they sold their souls, to gain wealth, power and popularity, at the expense of Jewish lives?
The degree of moral confusion is alarming. A Harvard-Harris Poll showed that a majority of American voters, ages 18-24, believe that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and that Israel should "be ended and given to Hamas." Has the world become one big insane asylum run by the inmates?
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year marking the birth of humanity, turns a new page for the coming year. On Rosh Hashanah, the books of life and death are opened. God declares: "Choose life!”
Are you choosing connection or disconnection? In the moral universe, there is no straddling the fence. On Rosh Hashanah, choose hope and goodness over darkness and despair. Particularly this year, when the world seems to have lost its moral bearing, it’s essential to clear away the cobwebs and “choose life.”
There are two days of Rosh Hashanah, because each day represents a different dimension: (Ramak – Ohr Yakar)
Millennia ago, the Romans consigned the Jewish people to the dust bin of history – “a once great people, now abandoned by God.” They mockingly renamed the holy land “Palestine,” after the extinct biblical nation best known as a thorn in Israel’s side.
By what impossible odds, following 2,000 years of relentless persecution and dispersion to far corners of the world, would the Jewish people miraculously ingather the exiles, revive the ancient Hebrew language, make the desert bloom and build the innovation nation?
Yet here we are, the miracle of Jewish destiny unfolding before our eyes, revealing God's power and mastery on a biblical scale.
The story is told of King Louis XIV asking the philosopher Pascal for proof of a supernatural force in the world. "Why, the Jews, your majesty," Pascal answered. “The Jews.”
On Rosh Hashanah, choosing life means connecting to this miracle of Jewish destiny, while the enemies of the Jewish People, like Hannan Nasrallah, Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyeh, are rendered obsolete.
The events of this terrifying past year were a colossal, unceasing wake-up call. As the shofar blasts on Rosh Hashanah, now is the time for moral clarity and resolve to stand together, united against the obscene moral inversion that seeks to harm our nation.
Dedicated to my father, Noson ben Moshe z”l, whose 45th yahrtzeit is the first day of Rosh Hashanah.
These same themes are present in the current race for president.
I’ll leave it to the reader to figure out who represents each theme.
Right, only Hashem knows the outcome of the American election, and whatever unfolds is up to Hashem, whatever the outcome is Hashem will set the stage it took 9 years for the book of Esther to unfold with a good outcome now again we are dealing with Iran that used to be called Persia
Some people wrote before Moshiach comes which is written in the prophets what is unfolding now will take place the world will be against Jews and Israel, and have a lot trouble with Ishmail, and the solution is to pray sincerely to Hashem to mitzvahs, and Jews should be united hopefully these could be the pangs when Moshiach comes the footsteps so to speak maybe we have grief and wars the world situation Jews/Israel sounds like Psalms 83 about the world countries trying to do what they are doing these days unfortunately what a scary and frightening time in Jewish and world history
RAV Shraga- Yashar Ko‘ach! Hazak v‘Ematz! One minor addendum- Emperor Hadrian considered the change of name from Judaea to Palestine not mockingly but as the final step to wipe Judaism and the Jewish people from the pages of history. He had lost over 100000 soldiers in the revolt of Bar Kochbah and felt like a loser and rightfully so. Thus he didn’t ever want to hear the term „“Judaic“ or anything similar, not even as a name in geography. Shanah Tovah!
❤️ 💙 💜 Are you choosing to take the harder but higher road to meaning and goodness, or have you been hijacked by distractions and lies?
Dear Rabbi Simmons,
Written tongue in cheek yet factual to the "T". A Brilliant article, which confirms that G-d does indeed have a sense of humor and must have enjoyed reading this as much as I did.
Your Dad must be feeling so good and and soo proud👏 and our Heavenly Fathergod ❤️ is smiling down over that small dot .. in fact holding the dot firmly in the palm of his hand.
Thank you
Charmaine Francis
The NYT obit also explained the many crimes and atrocities perpetrated by Hezbollah. It is important to study those who do evil so that we know how to fight them and their propaganda.
OUTSTANDING!
Thank you, Rabbi Simmons, for making the moral inversion crystal clear to anyone not blinded by anti-Semitism.
Ironically enough, Israel's (glatt kosher!) statehood has proven that it is "a nation that stands alone," but of course this distinction is a powerfully positive aspect of our continued existence despite all the historical odds because (as recent events have shown), Hashem is with us.
HE allways have been.
In physics, relativity shows us there’s no absolute ‘up’ or ‘down’; it all depends on perspective. The same is true for morality. Without an objective, universal standard, there’s no fixed right or wrong, just personal viewpoints. Moral inversion—turning good into bad or bad into good—can only exist if we recognize a universal moral anchor. And that standard is found in the God-given Torah, which lays the foundation for true moral clarity. Without it, we can't even begin to correct what’s upside down.
Max, I thoroughly appreciate the outstanding words you expressed through your writing. “The moral anchor of our G-d-given Torah” will sustain us. And may all humanity come to that understanding, and soon. Thank you for your excellent words.