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From: samet@sfmag.UUCP (A.I.Samet)
Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish
Subject: De-Escalating the Egg
Message-ID: <559@sfmag.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 1-May-85 15:03:18 EDT
Article-I.D.: sfmag.559
Posted: Wed May  1 15:03:18 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 3-May-85 23:30:46 EDT
References: <123@unc.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Summit, NJ
Lines: 55

> From a Jewish perspective, I see two possible interpretations
> of anti-semitism:
>
> My interpretation:
>
>       1)  Due to wicked forces, the world is unjust and arbitrary.
>
>       Inference:  Anti-semitism has meaning.
>       Result:     This interpretation yields no insight on how to fight
>                   anti-semitism, but at least acknowleges it as unjust.
>
> Yitzchok's interpretation:
>
>       2)  God is punishing the Jews for not being "better".
>
>       Note:      God does not similarly punish the gentiles.
>       Inference: The gentiles are somehow "better" than we are.
>       Result:    This interpretation leads to Jewish self-hatred, etc.
>                                                       ^^^^^^^

1) Many Jews may feel that the world is  "unjust  and  arbitrary"
but it is misleading to call this a "Jewish perspective", because
it  appears to contradict the fundamental Jewish tenet that there
is  a  just  G*d.  The classical Jewish approach acknowledges our
inability to  understand  G*d's  ways  rather  than  denying  His
existence,  claiming  that He has no control over evil, or seeing
Him as unjust. The justice may be hidden from us because we don't
know  the  reasons  behind  G*d's  actions, or because there is a
settling of scores in Olam Haba.

If you argue that yours is a "Jewish atheistic" perspective, this
would  at  least  serve to clarify the basis of our disagreement.
However, I was presenting a Torah approach. Are you  saying  that
your  aprroach is consistent with the Torah? If so, what are your
bases for that assertion?

2) I did not say or imply that the goyim are not punished too.Nor
did I suggest that anti-semitism has no meaning (on a surface level)
or that it is not unjust (from a human perspective). I don't know
why you attribute these ideas to me. The inferences you draw about
my beliefs are therefore incorrect.

3) The broader perspective  I  am  advocating  does  not  exclude
practical    countermeasures   against   antisemitism   or   non-
metaphysical insights, as  you  seem  to  think.  I  stated  this
several times. Why do you keep missing what I say?

4) The key point I  tried  to  emphasize  was  that  there  is  a
religious  dimension  which adds perspective to our understanding
of antisemitism, and that an effective solution  to  the  problem
must  recognize  that  we invite it by assimilating. This adds an
important dimension to our understanding of Nazism, one which has
been neglected, perhaps because it is so disturbing.

				Yitzchok Samet