It’s Rosh Hashana, time for real accountability

My wife and I just returned to our home in Jerusalem after spending the summer in Great Neck. Our incredible joy of returning, however, was overshadowed by the dreadful news of the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Kirk was both a soldier who fell in battle and a victim of terror. He was a soldier — fighting for freedom of speech and religion — and a victim of a terrorist murder.

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We inhabit two worlds, as an American and Israeli but also as a citizen of the classical western world imbued with faith-based righteousness as a way of life.

It is well known that America’s founding fathers were aware of Judaism and the Hebrew Bible in all its facets — from the separation of powers into executive, legislative and judicial branches (based on the Jewish model of a King, Kohen, Levite, Rabbinical class and Sanhedrin) to the capital of Washington being shared by multiple states (based on the same for Jerusalem, shared by two tribes), to a written body of law (the Constitution, based l’havdil on Judaism’s precious Holy Torah).

(I say l’havdil because Judaism and Christianity are quite different, but America was founded on the idea of freedom of religion and Charlie Kirk, as a man of faith and American patriotism, embodied the best of both, just as I hope we Jewish-Americans do.)

America was founded on the idea of freedom of religion. But for many in America today, this phrase has been changed to freedom from religion.

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The days leading up to Rosh Hashana is a time for deep introspection, reflection and taking accountability for one’s actions.

As the Talmud and our machzorim tell us, it is the birthday of the world’s creation,”hayom harat olam.” It is also Yom Hadin, day of judgment (masechet Rosh Hashanah 8a). That is because although the universe was actually created five days earlier (Rabbi Eliezer, ibid 11a), this day — 1 Tishrei — marks the creation of humanity, the pinnacle of Hashem’s creation.

All humanity, every nation, Jews and non-Jews, are held to account on this day, Rosh Hashana. Even the goyim are judged, although they may be unaware of it (ibid 16a). Be it here or in Israel, for things large and small, everyone is held accountable. 

(It is important that we recognize that the word goy or goyim is not necessarily a pejorative, although it has become one in modern usage. It means nation; even the Jewish people are called a goy — “U’mi K’amcha Yisrael, goy echad ba’aretz (and who is like you Israel, one nation in the Land)” (2Samuel 7:23).

Taking accountability is useful, because it can lead to correction and ultimately to teshuva, repentance. This is important not only for Jews but non-Jews as well, and they must be reminded of this.

Teshuva is essential in our relationship with Hashem, what is called the relationship bein adam la’Makom. But in the relationship between adam la’chavero (between human and human), teshuva is not enough. One is required to request forgiveness from those we’ve wronged.

It is time for us to request — to demand — accountability from the world. They should beg for our forgiveness!

•We demand accountability from those who have verbally, viciously attacked us in the streets of every major country and city, from our so called allies and friends, from every government, university administration, faculty and student, every person who supported the libels of genocide, famine, ethnic cleansing, the worst lies on the planet, from day one after October 7, even as our loved one’s bodies were still bleeding and smoldering. They should get on their knees and beg our forgiveness.

•From our government officials, regardless of party who were too feckless and cowardly to stand up for what is right, and by their silence or worse contributed to the climate of fear, hatred and danger to our people.

•From our media managers, opinion makers and reporters, who found ways to apply double and triple standards to the Jews and Israel but excused and exonerated the true perpetrators of evil.

•And yes, we also demand accountability from our leaders, in Israel who failed us on October 7 and let it happen, despite ample warnings. 

•Finally, we demand accountability from ourselves for allowing our hatreds for one another, our sinat achim, to spin out of control and bring this catastrophe upon us.

•From our enemies who have killed, tortured and maimed, and continue to do so, the only accountability we demand is their demise, and that they be wiped from the face of this earth. 

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At the same time, accountability demands hakarat hatov, a recognition of the absolute goodness and self-sacrifice displayed by so many.

•First among these are the young men and women who’ve been fighting, serving, repeatedly, for hundreds of days on end to defend the Jewish people.

•The hostages both in the past two years who have, Baruch Hashem, been released or freed, and sadly to those still in captivity who’ve fought the urge to give up, and are courageously fighting on.

•To the soldiers who’ve fallen, Hashem Yikom Damam.

•To the victims of October 7 who were murdered, the hostages who could not or were not allowed to survive, Hashem Yikom Damam.

•To the wounded physically and emotionally.

•To all the spouses and children, those who’ve been displaced, in fact all the brave, resilient citizens of Israel and elsewhere, through acts of limud Torah, chesed and tzedakah have sustained us all.

•And to all the many individuals, institutions, policy makers, government officials, social media and otherwise, news commentators, celebrities and plain everyday people who’ve stood by us, our nation and our people, despite at times great risk or monetary loss to themselves, we must say “thank you.”

Thank you for something as simple and powerful as telling the truth and standing up for it. 

Charlie Kirk, in his faith and belief and his support for Israel and Jews, understood this and it may have cost him his life. May his memory be blessed.

Shabbat Shalom u’ketivah v’ chatimah tovah!

Write: Columnist@TheJewishStar.com