The Sins of the Fathers

Haredi Jerusalem is aboil over a teenaged father being charged and jailed for admitting killing his infant son, threatening violence in the streets of Jerusalem.

Passover did not spare the Jewish babe killed during the month of Nissan. The Tenth Plague has hit, both the three-month old baby and the nineteen year old father. But the pillar of fire threatened by some extremists would be a new one for our Seder story. A pillar not of heavenly sign and safety, but hatred and fervor unfettered by common sense, Jewish ethics, or the rule of even Noatic law.

I think perhaps this anger is projected from the very community that failed the father, and failed the son. They should be angry! Angry that they allowed a marriage, created by the community, of a boy so damaged, so witless so as to kill his own son. Anger at not being watchful for the real, instead of imagined dangers that lurk in their insular community. Angry at themselves for standing by and being responsible, by proxy, for the death of a boy who drew his first breath given from god only three months previous.

The fire the Haredi speak of is far more lethal to them than to lawful Israel, however they choose to wield it.

Copyright © 2005-2006 DaShlom. All Rights Reserved. Contact the author at dashlom (at) gmail dot com for reprinting and republishing or site linking requests.