A courageous black youth who realizes that all lives matter, and not just the lives of his own race. At the end of Who is Really Trumped in the End, I mentioned that I also felt a sense of elation at President Trump's victory. And it wasn't just relief at having narrowly avoided Hillary.
And yes, I am also thoroughly enjoying Obama's petulance over Trump's win.
And I also think, "Ha! You deserve this!" regarding the Leftists who are devastated and frightened by a Trump presidency after having been allowed and encouraged to bully and dominate for so long.
(Now they're tantruming and it is UGLY.)
But my elated reaction and the even more elated right-wing Conservative reaction are not unique in history.
Rabbi Tauber, who survived the Shoah with his father, and made their way to Eretz Yisrael, were not part of the politically Left and anti-religious "Zionist" movement. They were just happy to be able to fulfill the Jewish dream of settling in Eretz Yisrael.
Yet Rabbi Tauber wrote that despite knowing better, it was hard not to get caught up in the elated atmosphere of political Zionism (as opposed the beautiful mitzvah of yishuv Eretz Yisrael) on the boat that was taking the two Tauber survivors along with a large contingent of political Zionists to Eretz Yisrael.
Hashem clearly sends a certain "ruach" into the world at times. It's easy to get caught up in it. Many people understandably do. But a firm grounding in Torah can endow you with stability and perspective, even in those times.
Likewise, prior to their respective revolutions, the ruling classes in France, Russia, China, and Germany were brutal and corrupt.
The ruling classes DESERVED to be cast down.
They enslaved, abused, and exploited their citizens in horrible ways.
They (meaning, those of the ruling class who behaved despicably) deserved what they got.
(Just like all the freaked-out American Leftists deserve this upheaval -- although in this case, it is those same Leftists who are responding violently, and not the triumphant right-wing.)
And the euphoria of the original Communists and Nazis was followed by a certain amount of positive change.
And then things went horrifically bad.
Now, we know that the heart of a nation's leader is in Hashem's Hand.
King Charles V was a striking example of this:
Paradoxically, he kept the Inquisition going against the Jews in Spain while protecting the Jews under his rule in Eastern Europe.
(Rav Yoselman of Rosheim influenced a significant part of this protection as described in the engrossing book Rabbi Yoselman of Rosheim.)
Chazal also says that Hashem doesn't pick good people to be the shaliach for bad events.
____________________________________
So, yes, the euphoria on our side is very real.
And the reasons for the euphoria are also understandable; I feel it all, too.
And maybe this IS all the beginning of an upswing. I hope it is!
But 19th-20th-Century history tells us that many times, the downfall of a corrupt and brutal leadership accompanied by euphoria often led to something worse after a temporary improvement.
(America's yoke-tossing of British rule was different because their goals were different AND God was firmly in the picture. Despite being technically Christians, many Colonial Americans came close to being Bnei Noach and even instituted laws and a Constitution based on JEWISH law and hashkafah. And okay, yes, they misunderstood and misapplied a lot of it due to their ignorance, but their efforts were sincere.)
Just as one example, Matzav's summary of the most recent President Trump interview doesn't bode well.
(HT: Yaakov Yeranen)
Non-Jewish societies MUST NOT allow contractual "marriages" between two men -- for THEIR own good. When they start allowing this, it is always the beginning of the end. So the fact that Trump will not amend this is a problem. (In addition to the fact that he gave the opposite impression during his campaign.)
Also, the Clintons are NOT "good people." I mean, come on. You can say the Clintons ran a tough campaign (which they did) without praising them personally (which they don't deserve).
The point is, we don't know at this point whether this is a good upheaval or a not-so-good upheaval.
Personally, I see it all as a sign to double-down on doing teshuvah, scrubbing out bad middot, and intensifying the relationship with Hashem (through prayer, talking, confessing, thanking, etc.).
It could end up being good. It depends.
May Mashiach come in peace and set the world right and bring all Jews to Eretz Yisrael b'komemiut.
And yes, I am also thoroughly enjoying Obama's petulance over Trump's win.
And I also think, "Ha! You deserve this!" regarding the Leftists who are devastated and frightened by a Trump presidency after having been allowed and encouraged to bully and dominate for so long.
(Now they're tantruming and it is UGLY.)
But my elated reaction and the even more elated right-wing Conservative reaction are not unique in history.
Rabbi Tauber, who survived the Shoah with his father, and made their way to Eretz Yisrael, were not part of the politically Left and anti-religious "Zionist" movement. They were just happy to be able to fulfill the Jewish dream of settling in Eretz Yisrael.
Yet Rabbi Tauber wrote that despite knowing better, it was hard not to get caught up in the elated atmosphere of political Zionism (as opposed the beautiful mitzvah of yishuv Eretz Yisrael) on the boat that was taking the two Tauber survivors along with a large contingent of political Zionists to Eretz Yisrael.
Hashem clearly sends a certain "ruach" into the world at times. It's easy to get caught up in it. Many people understandably do. But a firm grounding in Torah can endow you with stability and perspective, even in those times.
Likewise, prior to their respective revolutions, the ruling classes in France, Russia, China, and Germany were brutal and corrupt.
The ruling classes DESERVED to be cast down.
They enslaved, abused, and exploited their citizens in horrible ways.
They (meaning, those of the ruling class who behaved despicably) deserved what they got.
(Just like all the freaked-out American Leftists deserve this upheaval -- although in this case, it is those same Leftists who are responding violently, and not the triumphant right-wing.)
And the euphoria of the original Communists and Nazis was followed by a certain amount of positive change.
And then things went horrifically bad.
Now, we know that the heart of a nation's leader is in Hashem's Hand.
King Charles V was a striking example of this:
Paradoxically, he kept the Inquisition going against the Jews in Spain while protecting the Jews under his rule in Eastern Europe.
(Rav Yoselman of Rosheim influenced a significant part of this protection as described in the engrossing book Rabbi Yoselman of Rosheim.)
Chazal also says that Hashem doesn't pick good people to be the shaliach for bad events.
____________________________________
So, yes, the euphoria on our side is very real.
And the reasons for the euphoria are also understandable; I feel it all, too.
And maybe this IS all the beginning of an upswing. I hope it is!
But 19th-20th-Century history tells us that many times, the downfall of a corrupt and brutal leadership accompanied by euphoria often led to something worse after a temporary improvement.
(America's yoke-tossing of British rule was different because their goals were different AND God was firmly in the picture. Despite being technically Christians, many Colonial Americans came close to being Bnei Noach and even instituted laws and a Constitution based on JEWISH law and hashkafah. And okay, yes, they misunderstood and misapplied a lot of it due to their ignorance, but their efforts were sincere.)
Just as one example, Matzav's summary of the most recent President Trump interview doesn't bode well.
(HT: Yaakov Yeranen)
Non-Jewish societies MUST NOT allow contractual "marriages" between two men -- for THEIR own good. When they start allowing this, it is always the beginning of the end. So the fact that Trump will not amend this is a problem. (In addition to the fact that he gave the opposite impression during his campaign.)
Also, the Clintons are NOT "good people." I mean, come on. You can say the Clintons ran a tough campaign (which they did) without praising them personally (which they don't deserve).
The point is, we don't know at this point whether this is a good upheaval or a not-so-good upheaval.
Personally, I see it all as a sign to double-down on doing teshuvah, scrubbing out bad middot, and intensifying the relationship with Hashem (through prayer, talking, confessing, thanking, etc.).
It could end up being good. It depends.
May Mashiach come in peace and set the world right and bring all Jews to Eretz Yisrael b'komemiut.
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