It isn’t uncommon for parents or teachers of preschoolers to help them learn how to play nice in the sandbox. “Don’t hit”, we say to toddlers. “Use your words.” Indeed, our traditions often praise those who make nice and try to keep things calm – most notably praising Aaron, Moses’ brother, as the role model of all who are peacemakers. Our sages explain that Aaron, in fact, would always go from one person to another in the attempt to have people get along (see here).
There is, however, another thread within our traditions that questions shalom as the ultimate and only value. for sometimes being a peacemaker means not confronting those who do wrong. The ancient rabbis say that Moses confronted his brother Aaron after the sin of the Golden Calf. Moses said, “How could you let the people behave so terribly while I was on the mountain?” Aaron offers the excuse, “The people were determined to do something bad. What could I do?!” Recognizing that in the face of such wrongdoing, peace is not a virtue but a vice. Thus, the Torah says, Moses called to all the people band said, “whoever supports God, come with me.” (Exodus 32:27) In short, he demonstrated that silence in the face of immoral behavior is what allows evil to grow.
Peace, compromise and getting along with others are noble virtues. Indeed, shalom is often praised in Jewish sources as the greatest of all qualities. That said, here is a time for making peace and a time to stand up and confront what is wrong. “There is a time to speak and a time to be silent.” (Ecclesiastes 3:7) To find one’s voice can be scary. To stand up when you or I see something we know is wrong may not always be popular. But that is what it really means to be bound to a covenant, a bond with God and all those made in God’s image. ways not only to do privately or quietly what is right, but to stand up and refuse to allow evil to grow.
In recent weeks we have witnessed a growing number of tragic and violent incidents involving guns – with all of the predictable responses to the majority in our country who seek to restrict the sale of guns and ammo, who insist on stricter background checks and regular training for those who want to own guns.
The words of those who refuse change are predictable. They say: “We need more security” – yet the security guard was killed in Buffalo and despite the police and training of officers and children in the Uvalde, that did not stop one bent on harm. They echo the words of the Lt. Governor of Texas, that we need to “harden these targets so no one can get in.” This is what we want for our schools? That they are armed fortresses? Are we prepared to secure our gyms, arm our supermarkets, defend our malls? Is that what we want in our country? They blame it all on those who are “mentally ill.” Really?! Are Americans so much more mentally anguished and sick than any other people? I cannot accept this.
The answer is not just more security. It’s not more training. It isn’t due to simply to mental illness. The slaughter of so many is, simply, our easy access to guns.
I am not at all opposed to gun ownership. The right guns with appropriate training in the proper hands makes sense. Surely the majority in this nation can demand that of our representatives – to demand of them to find a way to compromise to keep us and our loved ones safer.
For me, I’ve had it with “thoughts and prayers.” No more. Enough with sacrificing our children to the false god of the Second Amendment. It is time to rise up, to speak out and to say that the death of over 120 people per day (more than 45,000 every year!) in this country is a moral stain on our nation. We cannot pray for peace when we do not act in ways to restrain those who use lethal weapons to maim, terrorize and kill (more than half, incidentally, through suicide because of easy access to guns) . I wish I could say that all the training we do in our schools will protect you and me, our children and grandchildren, but it won’t be enough. But the time for such illusions and fantasies is long past.
Sensible restrictions on guns are not impossible. Other countries have shown how America could be better, but it’s up to you and me to demand from our representatives that it be so. We must be like the Levites of old. We must not set seek peace or pray for it alone. We must find our voice – and we must demand the peace we, and all in our land, deserve.
From Darkness to Light 