Don't Be "Meh" - Chronicle Online/The WORD 07/17/2025

Weekly On-line Rabbi's D'var-Torah

July 17, 2025

21 Tamuz 5785

Parashat Pinchas

No one wants to be thought of as “meh.”  While no one can be great at everything, we all want to think that we’re good at SOMEthing.  We hope that we will be remembered for excelling in at least one area of life.

Well, let me introduce you to the original “Mr. Meh.”

In this week’s Torah portion, we read of a man named Tzelophchad, who died, leaving behind five daughters.  Those daughters objected to the tradition at the time which allowed only sons to inherit their father’s property.  Tzelophchad’s property would revert to the elders of his tribe in order to assure that it remained in the tribe.  The daughters convinced Moses, who changed the law as of that moment.  Nonetheless, Tzelophchad is a remarkable character because the only things we really know about him are that he died and had five daughters.

We don’t know his trade.  We don’t know if he was humble or arrogant.  We don’t know if he was righteous or evil.  We don’t know if he was funny or smart.  We only know that he died.  And that he had five daughters.  We know his name all these years later, but who wants to be remembered for simply dying?!

I was thinking about Tzelophchad in the context of the current fight against antisemitism.  I know that I am blessed to live in a city where antisemitism is thankfully not prevalent.  Sure, there’s been an incident here or there over the years, but compared to what’s going on around the country, we are truly blessed to feel safe here.  

When it comes to fighting the scourge of antisemitism – 68% of religion-based hate crimes in 2023 targeted Jews even though we are only 25 of the population – most of our neighbors are like Tzelophchad.  We don’t know anything about them.  They may not be part of the problem, but they are not actively helping the Jewish community during these difficult times.  Years from now, when think back to these days, there won’t be anything to remember about many of our neighbors when it comes to fighting antisemitism.

As Elie Wiesel famously said, “The opposite of love is not hate, but indifference.” 

That is why Rabbi Glazer of Temple Sinai and I wrote an op-ed for The Alternative Press.  We are hoping to get the attention of some of our neighbors so that they will choose to be active allies for us instead of simply being another Tzelophchad.

Next Tuesday starting at 6:30pm, we will be sharing a table at Community Night which will take place at the Village Green.  We hope to grab the attention of some of our neighbors who may not realize how much antisemitism has increased over the last two years.  We hope to give them some suggestions on how they can educate themselves about antisemitism (I’ve started compiling a list of resources) and join the fight against it.  We need all the help we can get.

It would be great to see you all there.  After all, no one wants to be thought of as “meh.”

Shalom,

RAF.