Parshat Beshalah (Judges 4:4-5:31) February 7, 2004

This verse represents  a bitter criticism of the people of a certain town, apparently situated in close proximity to the battles between the enemy and Barak’s army, refused to assist the nation in its time of need. The phraseology of this verse is of particular interest. Though the critique against the people of Meroz is obviously for their shirking their communal responsibility, they are accused in this verse of not aiding God. The rabbinic tradition took this linguistic anomaly to teach a lesson: “ ‘And in Your mighty exaltation You overthrow them that rise up against You. With might You exalt against those who rise up against You! And who are those who rise up against You? The ones who rise up against your children... Similarly whenever anyone comes to the assistance of Israel, it is as though he is coming to the assistance of Him Who Spoke and the World Came to Be, as it says: ‘Curse you Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse you bitterly the inhabitants thereof, because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the warriors.’ (Ibid.) (adapted from the Mechilta deRabbi Ishmael Shirta 6)

The use of this verse as a proof text in this midrash implies that someone who does not help Israel does not help God. This idea may be implied in the description of the sin of the “wicked child” in the Passover Hagadah. What is the child’s sin? “Since s/he excludes him/herself from the community, s/he denies the main principle of faith (belief in God?!)”. The Jewish tradition places great emphasis on communal responsibility. Just how much? Deborah’s message makes that readily apparent.