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Clarity Seeker's avatar

Nina, you raise so many interesting questions and make many arguments that should stimulate a lot of discussion ( there is enough material here for a semester of intense classroom discussion)

Because of the breadth and depth I only have a few comments.

With all due respect, I have pretty much reached the point that I believe there is little chance the current wave of anti semitism ( i prefer anti jew) sentiment will be disappearing or even declining anytime soon. Our schools and colleges are in the driver's seats and they are fully committed to the anti Israel ( anti jew ) position and narrative ( part of oppressor - oppressed if you will). Oct 7 reactions to many of us was very predictable ( part of the anti racism horseshit that is merely a ploy to acquire power by those on the left by continuing to expand white guilt).

As you noted t we are regressing away from classical liberal values back towards the power of ghe jungle ( might makes right). Schmucks like carville have made clear what will happen if the dems regain power . And a large swath of American jewry is on board that political train because their leftism and politics is the center point of their lives. Many attend synagogues that are all in on all this. They have an affinity for israel but if israel were to disappear the crying and anguish would be short lived. We still live in a world ( and always will) where human nature rules the day. The question is whether the human desire for freedom can be squelched by brutal power as it has been in much of the world and that trend is accelerating .

One last question: what do you think francis f is all about these days. We all know about his 1989 book and how he missed the boat. He seems very preoccupied w trump but not so much w the growing totalitarianism. Am I off base in my assessment?

Steve S's avatar

Interesting essay though overly intellectual to my simple tastes. I find most explanations for the Jew hatred that has existed throughout millenia lacking, as in each generation the justification changes with the times, but not with the essential nature of the hatred, which is not rational. The most logical explanation for this hatred is metaphysical, and appears in the bible as allegory.

When Nina delved into scripture and the story of Jonah, which I find revealing, I thought she might touch upon the story of Job, which I find offers the most rational explanation for this devil influenced hatred.

I have often said the story of Job in the bible is the story of the Jew in this world. As the devil hated Job and caused Job to suffer immense miisery and calamity, all because Job maintained his faith in G-d despite the misfortunes which afflicted him, so too the devil hates the Jew and causes the Jew to suffer immense misery and calamity, all because the Jews maintain their faith in Hashem despite the misfortunes and calamities which afflict them. As G-d restored Job, so too one day will the Lord restore the Jew. This is one of the lessons we learn from the Story of Job, and perhaps the most important lesson. The Lord sees the suffering of the Jews caused by the devil, who afflicts the mind of men with the Jew hating mind worm, but so long as Jews maintain their faith the Lord will restore them and defeat the machinations of the devil. In Job the story is condensed into the lifetime of one man. When it comes to Jews as a people, the story plays out over thousands of years. The lesson from Job is one day this senseless devil inspired hatred will cease, as G-d will have had enough of it. Baruch Hashem.

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