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14 HASHALOM May
2017
March 2017
HASHALOM
15
I’m not entirely sure exactly what just happened. It went
something like this:
My three-year-old screamed for me from her bed. I leapt up,
ready to tackle a sabre-toothed tiger, and sprung into her room,
where the nightlight cast a warm glow on the benign outlines
of her bed, chair and doll’s house. Her curly golden tresses
glimmered like a halo.
“What is it, darling?” I asked, furtively casting my eyes around
the room for hiding bogeymen.
Aviva pulled her Hello Kitty duvet cover up past her chin. In
a small voice, she answered, “There’s a cockroach in my
bathroom.”
Ah. This was a problem, you see, because I have a severe
phobia of cockroaches. Not a mild terror or dread, but a proper
blood-wringing, mouth-frothing, toenail-curling, bile-inducing
phobia. This is strange, considering that I find rats pretty cute
and have been known to rescue my husband from the odd snake.
Rationally, I understand that animals like those can actually hurt
me, while a roach is perfectly harmless;
it makes far more sense to be afraid
of rats and snakes than it does to be
terrified of cockroaches. Yet still, just
the thought of those creepy brown
feelers and flickery legs makes me want
to run shrieking into the street.
But I couldn’t do that now, clearly, because I had to set an example
for my daughter. I have no idea where my fear originates, but
I am determined not to pass it on to my kids. Fortunately, my
university Drama credit kicked into play (and my folks said it
wouldn’t help me advance in life. Ha!). I trepidated to the door of
the bathroom, cleared my throat and said in what I hoped was
a firm, yet kindly, voice: “Cockroach, stay in the bathroom and
don’t bother Vivi. Okay?” Then I paused a moment, grappling
for my next move, before turning back to Vivi, and saying, “She
says okay.”
She? Seriously?
I thought to myself.
“Did you know that the cockroach is a girl?” I continued. The
blonde locks above the Hello Kitty horizon shook slowly. “Well,
she is. Do you know what her name is?” I enquired. More
shaking of fair ringlets, but this time her eyes shone with some
interest, and the duvet dropped to her lap.
“Her name is Sylvia,” I pronounced.
Where am I getting this
stuff
? I thought. “Say, ‘goodnight, Sylvia’.”
“Goodnight, Sylvia,” Aviva responded, politely. I moved over to
the bed, kissed her head, wished her sweet dreams and walked
out the room.
And that was the end of that. For now, at least. Meanwhile, I
find myself sitting at my computer wondering what on earth just
happened (but ever so appreciative that I have something to write
about for my column deadline tomorrow morning).
Sylvia. Huh. Who knew? I have no idea
where
that came from,
but I think I am beginning to develop a theory as to
why
it came.
Groundless fear is based in mystery: we fear that which we do
not know. Once we give something a name, however, we can
relate to it on a more human level. This applies whether it’s a
cockroach you’re afraid of, or foreigners, or another person’s
customs. We need to confront our fears, to get to know them,
to truly overcome them. This is the only path to love and peace.
Our scriptures teach us to fear nothing but
Hashem.
Nineteenth-
century Rabbi Meir Leibush (Malbim) explains that a more
powerful fear extinguishes a lesser fear (so if you’re pursued by
an angry lion, you won’t worry about a bee that might sting you).
Similarly, fearing
Hashem
trumps earthly fears.
Yirat Shamayim
(fear of heaven) can empower us by eliminating other paralyzing
paranoias.
In preparing the Children of Israel to enter the Promised Land,
Moshe counsels not to fear the numerous nations they will have
to face (Deut 7:18). He reminds them of the miracles
Hashem
wrought in redeeming us from slavery in Egypt, and promises
similar spectacles – interestingly including
a swarm of hornets – to protect His children
(the Torah doesn’t mention cockroaches).
But even in Egypt, when
Hashem
performed such mighty deeds, this was
a last resort. Before each plague, Moshe
approached Pharaoh and spoke to him, man-to-man. “Let my
people go,” he pleaded. Only when Pharaoh refused to negotiate,
did the afflictions begin. Back to the context of the Promised
Land, despite
Hashem’s
assurances of divine assistance, we
are still obliged to “call out for peace” before waging war on
other cities (Deut 20:10).
I’m a firm believer in respecting all of
Hashem’s
creations. I’ll
always pick talking over fighting with humans, and when it comes
to other creatures my approach is similar. If I’m being charged
by a raging buffalo (or mosquito), I’ll act in self-defence, but
I won’t hurt something that poses me no harm. Unfortunately,
roaches fall into this category. When the kids aren’t around, I
make Warren catch them with a cup and a magazine and escort
them outside. But in front of the children, I won’t display my
heebie-jeebies. I don’t want them to absorb baseless fears. So
I had to look that roach square in the – er – bathroom doorway
and show my kids that he (sorry, she) has as much right to live
on God’s earth as we do. And if a spot of personification helps
us to see to the heart of the matter (or the cockroach), then so
be it.
Perhaps
Hashem
was giving me an opportunity to conquer my
own fears and grow from the experience. Maybe He was using
me to bestow the gift of understanding on my daughter. It could
be He was just sending me column fodder. Whichever way, I’m
grateful. Now, it’s way past my bedtime, so if you will excuse me
I will wish you all – and Sylvia – a good night. Until next time.
BUBKES
Creepy crawlies and heebie-jeebies
By Lauren Shapiro
PAST TENSE
By Pundit
PAST TENSE
Hashalom – May 1967 Extracts.
EDITORIAL – none this month.
In place thereof, under the title
“NEO-NAZISM NO JOKE”
, HASHALOM published an extract from
an address recently delivered by the Chief Rabbi B.M. Casper at the
Great Synagogue in Johannesburg arising out of a recent Anti-Semitic
incident which had taken place in Hillbrow.
SUPPLEMENT to May 1967 issue of HASHALOM.
“In this hour of crisis when not only the future existence of the State of
Israel is being wantonly challenged but when the right of all nations and
peoples to live in peace is at stake, we, the Jews of South Africa, together
with our fellow Jews the world over, declare our resolve to employ all means
at our disposal to aid the people to aid the people of Israel in their fight
against their lawless aggressors. In invoking the blessing of the A-mighty
on the leaders and defenders of the State of Israel we pledge ourselves
to stand side by side with our brethren in Israel in their unflinching and
gallant fight to retain their hard-won sovereign independence and the
integrity of the State.”
This resolution was passed unanimously by leaders of the South African
Zionist Movement on the 29th May 1967 – just before the outbreak of
the Six Day War.
YOM HAZIKARON
– reported that over 600 attended the
commemoration of Yom Hazikaron.
CLUB FORUM
reported on a talk by Mr. Rene de Villiers, Assistant
Editor of the Star newspaper on his recent visit to Israel. He was
reported to have criticised “the plethora of small parties” and said that
“the system of proportional representation does not make sense”.
YOUTH PERSONALITY OF THE MONTH
was Ronald Berman
(wrongly headlined as Roland), whose sporting achievements at school
(D.H.S.) were praised, not to mention the fact that he was the Club
Hockey team’s main goal scorer.
SOCIAL ROUND-UP (not I T A O) congratulated:
• Benjamin Coll and his bride, Barbara Davidson, on their recent
marriage.
• The following former students of Natal University on their graduation:
Miss B Disler B.Soc.Sc., Miss L Berman B.Soc.Sc., Mr. R Friedman
B.Sc.(Eng), Mrs P. Basckin B.A. (Hons), Miss S Hack B.A.; Miss J
Lazarus B.A., Miss M Silver B.A., Mr. W Brewer B.Com., and Mr.
M. Lyons B.Com.
“I WHO WAS NEVER THERE AM ALSO A SURVIVOR”.
This was the heading to a report of the address from the pulpit
delivered on Shabbat Eve the 5th May, 1967, at the Great Synagogue
by (unusually) the Chairman of the Congregation Mr. A Levine. The
summary of the address was reported by “A.L.” and, for the life of him,
Pundit can’t make out who that was.
HASHOLOM – May 1942 Extracts
EDITORIAL entitled JEWRY AND LIBERALISM
I make no apology for recording that the last paragraph reads:-
“One cannot claim luxurious schools for one’s own children and deny
millions of Natives any schooling at all, and still claim to uphold democracy.
That is the type of democracy that crumbles from within, whether the
victims are non-Europeans or Poor Whites. The Jew cannot expect any
succour from liberalism that merely leaves him well alone; to be of any
good to him as a community, liberalism must be vigorous in the defence
of the rights of every section of the population, Jew and Gentile, English
and Afrikaner, Indian and Native.”
It is with a feeling of pride that I quote
these words, written 75 years ago and 52 years before the advent of
the “New South Africa.”
COUNCILLOR GOLDMAN
headlined congratulations offered to Mr.
Julius Goldman, on his election as a Durban City Councillor. Needless to
say the report was accompanied by a photograph of Mr. Goldman, the
President of the Club, and received further mention and congratulation
in IN TOWN AND OUT.
HOW PESACH WAS CELEBRATED UP NORTH
was an article
written by Staff-Sergeant Adelson of Krugersdorp, who described the
Pesach service and Seder “attended by roughly 100 officers and men of
the Brigade” held in a Wadi “somewhere up North”.
SOUTH AFRICAN JEWISH WAR APPEAL
contained a full report
by the special Committee to the Board of Deputies at its most recent
meeting of the details and administration of the scheme.
APPALLING MORTALITY OF POLISH JEWS
contained an extract
from the Bulletin of International News which recorded that the only
figures for death-rates in Poland related to Warsaw and not the whole
country. The Jewish annual death-rate was between 83 and 103 per
1000, whereas that for non-Jews was between 12 and 16.5 per 1000.
Appalling in truth.
IN TOWN AND OUT
Congratulated:
• Captain and Mrs. Sam Ernst on the birth of a son
• Mr. and Mrs. M Hart on the birth of a daughter,
• Capt. Marcus Oshry on having been mentioned in dispatches
• Lilith Leibowitz and S/Sgt. Jack Klass on their recent marriage.
Recorded with deep regret that Harry Sevel and Sonny Geffen, both
Club members, had not been among the survivors of H.M.S. Dorsetshire
and were presumed missing.
D.J.C. SECTIONAL NOTES
recorded
“Another busy month in the canteen” and quoted several fulsome letters
of thanks received from “all parts of the world” as it is put in the report.
And there, on page 12 of that issue of HASHOLOM, the record ends.
Did the exigencies of War cause the abbreviation of the publication? Or
will further research solve the problem? Watch this space.
May