In the beginning of the second millennium major tragedies occurred to the Jewish people. The first crusade began in the year 1095, and the second crusade was in the year 1147. Many Jews chose to be killed sanctifying G-d’s Name rather than converting to Christianity.
However, some Jews buckled under the pressure and converted, and in certain cases they became fanatically emblazoned with their new faith and turned against the Jews.
One such person was Nicholas Donin of La Rochelle, France, who was a Jewish apostate who held an extreme and vicious hatred toward his former co-religionist and was instrumental in the forced baptism of Jews. Five hundred of these Jews surrendered and were baptized while the majority of the Jews, who numbered 3000, chose to meet their death while sanctifying G-d’s name.
Donin recognized that that the security, vitality and hope of the Jews rested in the teachings of the Talmud, the Oral Law and the repository of the Jewish traditions and teachings. He felt if he destroyed the Talmud he could easily eradicate the Jews. He went to Pope Gregory IX in Rome where he presented a formal accusation against the Talmud, charging that it contained blasphemies against their god and their religion and it was the barrier that caused the Jews’ steadfast refusal to accept the Christian faith.
The Pope ordered the seizure of the Talmud for a thorough examination and evaluation of its contents. The churchmen of France were all too eager to obey this decree and on March 3, 1240 all the sacred tomes of the Talmud were confiscated. By June 12th a public debate was held in Paris between Donin and four of the most eminent rabbinical authorities in France, led by Rabbi Yechiel ben Yosef.
Although the Sages displayed great scholarship and courage in defending the Talmud, the official verdict against them was a foregone conclusion. The Talmud was to be immediately and publically set to flames!
The Bishop of Sens was a lone ally of the Jews, whose arguments averted this evil decree for a year. At the end of the year the bishop died, and the decree to burn the Talmud was signed into order. Agents searched and confiscated 1200 painstakingly hand written manuscripts of the Talmud and commentaries, 24 wagonloads in all. On Friday the 6th day of Tamuz 1242 the day before they would read the Torah portion of Chukas, the holy Seforim – books – were burnt publically.
In commemoration of this tragic event, some pious people fast on the Friday – erev Shabbos of the portion of Chukas each year.
Whereas a date of commemoration of an event is always based on the Hebrew calendar date of the event, this event is different; it follows the day of the week, the Friday that immediately precedes the reading of the portion of Chukas.
In the year 1306, the chapter of Jewish history in medieval France came to a close when King Philip IV expelled all the Jews from France.
As much as they wished to snuff out the vitality and energy of the Jews by eliminating the Talmud from them, they did not get their way and wish. G-d in His Torah guarantees that the Torah will never be forgotten by the Jewish people. A short two centuries later, the printing press was invented, and the Talmud and many Torah commentaries were mass produced in an affordable way, making them available to every Jew.
It is no secret that during the Holocaust Hitler wished for the world to be Judenrein. A bit less known was Hitler’s desire to eliminate the “Talmud Leherers.” An order from the German High Commander I.A Eckhardt was discovered with his directive to the Nazis to do whatever possible to catch and kill the Rabbinic leaders and teachers. “If the Talmud Lehrer escape they can bring about the spiritual regeneration of world Jewry, even American Jewry,” warns Eckhardt.
Hitler, similar to his hateful, tyrannical and blood thirsty predecessors, recognized that the main ingredient of Jewish survival is being informed through the study of its Torah, which is accomplished through its loyal and truthful teachers!
In this week’s Parsha the Torah relates that after Miriam’s death, the nation thirsted for water. The rock from which they received water during their 39 years of travels had gone dry. G-d instructed Moshe and Aaron to go to the rock and speak to it and it would resume giving forth water. What happened was that Moshe spoke to the wrong rock, and then got frustrated with the nation and hit the correct rock and it gave off water. Moshe and Aaron were told that they were not allowed to enter into Israel because for this infraction.
Rabbi Shimon Schwab o.b.m. asks, “When they were instructed to speak to the rock, what was it that they were supposed to say to it?”
Rabbi Schwab quotes a Yalkut Shimoni that they were study a Chapter of Torah at the rock and in that merit it would give off water. The source of this is based on G-d telling them, “V’dibartem el Haselah – speak to the rock. The word V’dibartem is the same word V’dibartah that appears in the prayer of the Shema which refers to one’s obligation to study and delve into the Torah.
Take notice of the awesome power, influence and impact that G-d invested in our Holy Torah! When we study it, it provides us with protection, blessings and secures the eternity of our people!
