Rabbi Howard Morrison

Chanukah has come and gone. For a second straight year, hostages still remain hidden in Gaza or elsewhere. The miracle we prayed for during Chanukah has not come to fruition. On Rosh Hashanah, I dedicated my first day sermon to the hostages and referred to the first hostage story in the Torah, when Lot was taken captive, and Abraham fought for his release. Pidyon Shevuyim, the redemption of captives/hostages, has been a Mitzvah on the books for millennia, but a difficult one to achieve.

Today's Parsha of Vayigash presents a second hostage narrative in the Torah. The viceroy of Egypt (Remember that at this point in the narrative, the brothers do not yet know this is Joseph, their long lost brother) has taken Benjamin hostage and away from his brothers and family. What is Judah and the rest of his brothers to do?

Unfortunately, throughout Jewish history, bandits have often captured Jews and held them for ransom, knowing that the Jewish community felt an obligation to redeem them.  In our Parsha today, Judah offers a passionate plea for the release of Benjamin, "For how can I go back to my father unless the boy is with me? Let me not be witness to the woe that would overtake my father (44:34)."

Last year in November 2023, Israel agreed to a hostage deal in which one INNOCENT Israeli hostage was freed in exchange for many EVIL terrorists. What should Israel do now? Release hundreds of guilty evil terrorists for the sake of innocent hostages? in piecemeal agreements with long ceasefires in between? In Jewish law and history is there ever a limit to releasing captives? In previous times, would not the paying of a ransom encourage future hostage taking and unreasonable demands? The Talmud actually discusses this question, "They must not ransom captives for the sake of Tikun Olam, repairing the world, nor can they help in the escape of captives for the sake of Tikun Olam, repairing the world (Gittin 4:6)." Paying too much for a ransom will encourage more kidnappings. And helping captives escape will lead to the mistreatment of other captives.

Thus, we see an impossible dilemma. Do what is necessary to win release of the hostages, and it could lead to more hostages. But not taking action would cause terrible suffering for the hostage and his or her family. It was a dilemma in medieval times when the great Maharam - Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg refused to allow the community to ransom him from prison.

We must ask - To what extent are the previous examples and limitations operative today? All of the precedents were codified before there was a State of Israel. Most of the precedents took place without statehood or sovereignty. Many of the examples took place in Jewish communities outside of Israel. Many of the examples were targeted against Jewish individuals or isolated Jewish communities. The taking of hostages nowadays is targeted against the State and the entire Peoplehood of Israel. Many halakhic authorities offer diverse interpretations on the application of previous situations to today's complexities. As a result, many halachic authorities leave the decision making for today with Israel's elected government.

How to practice the Mitzvah of Pidyon Shevuyim, the redeeming of hostages, is a terrible dilemma for Israel today. We can only pray that the right balance will be exercised, so that the hostages will soon be released, all of them, with little or no risk in the short and long term. In this context, we also pray for the wellbeing of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after prostate surgery last weekend. May he have a Refuah Shlemah, a complete and speedy recovery.

The Torah teaches that every human being is created in the image of God. Every human being is worthy of dignity. To hold innocent people prisoner against their will is an egregious transgression of human dignity. That is why Pidyon Shevuyim, the redemption of captives, is at the center of the Jewish conception of the world. It is noteworthy that toward the outset of Judaism in the Torah, Abraham is tested to redeem his nephew Lot, and toward the end of Sefer Bereishit, the first book of the Torah, Judah and his brothers are tested to redeem their youngest brother Benjamin from the viceroy of Egypt.

Evil Hamas knows that Israel will do what is necessary to redeem a hostage. That is the tragedy and the challenge of an untenable situation which has gone on far too long. We pray for the Israeli government to be wise, judicious, compassionate, and caring in getting all of our hostages back and in a way which protects our people now and in the future.

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Howard Morrison