Standing Up for Genocide

Genocide is a concept with which we are all-too familiar.

Jews are no strangers to racism. Our people have been persecuted many times, including the Nazi holocaust. It may therefore surprise you to discover that we Jews committed genocide well before it was ever committed to us.

The Jewish people are commanded to destroy the entire nation of Amalek - even the little babies (Deut. 25:19; I Sam. 15:3).

ג  עַתָּה לֵךְ וְהִכִּיתָה אֶת-עֲמָלֵק, וְהַחֲרַמְתֶּם אֶת-כָּל-אֲשֶׁר-לוֹ, וְלֹא תַחְמֹל, עָלָיו; וְהֵמַתָּה מֵאִישׁ עַד-אִשָּׁה, מֵעֹלֵל וְעַד-יוֹנֵק, מִשּׁוֹר וְעַד-שֶׂה, מִגָּמָל וְעַד-חֲמוֹר.

3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and have no mercy on them; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.'

They are similarly commanded to wipe out the people of the land of Canaan (Deut. 20:16).

טז  רַק, מֵעָרֵי הָעַמִּים הָאֵלֶּה, אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, נֹתֵן לְךָ נַחֲלָה--לֹא תְחַיֶּה, כָּל-נְשָׁמָה.

16 Howbeit of the cities of these peoples, that the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breathes.

Genocide is not some giant sin in Biblical parlance. The values were different back then. Today, of course, we know better. No one should ever be murdered because of their cultural, racial, or ethnic heritage. As Jews, no one understands this better than us. 

There are many verses in the Torah worthy of standing up,
but the mitzva to commit genocide isn't one of them.

In many synagogues, there is a tradition to stand up in respect when the verses that urge genocide against Amalek are read. In my view, this tradition should be corrected. We must never say or do anything that suggests support for genocide. On the contrary - it is our responsibility to oppose genocide and racism in all its ugly forms.

So let me suggest an alternative tradition. When your congregation reaches a verse that extols the virtues of committing genocide, don't read it aloud. Simply pause, scan it with your eyes, and say nothing. Let it sink in to the congregation. This is a verse we don't read. Then resume your reading.

If you adopt this new tradition, wonderful. But if you don't - at the very least - 

DON'T STAND.