By Rabbi Dovid Sapirman, Dean, Ani Maamin Foundation
As we approach the month of Tammuz, it is important to bear in mind that whenever the Jewish people strayed from the way of Torah, it was usually due to the influence of the surrounding nations, and their desire to partake of the gentile lifestyle.
The Torah commands us to separate ourselves from the nations of the world, avoiding any influence from them: “You shall be holy to Me, for I, Hashem am holy. I separated you from the nations to be Mine.” Rashi quotes Chazal: “I separated you from the nations to be Mine. If you are separated from them, you are Mine. If not, you will belong to Nevuchadnetzar and his ilk.”
So writes the Rambam as well: “We must not go in the ways of the idol worshippers, nor may we be similar to them—not in clothing, hairstyle or other such things. For it says, ‘Do not go in the ways of the nations’ and ‘do not go in their traditions.’ All of this means the same idea: it commands us not to be like them. Rather, a Jewish person shall be separate from them and known by his clothing and his other deeds, just as he is separated from them in his attitudes and personality traits. As it says, ‘I separated you from the nations.’”
The Torah instructs us to remember the lessons of the past. Should we fail to do so, we will repeat their mistakes and fall into the same traps that they did. Hence the Torah commands, “Remember the days of old, the years of generation upon generation. Ask your father and he will tell you; your elders, and they will say it to you.”
The Torah warns us time and time again that mingling with the nations will corrupt us. Not only were we commanded to drive them out when we arrive in Eretz Yisrael, but even as we crossed the Jordan River, we were reminded that our entry to the holy land was conditional upon our driving out the nations.
The Gemara details the story: “While they were still standing in the Jordan, Yehoshua said to them, ‘Know that you are passing through the Jordan on condition that you drive out the inhabitants of the land before you...If you do so, it will be good. If not, the waters will come and drown you!”
In our current galus, it is difficult to remain completely aloof from the gentiles. We live among them and must interact with them in many ways. With Hashem’s help, however, we will muster up the strength to conduct our lives with minimal influence, as did our ancestors in previous generations.
Excerpted from Rabbi Sapirman’s forthcoming book on the importance of maintaining our separation from the nations of the world.
