We live at a time when conversations tend to break down into binaries. And we live at a time when there is perhaps more complexity than ever, so binaries are counter-productive at best, and often destructive. 

 

Some activists have categorized people as either powerless and vulnerable or powerful and oppressive. Some activists have categorized people as either really American or un-American. Our immigration conversation gets stuck in the false choice between open borders and separating young children from their parents. And then we vilify the other side.

 

As Jews we know that people can be both vulnerable and

powerful. We live at a time when antisemitism is on the rise and when many Jews enjoy the benefits of privilege and influence. Our Talmudic debates demonstrate that we can disagree with someone and still treat them with dignity. And our immigration policy can certainly balance the need to restrict some immigration and the need to follow the Torah's repeated commandment to love and not oppress the stranger.

On Tisha b'Av (observed on August 11) Jews mourn, among other tragedies, the destruction of the first and second Temples in Jerusalem. The rabbis of the Talmud blame the destruction of both Temples on Jews acting with sinat chinam (baseless hatred). Unfortunately we tend to believe that those who hate us do so with baseless hatred, but we are justified in whatever anger we feel. Perhaps the challenge of Tisha b'Av is to examine whether we hate the opposing side of a binary or are able to view people and challenges with complexity. To do the latter is certainly difficult. But to do the former can cause destruction. May this time of reflection be one in which we open our hearts to complexity, and to one another.