This year, Milken celebrated its milestone 30th Anniversary. For three decades, Milken has been a force for transformational change in our community, preparing the next generation of dreamers, doers and leaders who embody Milken’s Portrait of the Graduate: think well, belong to something greater than yourself and take positive action in our world. We wish our graduates much luck and success on the next step in their journey. The following senior sermon was delivered by senior Talia Emrani ‘22 to Milken’s 11th and 12th grades on Orientation Day in August 2021.
Milken has several core values which challenge yet strengthen our community in order to fulfill our purpose of being a joyful, welcoming community, connecting to Israel and the Jewish people, and achieving a deeper sense of areivut, or mutual responsibility. These values enable us to embody the larger goal of advancing the Jewish covenant which is an evolving partnership between G-d and Israel. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks wrote, “G-d cannot redeem the world without human participation; humanity cannot redeem the world without recognition of the divine.”
According to Rabbi Yitz Greenberg, in order to fulfill our covenantal mission of creating a world in which every person is treated B’tzelem Elokim, infinitely valuable, unique, and equal, we must collaborate between generations, with Jews of many different cultures and levels of observance, and with non-Jewish allies who share the goal of the covenant. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks argues that we should recognize “that we are enlarged, not diminished, by difference.” And yet, sometimes, we as a Jewish people undermine our shared covenantal purpose.
According to rabbinic tradition, the destruction of the second temple, Judaism’s holiest site, can be attributed to sinat chinam — baseless hatred. Put simply, it is when you have no reason to hate someone, but you just do. If it caused such devastating disaster to our community thousands of years ago, just imagine what this hatred is doing now. It has been the downfall of the Jewish people, not only destroying our physical temple, but also our hope and our unity.
In Orot HaKodesh vol. III, Rav Kook provides a solution: “If we were destroyed, and the world with us, due to baseless hatred, then we shall rebuild ourselves, and the world with us, with baseless love —ahavat chinam.” You may be wondering what this looks like in practice. For example, if you are talking to another student, and they speak with a peculiar accent, mannerism, or tone, it might bother you. You might gossip to your friends about how you hate the way they talk. But I want you to ask yourself, why does this student deserve my hatred, when I barely even know them? By judging others favorably (Avot 1:6), you can ease your own irritation without assigning harmful descriptions to a person who probably meant no harm.
So, look around you. I challenge you to think about someone you might have feelings of annoyance towards, and really ask yourself why. And if it’s worth it. Then find someone who you don’t have a reason to love, and love them. Compliment something kind they did, help them out with their assignments if they are struggling, or sit with them if they are eating alone.
The 19th century Mussar movement helps us improve our middot, or moral attributes, by teaching us about simple actions that can refine our character and relationships with others. There is a simple Jewish practice called “Makdim Shalom” which encourages us to be the first to greet every person. Not only does this make the recipient of the greeting feel noticed and important, but it also requires the greeter to treat others with kavod, or honor. An act so simple, yet so incredibly personal proves how baseless love can unite and uplift our community and eternally strengthen our covenant.
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