Parashas Vayikra presents the basic laws of Korbanos, the sacrifices which were offered in the Beis Hamikdash. It introduces this section by stating, “Adam ki yakriv mikem korban - If a person among you offers a sacrifice...” Rashi and other commentators note the Torah’s use of the word “Adam - person,” in this context. The Torah uses this term, Rashi explains, to indicate that a person must bring a sacrifice the same way Adam brought a sacrifice. When Adam was created, the entire earth belonged to him; there were no other people in existence that could claim ownership over anything in the world. Therefore, when he brought a sacrifice, it was, by definition, offered from his own property. There was no possibility of Adam offering a stolen animal, as there was nobody from whom he could steal. Similarly, a sacrifice must be brought from one’s own property to be valid. G-d has no interest in sacrificial offerings brought from stolen property. The ends do not justify the means. A person cannot justify dishonesty and corruption in business dealings by donating large amounts of his earnings to charity. We must give charity the way Adam brought his sacrifice – from property that is clearly and unquestionably our own, obtained though strictly legal and ethical means.

The allusion to Adam in this verse presents an additional lesson, as well. When Adam brought his sacrifice, he did so with wholehearted sincerity. There was nobody else in the world that he could have been trying to impress through this act of religious devotion. He was obviously not putting on a show; after all, there were no spectators. This is how the Torah wanted Bnei Yisrael to bring sacrifices and demonstrated how we are to go about all areas of our religious observance. We should study Torah and perform Mitzvot out of a sincere desire to do the right thing, and not to show off in front of our peers and give an appearance of piety. G-d knows our true intentions, and He does not look kindly upon impostors. Even if we think we can fool our peers, we most certainly cannot fool the Almighty. The Torah therefore urges us to bring sacrifices like Adam – with pure and sincere intentions, and not for the sake of looking good and earning the respect of those around us.

A great Rabbi once lamented the all-too-common phenomenon of “reverse Marranos.” During the time of Spanish Inquisition, many Jews dressed and outwardly acted like Christians in order to escape the Spanish authorities, but were strictly Torah observant in private. Today, unfortunately, many Jews do just the opposite. Privately, at home, at work and during travel, they are lax in their Torah observance and ethical conduct. But in the synagogue and at community events, they suddenly dress and act religious to impress their friends and earn respect and admiration. This is certainly not the type of “sacrifice” that G-d wants. This kind of devotion is dishonest and patentlly fake. G-d wants our religious observance to be like the devotion of Adam, who had nobody to impress. We are to do what is right for its own sake and under all circumstances, even in our private lives, without using religious observance as a way to score points with our friends.

Aaron Kattan

Rambam Mesivta’s ten-man delegation to the 2011 Yeshiva League Model Congress sponsored by HAFTR on March 2 captured one top honor in the daylong program, and seven students had their bills passed by their respective committees.

The Foreign Affairs Committee Best Delegate Certificate and Gavel Award were presented to senior Azariah Hacohen for contributing the most to his committee discussions. Azariah’s bill, which passed, would reduce the United States contribution to the United Nations.

Junior Gary Feder’s bill to punish members of Congress for unethical practices passed in the Ethics Committee. A bill submitted to the Science and Technology Committee by junior Josh Moskovits to subsidize the construction of nuclear power plants in order to reduce American dependence on imported oil passed.

Likewise, eleventh grader Avidan Berman’s proposal to replace the airport security full body scan with a generic image and give travelers a choice of inspection methods passed in the Homeland Security Committee.

Junior Josh Kurman’s bill to require automakers, oil refineries, energy plants, and steel mills to reduce their greenhouses gas emissions was passed by the Environment and Public Works Committee. Eleventh grader Josh Honig’s bill to transform all public schools into single gender institutions passed in the Education and Labor Committee. A bill to provide more funding to make subway and train travel safer submitted by eleventh grader Yossi Hacker to the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee also passed.

The other delegates were senior Nachum Lichtman and juniors Michael Hay and Nathaniel Selevan.

The students asserted that they learned a great deal from the experience and enjoyed working with 300 fellow Model Congress legislators. They heard welcoming remarks from attorney David Friedman. The program was held at Young Israel of Woodmere.

Rambam Social Studies teacher Ira J. Schildkraut supervised the students’ proposal writing and it is thanks to his leadership and dedication that this year’s tournament was such a success for Rambam.

Benjamin AKhavan was presented with a plaque in recognition of his having won the Rambam Mesivta Contest of the Month. February’s contest was sponsored by the Art Department and submissions were required to have a Judaic theme. Benjamin won for his beautiful and original Aleph-Bes illustration. In addition to winning the plaque and glory that comes with it, Benjamin’s work of art was framed and is currently on in the Mesivta.

Sign up for the March Contests: Memorize Pi in honor of Pi Day (3/14) and/or Perform a Shakespearian Monologue in honor of The Ides of March Day (3/15)

The Failure of the United Nations

The United Nations was organized at the end of World War II with its goal to promote world peace. However, as revolutions in the Middle East burn out of control, there is a clear realization that this organization is not fulfilling its original purpose.

In Libya, the regime of Colonel Ghaddafi has long denied its citizens basic human rights, such as freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of the press and the right to vote. It is currently using mercenaries to openly slaughter civilians under a government crackdown. As Egypt and Tunisia have shown the world, this type of corruption and blatant violation of human rights is common in the Arab world. However, the United Nations and other human rights organizations (such as the Human Rights Watch) have remained curiously silent throughout. Instead, Israel has been the main target of these organizations, despite offering even its Arab citizens freedom of speech, religion and the press. In the words of Princeton scholar Bernard Lewis: “In the Arab world, the greatest opportunity for freedom lies in being a second class citizen in the Jewish state.” The irony is that a government representative of Libya was, until recently, the head of the UN’s Human Rights Commission! Clearly, something has gone awry. And why hasn’t the UN sponsored a Goldstone Report for Libya, Iran, or any other Middle Eastern dictatorship?

The West has also been a silent partner to the Middle Eastern dictators. The unavoidable explanation is that it was part of the price they were prepared to pay to ensure the continued supply of cheap oil. The result has been a system where some countries have been simply immune to criticism for their violations of human rights.

The UN was established when it became apparent that the world needed a fair system which would help control conflict. There UN’s predecessor organization, the League of Nations, shared these goals, but failed to challenge the actions of Hitler or Stalin and ultimately collapsed. The UN appears to be following the same path, an organization which is failing in its intended purpose. Its silence is what has enabled totalitarian regimes to exist for so long in the Middle East. In the words of Edmund Burke, “All that is necessary for evil to prevail is for good men do nothing.”

Avi Gross