Shabbat Thought -Mishpatim

  

Yesterday was the anniversary of the sinking of the troop transport Dorchester. 73 years ago, this vessel was torpedoed by a German submarine. Within 20 minutes, the ship sank below the North Atlantic's icy waters. Hundreds of soldiers were killed immediately. Amidst the chaos, lifeboats were jettisoned from the ship and soldiers jumped into the frigid waters in vain attempts to enter some of the boats. As panicked soldiers struggled, four army chaplains moved about the sinking vessel, directing the soldiers to the few remaining lifeboats and handing out lifejackets. They did their best to calm the frightened and tend the wounded while guiding the disoriented and terrified soldiers to safety.

     Petty Officer John Mahoney tried to reenter his cabin. He was very concerned about the Arctic conditions and explained he was looking for his gloves. Chaplain Rabbi Goode gave him his own gloves and escorted him to safety. As the lifejackets were depleted, these chaplains removed their own lifejackets and gave them to four frightened young men. These chaplains need to be remembered not only for giving life to four soldiers but for bringing hope to hundreds who survived and support to hundreds as they perished. They are George L. Fox (Methodist minister), Clark V. Poling (Reformed Church in America minister), John P. Washington (Catholic Church priest) and Rabbi Alexander B. Goode. These four chaplains stood arm in arm and prayed as theDorchester sank. 672 people died, leaving 230 survivors. All who saw the four chaplains going down with the ship, remembered that scene for the rest of their days. This remarkable expression of love is utter righteousness, transforming the hearts of those who lived and those who died. 

     In this week's Torah reading known as Mishpatim, God commands us to imbue our ordinary lives with special meaning. We are not expected to be extraordinary. Nowhere in the Torah are we told to sacrifice our lives for someone else. Simply put, by caring for others even as we care for ourselves we bring holiness into our world. Holiness is extraordinary meaningfulness in ordinary contexts.

     Imagine not needing a life jacket but simply needing a cloak or blanket in which to take shelter and to stay warm. According to Torah, a debtor who owes money to a creditor must surrender collateral if the money cannot be repaid.  An exception is made in this week's Torah reading. If a poor person only possesses a cloak in which to find shelter and he has not repaid the loan, the creditor must still return the cloak to the debtor because the person in trouble needs shelter. Humanity trumps law. And in a Torah which has no punctuation marks a phrase of Hebrew words serves as a large exclamation mark for God states ”Whoever screams out to me I will hear because I am loving and compassionate.”  God will heed the cry of the person who cries out.

     Most assuredly, did God hear the voices of the 4 chaplains as they spoke, prayed and sang during the early morning hours of Feb. 4, 1943.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Steve Silberman

P.S. In 1988 Congress established February 3 as "Four Chaplains Day”.