Reverting to (Stereo)type [Vatican vs. Israel]

NY Sun ^ | December 30, 2004 | Edward Morrissey

[BroncosFan]

The Vatican in its newspaper yesterday mistakenly scolded Israel for not offering aid to Sri Lanka when in fact the anti-Semites in the island nation refused entry to the Israeli aid delegation. In the language it used to issue its judgment on the only nation in Southwest Asia that allows Christians unfettered religious freedom, the Vatican revealed a bias that calls into question Pope John Paul II's famous outreach to Jews.

[BroncosFan]

A fine example of how instituional biases persist among bureaucrats long after the top policy-makers have shifted gears.

[hlmencken3]

Parshas Shemos [the Torah portion that begins the Book of Exodus] introduces a new element between Am Yisroel [Israel] and Mitzrayim [Egypt]: the latter's deep-seated hatred towards Am Yisroel.

This hatred is peculiar in the lack of a reason behind it. Normally, hatred between nations develops as a result of a dispute over sustenance, economics, political control, or something like that, that leads to an outbreak of fighting and hatred. Yet the Egyptians' hatred was different. It developed organically and with no apparent cause.

Similarly all forms of hatred by the nations of the world towards Am Yisroel have no rhyme or reason. Although explanations are invariably proffered, they are really excuses more than reasons; either they [the Jews] are too rich or too poor, too cloistered or too integrated, and so on. This phenomenon is so deeply ingrained in the human race that Chazal [Jewish sages] used particularly strong language in referring to the nations' loathing: "Said R' Shimon Bar Yochai, `The halochoh ["law"] is that Eisov [Esau & Western Civilization] is known to hate Yaakov [Jacob] "(see Rashi on Bereishis 33:4). The early commentators explained that R' Shimon Bar Yochai chose the word "halochoh" ["law"] to demonstrate that this is the way it was and this is the way it always will be. It is a rule of thumb permanently imprinted in humanity, just as halochoh will remain permanent until the Redeemer arrives.

Quoted from:

http://chareidi.shemayisrael.com/oeisov.htm