Nimrod, the originator of the first proposed New World Order, planned to make a United Nations in the form of the Tower of Baval with one ideal, one ruling government, and one goal for the benefit of all Mankind. By everyone of the world living within close proximity of each other, all of its inhabitants will become prosperous which will enable them collectively to harness the power of nature and channel all the energy of life to improve Man’s condition. They would rid of all wars, famine and pestilence in order that they would not get in their way of the fostering the ultimate paradise and creating a better world for humans.
Sounds great! However, according to one opinion brought by Rashi their objective was to rid themselves of just one more hurdle that just might get in their way hindering their achieving the goal. That hurdle was G-d. Whoops! As the saying goes if you fail to plan then you plan to fail. Leaving Hashem out of the picture is a doomed scenario from the beginning. In fact, leaving Hashem out of the picture proves that this pursuit of an ideal goal for the benefit of Mankind is a great hoax and a big lie. Without Hashem in the forefront, man has proven over and over again that he lives a narcissistic and selfish life with only a focus on himself. Everyone else in his surroundings is manipulated to exist merely as a pawn or slave to satisfy his physical cravings and pleasures.
It is very easy to talk the talk. Charisma is the opium of the masses. But to walk the walk is a much greater challenge. From the very start, the intentions of this world wide revolution were never to walk the walk, and therefore this “ism” like all the others of history, could never succeed. For all political ism’s such as Communism, Fascism, Nazism start with the letter I. It’s really not about “your” benefit but concerns rather the founders’ benefits and their self interests alone.
To really understand the depth of evil of the builders of the Tower we must explore the personality and character of its founder, Nimrod. His name says it all as it translates to rebel. His intentions of a unified world constructing this humungous edifice was to stir up all the nations to rebel against Hashem (Rashi 10,8; 11). Yet incredibly we find that Nimrod sacrificed Korbanos to Hashem (Ibn Ezra 10,9). This is his packaged presentation like all the other new world orders that proclaim that Mankind will benefit from it tremendously. He did not want to estrange Noach, Shem, and Aiver who lived in his generation from his new philosophy. We’re on the same page, so he claimed, in order to get support for his new platform from all sects and religions of humanity even though his intention was to eradicate all recognition of the Almighty.
He was a gibbur tzayid (10,9) who hunted undomesticated animals (ibid Ibin Ezra). Rav Issac Sher ztl writes that this was his novelty and selling point in spirituality. Up until now, sacrifices were from the weaker species, sheep, bulls, doves etc. Nimrod sacrificed the kings of wild species, the lion, the eagle etc. He was a powerful man amongst men both physically and cunning, so he sought to sacrifice to Hashem and appease Him with the most powerful and vicious of the Animal Kingdom, hoping that by doing so, Hashem would “mind His own business” and not interfere with his plans of world domination.
As far as public opinion, the New World Order looked promising and Nimrod rallied all the people to partner in this Movement with a fiery passion. Only Hashem could really know Nimrod’s impure and evil intentions as the passuk says (11,5) Hashem descended to see the Tower to inspect the motivation behind the new doctrine and unity. Hashem understood very well that if this unified effort was to continue in this fashion under Nimrod’s leadership, the world will fall into such a spiritual decline, that it would have been impossible even for Avraham Avinu to rectify it with the spreading of Hashem’s light throughout. The New World Order project abruptly came to an involuntary end with Hashem’s interference.
Am Yisrael unfortunately as history has shown are the first to fall prey and join the bandwagons of New World Orders. The reason is because deep in our neshamos are embedded prophetic visions of this authentic new order with the coming of the Moshiach. We are therefore very easily swayed into thinking that every new one that appears, is the one that we have been yearning for and which has come to save and benefit humanity. Little do we know of the real intentions of the leaders of such selfish isms. However, Yidden who live their daily lives with contact of Hashem and Torah, possess a deeper sense of awareness and perception what is truth and what is an imposter and are not easily duped by every newcomer on the scene as harbingers for change.
Such an individual even before the existence of the Jewish Nation was Ashur. He and his family refused to join the renegade revolution (10,11). He built the city of Ninveh which many years later would serve as the symbol of an entire gentile city that did teshuvah and was saved from being destroyed. It is this story that we read as the Haftorah on the holiest day of the year to aid us in our teshuvah process. Ashur did not fall for the “fake news” and media propaganda around town. He separated himself and his family from the evil influences of Nimrod. One might think that such people are outcasts from society and therefore live miserable lives since they are shunned by the populace. On the contrary, as his name אשור indicates, happiness and fulfillment. Closeness with Hashem is the only guarantee of אשרי. To be able to turn around with your back to the world even though they offer glittering and instant pleasures at one’s fingertip, is the inner strength of Am Yisrael and their neshamos.
Interesting to note, that in the name ישראל are the letters לי אשר to me there is happiness. One cannot buy fulfillment for any price, it has to be earned with challenges.
אשרי with its four letters spell תפלה. When we daven to Hashem with the intention that He should send us the knowledge and direction of His will in which we place our full trust, then our tefillos will bring us to fulfillment and intimacy with Hashem. This is in contrast to Nimrod, whose sacrifices were only to appease Hashem so that He would not interfere with his independent self direction, power, and wisdom.
People who daven to Hashem to stay clear from his life will eventually come to realize that even the supposed gain that he will attain will eventually cause him pain, for it is missing the beracha of Hashem.
Gut Shabbos
Rav Brazil
