February 2002 Be Brave By Rabbi Alvin Kass Roy Rogers used to end his television program with the slogan: "Be brave, but don't take chances." Actually, if taken literally, that is self-canceling advice. Only to do things which are absolutely safe and secure and where no risk exists could hardly be considered "brave." On the contrary, we characterize people as brave when they are willing to take a chance. But Roy Rogers, whose television and movie persona involved subjecting himself to grave dangers in order to vindicate "the true, the good and the beautiful," did not intend his advice to be taken literally. What he is really saying is: be brave enough to confront the uncertainties of life; however, at the same time, don't be foolhardy or reckless when arriving at teh decision to act. It seems to me that Roy Rogers' counsel, properly understood, is good advice as we revise our mode of behavior in the post 9/11 world. One of the most disturbing recent trends is the increase in "cocooning," i.e., staying home out of fear. There is nothing wrong with spending time at home except if you are doing it because you are afraid to venture into the outside world. I have encountered many people recently who are petrified to ride subways, drive on bridges, pass through tunnels, enter skyscrapers, or go to theaters, movies, concerts, and ballgames. Their reasoning is that these are all potential terrorist targets. No doubt they are, but to deprive ourselves of all the world has to offer out of fear is to give victory to the terrorists and to impoverish the quality of our own lives. Unable to actually imprison us, the terrorists hope to frighten us into imprisoning ourselves. It is understandable that when you witness events that boggle the imagination in such a shocking way, there is a tendency to push out the boundaries so far that we see threats everywhere and become paralyzed. I am certainly not encouraging foolhardy behavior. At the same time let's recognize that in all likelihood what we are dealing with is a small number of terrorists, perhaps a crazy country or two, which over time can be combated and contained without shackling ourselves. We should not be naive about the dangers, but after you've thought it through, you must decide: am I going to sit home in the basement and hide or go on with my life as best I can? We should likewise never forget that gambling is an inevitable and essential part of life. Marriage, for example, is a gamble. The same is true of business. Gambling undoubtedly is also a major theme in Jewish history. When Abraham obeyed the voice of God to leave his native city, his family, and his friends to go to Canaan, he risked everything on the promise that he would become the founder of a great idea and a great people. Quite similarly, when Moses left the luxury and the security of the Egyptian palace in order to cast his lot with a hapless horde of slaves, he was wagering his life on the ideals of liberty and freedom. However, the greatest risk ever taken by the Jews was at Mount Sinai. When Moses asked the children of Israel whether they were willing to accept the Torah, their answer was: naaseh venishmah - "We will do and we will hearken." A whole nation hazarded the future on a Law whose contents they did not fully know. The angels in Heaven were so impressed by that, says the Midrash, they descended from Heaven and set two crowns upon the heads of our ancestors, one for saying naaseh, we shall do, and the other for saying nishmah, we shall hearken. Risk-taking was a necessary ingredient of life before 9/11 as it is now after 9/11. It takes courage to live and function in this uncertain universe. The courage to act in spite of all the ambiguities, question marks, and unknowns is needed more today than ever before. Without it, we will spend the rest of our lives cowering with fear. Let us heed Roy Rogers' admonition to be brave.