This weekend, a friend of mine invited me to go off kibbutz with his family (shoutout to Aaron Mckay). One of the places we went was Caesarea, which was built by King Herod in order to both increase trade into Judea and also to help Judea flourish with the help of Roman culture. However, in order to build Caesarea, he had to get the resources, and where would he get the resources but from the citizens. Taxes were increased, some people were forced to work as slaves, and many had to support the project using their resources. So it really decreased his popularity in Judea, despite its intention to help them out and make their lives better. Sometimes people in power can do this to themselves as well. They do something with a somewhat good intention, and later on that action ends up causing the exact opposite.
One example of this in today's society is the fact that the Ultra-Orthodox jews don't have to work, in order to increase their time to study torah. This was probably instituted as a rule in order to further Judaism within Israel. However, all it has done is drawn a wedge between different groups of Israeli jews. The fact that the Chasidim don't have to work outrages many non-Chasidim, myself included. It makes me angry at them, and when we're angry at them, they get angry at us for wanting to take away their "right to study Torah." Maybe both Herod and the government could've used a little more thinking about their actions before they committed to them.
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