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Torah Portion

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Rejecting Violence
In A Violent World

first human beings have already vio-
lated the Creator's single prohibition
and have been exiled from Eden.
Before parshah Bereshit closes,
brother has murdered brother and
the human race has gone into a seri-
ous decline.
Ten generations after Adam and
n Noah's time, "the earth
Eve, the world is filled with wide-
became corrupt before God;
spread, wanton violence. From the
the earth was filled with law-
time of Noah to today's headlines,
lessness ... for all flesh had cor-
we are cognizant of the constant
rupted its ways on the earth."
need to be vigilant in our struggle to
Imagine a flood of destruction
combat, subdue and eliminate vio-
threatens our world. In order to save
lence.
humanity, it is essential that
In this battle for civi-
our world leaders build that
lized behavior and decency,
ark which shall contain the
we must be willing to lead
precepts of justice and
the way. Each of us can be
peace taught in the Bible;
a warrior for civility and
and the plague of violence,
peaceful resolutions of
which marks our time, must
conflict. We must not
be fought on many levels,
allow the forces of inhu-
starting within our family
manity to prevail.
circles.
Listen to what the
Not long ago, a family I
Talmud
says (Sukkah 45b)
RABBI DAVID
know was rushing to get to
about
Rabbi
Simeon ben
NEL SON
services before Kol Nidre.
Yohai.
He
once
said, "I
Specia 1 to the
In the middle of dinner, the
have
observed
that
the men
Jewish News
children got into a fight.
of character in the world,
They were told they
the men of excellence in
shouldn't fight before Yom Kippur,
this world, are very few." However,
as we ask God to forgive us for all
he said, "If there be only 1,000 in
the wrongs we have committed dur-
the whole world, I and my son want
ing the past year. But before we ask
to be among them.
God, we must ask each other for for-
"If there be only 100 such distin-
giveness.
guished people in the whole world, I
Peace between siblings seemed to
and my son want to be among the
occur — all was quiet — until after
100. But if there be only two such
the blowing of the shofar ending
people in the whole world, if there
Yom Kippur. Walking out of the
be only two people whose character
synagogue, Cindy sweetly asked her
is beyond reproach, then I want
mother, "Mommy, is it okay for me
those two people to be me and my
to hate Michael again?"
son."
This story is both funny and sad
We must be the ones to reject vio-
at the same time. The truth is that
lence. As Noah did in his time, we
the little girl's question reflects a cer-
must be prepared to lead, not wait
tain reality. Most of us wait at least
for others to do so. We must trust
until we leave the synagogue to
that our efforts for tikkun olam
resume our former habits, but it
(repairing the world) will set an
doesn't usually take long for our
example for others. ❑
good intentions to flounder and
descend from heights of religious
fervor once Yom Kippur is over.
The speed with which human
beings can progress from good to
bad is nowhere more clearly illus-
God says in His covenant that its
trated than in the early chapters of
is "between Me, between you
the Torah. In chapter one of Genesis,
and between every life force."
God creates a good and orderly
Why the three parties to the
world, culminating with the creation
contract? What actions can we
of man and woman who are fash-
take to make a difference in the
ioned in the divine image. By the
world? Is righteousness a fixed
end of the following chapter, the
value: Do you have to do a cer-
tain number of mitzvot?
David Nelson is rabbi at Congregation
Beth Shalom.

Shabbat Noah:
Genesis 6:9-11:32;
Isaiah 54:1-55:5.

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