Torah Portion
The Passion For Truth Inspires
Rabbis, Judges, Teachers Of Torah
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West Bloomfield • 248-661-1700
8/24
2001
came from the information, then
why couldn't the honor remain with
the students? After all, they still
knew the lessons that Rabbi Akiva
had taught them. Wasn't it the
lessons that created the sense of
honor?"
Rabbi Weinberg asked another
question. The Talmud says that after
n this week's sedrah (Torah
Rabbi Gamliel died a weakness came
portion), we are instructed to
upon the world. People needed to sit
appoint judges. It is clear that
when learning (before his death, all
these individuals must be well-
whose who studied Torah stood as
trained and educated. But they must
the Jews did at Sinai when Torah
was received). What's the
have an additional quality — a
connection between Rabbi
strong passion for the truth
Gamliel's death and this
of Torah.
weakness coming to the
Do you know and does it
excite you that it was Torah,
world?
To answer the above
and Torah alone, that
brought about civilization.
two questions we must
Before God gave His Torah
ponder something that is
of ethical monotheism to
very rare today — the pas-
the Jews and the world,
sion for truth.
If you have seen a
there was no "brother's
teacher's
passion, you can
keeper" and no concept of
RABBI ALON
free choice. There were no
understand
the power of
TO L WIN
ethics and no social conse-
truth.
When
you see a
Specia 1 to the
quences and no concept of
Torah scholar in action, it
Jewish News
makes you come alive.
a personal God Who loves,
While Rabbi Gamliel
cares and interacts with us.
Torah (consistently the number-
was alive, the Torah was too exciting
one best-selling book of all time)
to sit while learning it. It was only
changed all that. Though Torah was
with his death that people allowed
given to the entire Jewish people and
the natural weakness to take hold
they were all charged with under-
and they had to sit. It's the same
standing and implementing its mes-
with Rabbi Akiva. While they may
sage, there were always individuals
have had the lessons he taught, the
who dedicated their lives to this.
true honor was gone. The vibrancy
They became the "keepers" of the
is in those who take it seriously,
tradition of the written and oral
learn, teach and live is.
laws. These people were the ones fit-
We are commanded to appoint
ting to be appointed as judges.
judges. We must appoint judges who
In this week's sedrah, we are com-
are above all, passionately committed
manded to listen to these individuals
to truth. And the ultimate lesson they
and not to veer from the wisdom
teach is not just the case law or the
that they instruct. What is it that
sermon: It is that for life to matter —
these people have that requires us to
Torah and truth must matter.
treat them with reverence, that we
must set aside our own views in
place of theirs?
To understand, let us look at the
Talmud in Sota. It relates that when
Rabbi Akiva died, the honor of
Torah died with him. Rashi explains
Have you ever seen a teacher or
that it was because Rabbi Akiva
rabbi passionate about truth?
spent years figuring out the meaning
How has this affected you and
behind every letter of the Torah.
your studies? Have you ever
This effort to understand illustrated
asked your rabbi a question of
to the students and the public at
morality, spirituality, ethics or
large the honor of Torah.
Jewish
Law and have seen him
Our teacher, the late Rabbi Yakov
lose
sleep
finding the answer?
Weinberg once asked, "If the honor
Has such dedication in seeking
truth been inspirational?
Shabbat Shoftim:
Deuteronomy
16•18-21:9;
Isaiah 51:12-52:12.
HEALTH PLUS WELLNESS CENTER
3396 W. Maple Road • West Bloomfield
Conversations
Rabbi Mon Tolwin is director of Aish
Ha Torah in Birmingham.