S 'rituality
The
Friendship
Circle's
Daniel Sobel
Counseling
Program
and the </i:;:"(
Bloomfield
Hills Schools
District
Present..
Torah Portion
auseoVeraLn
PtCI 11
,34(
The Chosen People
Are Given Guidelines
1
instead of examining and dealing
with their source, is no different than
a jailer tending a prisoner. Such a
shallow activity will keep an individ-
ual from any self-examination.
In terms of the laws of personal
injury, we find the quote, "eye for an
eye, and tooth for tooth ..." (Exodus
21:24).
The literal interpretation is
his week's Torah portion is
not
God's
intent. The rabbis say
the sequel to God giving
there
should
be fair compensation for
the Ten Commandments
the deed and, short of murder, that
to Moses on Mount Sinai,
compensation may be either mone-
but it is time to put aside that
tary
or time served. Likewise, when
Hollywood-Charlton Heston vision
we become aware we have
and focus on the text.
wronged
otheis, the self-
Moses holds the two
induced
penalty
should be
stone tablets, says, "Thank
limited
to
a
specific
period,
you very much," and begins
to allow us to progress and
to descend the mountain.
exercise our freedom for
"Wait a minute," the Lord
greater
knowledge.
intones. "There are a few
Similarly,
among the
more items that must be
moral
offenses
is the prat-
presented to my people,"
tice
of
praying
to
other gods
and for the remaining 40
or
false
idols.
"He
that sac-
days and nights, Moses
rificeth
unto
the
gods,
save
PAUL
receives what has become
unto the Lord only, shall be
LEF KOWITZ
the Mosaic Law, the
utterly destroyed" (Exodus
Spe cial to the
, Hebrew moral code.
22:19). The intent is to
Jew ish News
The moral code is a pres-
unify the Children of Israel
entation of how we must
to
one God, one way of
behave with each other, with God
interacting
with
others, one way of
and with ourselves. It includes,
behavior.
To
act
any other way would
among other rulings, the rights of
lead
to
a
wayward
path, an incom-
individuals, responses to personal
plete
life.
injury, and the definitions of moral
As an example, if a man spent his
offenses.
life seeking only gold and material
It is important to understand the
possessions and nothing more, he
reason for the moral code. We had
would
have failed to find out how to
left Egypt an oppressed people with
develop
relationships with his neigh-
no real sense of our own freedoms
bors,
his
God, or himself. He would
and responsibilities. God tells us
have
squandered
the time for learn-
that, as His chosen people, we must
ing
by
hoarding
physical
items,
act and think in a particular fashion
which,
in
comparison,
are
meaning-
in order to enjoy His blessings.
less.
The section regarding the rights of
By following these teachings, we
individuals includes the treatment of
can
understand how to treat our fel-
servants. The law is time specific. "If
low
man, with honor and respect,
thou buy a Hebrew servant, six years
our
God,
with reverence and awe,
he shall serve; and in the seventh he
and
ourselves,
with an open mind
shall go free ..." (Exodus 21:2). An
and
pure
heart.
❑
interpretation of this is, with regards
to others, while we may have domin-
ion over them, it cannot last forever;
and we must sever those bonds after
a time. Likewise, with regard to our
personal activity, our thoughts of
Think of a time when you did
domination over our perceived char-
an injustice. How long did it
acter flaws must be dealt with and
take for you to find peace? Talk
resolved, and we must move on.
with your family and friends
An example of this is envy. A per-
about how you developed your
son who spends his whole life in self-
sense of right and wrong.
castigation over jealous thoughts,
How would life be different if we
had received only the Ten
Paul Leflcowitz of West Bloomfield is a
Commandments and not the
member of the Jewish Parachaplaincy
moral code?
Shabbat Mishpatim:
Exodus 21: 1-24: 18;
30:11-16•
II Kings 12:1-17.
7
Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski, MD
February 19, 2002 at 7:30Pm
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