TORAH PORTION
Experience Rosh Hashana at the Grand Hotel with
Jewel Kosher Catering and Phil Tewel
in conjunction with AISH HaTorah
Detroit
ash
RoSH HAS HANA
September 18th-21st 2009
Living Honest Lives
Shabbat Ekev: Deuteronomy 7:12-
11:25; Isaiah 49:14-51:3.
T
he recent arrest of several
The Divine condemnation of
rabbis in a money launder-
cheating and stealing is so great that
ing scheme in New Jersey
the prophet Isaiah mentions it as
has elicited a strong sense of pain
one of the major reasons why God
and humiliation in our community.
allowed the Temple to be destroyed
The behavior, as alleged, is
and the Jewish people
scandalous and sinful.
sent off into exile. "Your
Sadly, this is not the
princes are wayward and
first time that something
associates of thieves;
like this has occurred
the whole of them loves
and, therefore, cannot
bribery and pursue illegal
be brushed aside as a
payments ..." (Isaiah
lone exception. We must
1:23).
condemn this behavior
The prophet then con-
in the strongest of terms.
cludes by offering the
In addition, we must do
recipe for redemption.
Rabbi Yechiel
a better job educating
Isaiah
states, "Zion shall
Morris
the community about
be
redeemed
with justice
Special to the
adherence to the law and
and
her
returnees
with
Jewish News
practicing pristine ethical
righteousness."
behavior.
Jewish law, Halachah,
The Torah instructs us, in Parshat
is clear that diva d'malchuta diva,
Ekev, "to follow in God's ways:'
the law of the land is the law. We are
Lalechet B'chol D'rachay. A similar
bound by the law of the country in
expression, "after Hashem, your God, which we reside. This is cited in the
you shall follow," is found, as well, in
Talmud and codified in the Shulchan
next week's Parshah, Re'eh.
Aruch, the code of Jewish law. When
The Talmud, in Tractate Sotah
presented with a just system whose
(14a), understands this as a man-
laws apply equally to all of its citi-
date to imitate God.
zens, such as in this
Just as God is com-
great country, the
passionate, so should
United States of
we be compassionate.
America, we must
Just as God takes
abide by them.
care of those who are
There is no
in need, we must, as
excuse for engag-
well.
ing in criminal
It should be clear
behavior. Not only
that imitating God is
is it a desecration
not limited to doing
of God's name, but
acts of kindness, but
it unequivocally
includes the respon-
violates American
sibility to act with honesty and
and Jewish law and is antithetical to
integrity.
Godly behavior.
The Torah tells us further, in
We must do a much better job in
Parshat Ekev, that God does not
reinforcing this message to our chil-
show favor to one litigant over the
dren and to ourselves. It is a blemish
other and cannot be bribed.
on all of us if we look the other way
Furthermore, God acts with jus-
and ignore the problem. We must
tice and is honest in fulfilling the
speak out.
promises He made to our ancestors.
I know I will. Will you? ❑
Theft, dishonesty and bribery are
not Godly values; and, by extension,
Yechiel Morris is rabbi of Young Israel of
they may not be ours as well.
Southfield.
Imitating God
includes the
responsibility to
act with honesty
and integrity.
at the world-class
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flo teL
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• Gourmet Glatt Kosher Cuisine
• Inspiring Davening & Shiurim
Call for reservations and information
248-948-9908 ext. 1
Phil: 248-761-2702
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August 6 2009
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