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28
his week's Torah portion con- 43:32), it is used to explain why the
tains more than one-eighth
Egyptians refused to eat with the
of all the mitzvot (74 out of
Hebrews, saying the Egyptians con-
613), according to Maimonides; and
sidered it a to'ayva to do so. The word
these commandments relate to every
indicates that the behavior was not
facet of Jewish life.
just prohibited, but elicited
This catalogue of seem-
an emotional, almost physi-
ingly unrelated command-
cal reaction of revulsion
ments apparently is Moses'
and disgust. The Egyptians
exhortation to the people to
found eating with the
assume the behavior neces-
Hebrews to be repulsive.
sary for them to achieve the
The same word, to'ayva,
just, moral and caring soci-
is used numerous times
ety that the Torah demands
referring to idolatry, idols,
of the Jewish people as they
human sacrifice and unac-
are about to enter their
ceptable worship of God.
Rabbi Eliezer
homeland. This is the sam-
It is also used to describe
Cohen
ple of God's requirements
sexual
immorality and in
Special to the
for His people to live, pros-
regard
to
eating forbidden
Jewish News
per and be a model for all
species.
nations as they create their
These are the only
Torah-mandated holy community (see instances in the Torah where this term
Exodus 19:5,6).
is applied. Thus the Torah considers
Near the end of the portion come
idolatry, sexual immorality and eating
the following verses (Deuteronomy
forbidden animals as abominations.
25:13-16):
What is so remarkable about the
"You must not have in your pouch dif- verse in our portion is that the Torah
ferent (inaccurate) weights — too large also characterizes deception, dishon-
(to buy with) or too small (to sell with). esty, cheating and taking advantage as
"You must not have in your house
to'ayva.
different measures — too large or too
The recent publicity of numerous
small. Precise and accurate must be
examples of selfishness, greed, dis-
your weights and precise and accurate honesty and lack of integrity in our
must be your measures in order that
society, of just the kind of behavior
your days will be long on the land that the Torah characterizes as to'ayva, not
the Lord, God, gives to you. For it is an only brings to question the viability
abomination, all that do this, all that
of our society at large and also our
are dishonest."
Jewish community, but also raises the
The Torah makes it clear: "In order
disturbing question:
that your days be long on the Land ..."
Why don't we feel the visceral dis-
A community whose members deal
gust and revulsion the Torah does for
dishonestly with each other, whose
such lack of integrity? Perhaps we, too,
people see nothing wrong with cheat-
have been affected by society's relative
ing and stealing from each other, whose toleration of such behavior.
citizens cannot trust one another
— this is a community destined to
Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of Congregation Or
fail and disintegrate. When dishonesty
Chadash in Oak Park.
is practiced, the lack of regard and
concern for the welfare of others and
the selfish greed and disregard for
Conversations
the respect of others and oneself spell
Why is it we don't feel the dis-
doom for such a society
gust for the cheat or thief that
Similarly, the verses quoted call
we do the pervert? Would such a
such a lack of integrity "an abomina-
feeling in society act as a deter-
tion" (to'ayva, in Hebrew). This term
rent? What can we do to better
is used in a very limited number of
approximate the Torah's attitude
contexts in the Torah.
to such behavior?
The first time it appears (Genesis
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