AUGUST 18 • 2022 | 51

A Sign of Compromise
I

n today’s world of red 
or blue states, far left 
or far right, compro-
mise has become a dirty 
word. There is a prevail-
ing sense in discourse 
that it must be all or 
nothing, black or white, 
right or wrong. Nuance, 
shades of meaning and 
willingness to meet in 
the middle, to compro-
mise to create win-win 
situations has been lost. 
This was not always the case. 
The art of compromise was 
once a time-honored technique 
that was used to build bridges 
between opposing viewpoints 
and promote collaboration 
between opposing sides. 
Compromise is a pragmatic 
approach that enables people 

to get things done. Each 
party acknowledges the 
other’s needs and point 
of view and gives in a lit-
tle to still get a lot, if not 
all, of what they want. As 
part of our Jewish tradi-
tion, we have a signpost, 
a daily reminder of the 
importance of seeking 
compromise as a way of 
ending conflict. 
In this week’s Torah 
portion of Ekev, we find 
the words that are included in 
the mezuzah:
Impress My words upon 
your very heart: bind them 
as a sign on your hand and 
let them serve as a symbol on 
your forehead and teach them 
to your children — reciting 
them when you stay at home 

and when you are away, when 
you lie down and when you get 
up; and inscribe them on the 
doorposts of your house and 
on your gates. (Deuteronomy 
11:18-20)
As a way of fulfilling the 
commandment contained in 
these words “inscribe them on 
the doorposts of your house 
and on your gates,” the sages 
created the concept of a special 
box, a mezuzah (which means 
doorpost), that would be 
attached to Jewish doorposts. 
Inside these special boxes are 
placed the words from this 
week’s parshah along with 
the biblical passage found in 
Deuteronomy 6:4-9.
When it came to how the 
mezuzah should be hung on 
our doorposts there was a 
major rabbinic disagreement. 
Rashi, (1040-1105), the lead-
ing Torah scholar of his time, 
declared that the mezuzah 
should be hung vertically 
so that it would point to the 

Almighty in Heaven. Rabbani 
Tam, Rashi’s grandson, argued 
that standing up was disre-
spectful and that the mezuzah 
should be hung horizontally 
like the way that the Torah and 
Tablets were arranged in the 
holy ark in the Temple.
To accommodate these 
two opposing viewpoints a 
pragmatic compromise was 
reached. It was declared that a 
mezuzah should be hung nei-
ther vertically nor horizontally, 
but on an angle with its top 
leaning into the home. 
The next time you pass by 
a mezuzah, think about this 
rabbinic solution to two con-
flicting viewpoints. Sometimes 
it is better to create a solution 
where everyone benefits, where 
each side compromises a bit 
in order to maintain peace 
and pragmatically get things 
done. 

Jeffrey Lasday is now senior chief, 

External Affairs, Jewish Federation of 

Greater Philadelphia.

Jeff Lasday

Parshat Ekev: 

Deuteronomy 

7:12-11:25; 

Isaiah 

49:14-5:13.

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HQ: 28400 Southf
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S.D.: Owed the IRS $207,214. 
With our help, the case was 
settled for $7352.

D.D.: Client owed the IRS 
$110,203. Our f
 rm negotiated an 
Offer in Compromise to settle the 
debt for $12,226.

L.J.: With our assistance, client’s 
IRS debt of $1,014,078 was 
reduced to $100,490.

Let our team of Attorneys, CPAs, Tax Consultants and former IRS Revenue Of
 cers provide you with 
immediate relief from IRS and State tax problems.

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• 
22 years of specializing in tax resolution and working with the IRS and 

State Taxing Authorities

• 
We have helped thousands of clients nationwide to save tens of millions of 

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• 
Unlike other fi
 rms, all work on your account is kept in-house

• 
A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau

Sincerely,

Lawrence B. Levy, President

Need Help with an IRS or State Tax Problem?

As featured on:
Need Help with an IRS or State Tax Problem?

Call the experts at

1-800-TAX-LEVY (829-5389)

• Tax Liens
• Collection Notices
• Penalties
• Unfi
 led Tax Returns
• Audits

Call us today to answer your questions 
or to schedule a meeting and say 
goodbye to those sleepless nights!

1-800-TAX-LEVY (829-5389)
www.levytaxhelp.com

We Listen …. We Care … We Help!

HQ: 28400 Southf
 eld Road., Lathrup Village, Michigan 48076

S.D.: Owed the IRS $207,214. 
With our help, the case was 
settled for $7352.

D.D.: Client owed the IRS 
$110,203. Our f
 rm negotiated an 
Offer in Compromise to settle the 
debt for $12,226.

L.J.: With our assistance, client’s 
IRS debt of $1,014,078 was 
reduced to $100,490.

Let our team of Attorneys, CPAs, Tax Consultants and former IRS Revenue Of
 cers provide you with 
immediate relief from IRS and State tax problems.

Why Choose Levy & Associates to help with your tax problems?

• 
22 years of specializing in tax resolution and working with the IRS and 

State Taxing Authorities

• 
We have helped thousands of clients nationwide to save tens of millions of 

dollars each year!

• 
Unlike other fi
 rms, all work on your account is kept in-house

• 
A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau

Sincerely,

Lawrence B. Levy, President

1.800.TAX.LEVY
www.levytaxhelp.com

28400 Southfi
 eld Rd, Lathrup Village, MI 48076
AS FEATURED IN

Call us today to answer your questions
or to schedule a meeting and say
goodbye to those sleepless nights!

• Tax Liens

• Collection Notices

• Penalties

• Unfi
 led Tax Returns

• Audits

M.F.: Owed the State of Michigan $100,578. 
With our help, the case was settled for $100. 

R.N.: Owed the IRS $709,000.
Our fi
 rm negotiated an Off
 er in Compromise
to settle the debt for $1,000.

S.F.: With our assistance, client’s IRS debt
of $207,663 was reduced to $5,837.

Let our team of Attorneys, CPAs, Tax 
Consultants and former IRS Revenue
Offi
 cers provide you with immediate relief.

Why Choose Levy & Associates to help
with your tax problems?

• 22 years of specializing in tax resolution and working
 with the IRS and State Taxing Authorities

 • We have helped thousands of clients nationwide to
 SAVE TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS EACH YEAR!

 • A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau

We Listen... We Care... We Help!

Results will vary based upon clients fi
 nancial condition.

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