While recognizing that a leader was needed, the Torah limits the power of the king. It is interesting to note that this passage was the basis for the constitutional limits on the president of the US.
Category: Economy
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Priestly Blessings
The Priestly Blessings mentioned in this week’s portion are the basics on societal norms. We ask for God’s blessing, then for wisdom and finally for peace. The fact is that without peace none of the rest matter but peace at any price is not worth it either.
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We Are United by Passover
The Seder stresses the idea that there will always be those who wish to destroy us. That the defense against these threats is our unity.
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The World Was Created for US
פרשת בראשית / כ”ד בתשרי תשפ”ג
One of the first commandments given to man was to name the animals. This is to underscore that the world is meant for man to make it holy through his use of it.
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Economics & Morality
פרשת האזינו / י”ב בתשרי תשפ”ג
The Torah admonishes us to oppose foreign ideologies, meaning ideologies that negate morality based on the Torah.
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We’re In A Partnership With God
פרשת האזינו / י”א בתשרי תשפ”ג
This week’s portion deals with the problem of success. Many of us achieve success and forget that God had a hand in it. This is a clear warning not to.
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Believe in God, Not Ideology
פרשת ניצבים / כ”ה באלול תשפ”ב
One of the worst forms of idolatry is the belief in ideology. Even when that ideology proves false people will believe it. All the people who believed that the Russian Communist Revolution would bring an era of peace to the world were disappointed when this did not happen. Those who approach problems without an ideology seem to come up with real solutions.
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The Danger of Cheating in Business
פרשת כי תצא / י”ג באלול תשפ”ב
The admonition of having accurate weights & measures is a warning against dishonest business practices. It is immediately followed by a warning about Amelek. The two are related. Amelek is looking for weakness in society. This is brought on by being dishonest and causing dissention in society.
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Spirituality & Returning a Lost Object
פרשת כי תצא / ט’ באלול תשפ”ב
The commandment to return a lost object to its owner is an important underpinning of a good society. If your find something, it is up to you to return it. We do this not only for society but for our spiritual well-being.
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Covetness is the Root of Evil
פרשת ואתחנן / י”ב באב תשפ”ב
The 10th Commandment is against covetness. This is important because there are always people who have more than we do. We get jealous of them. Why do they have what they have & we do not. We do not see what they had to do to get where they are.