Miriam meant well when she commented to her brother Aaron her concern that Moses seemed to be neglecting his wife. Though she meant well she was punished for the sin of malicious gossip. Meaning well is not enough. Your actions matter.
Tag: Actions
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Where is God?
This was a question asked by the Kotzker Rebbe in the 19th Century. The answer is wherever you let Him in. God wants to enter the world, but we have to let Him in by our actions.
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Own Up to Your Actions
פרשת בראשית / כ”ו בתשרי תשפ”ג
The reason for the punishment of Adam & Eve was not that they had violated God’s one commandment. It was that they denied culpability.
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God Wants Actions, Not Words
פרשת האזינו / ח’ בתשרי תשפ”ג
The key to the Yom Kippur service is that we read the Book of Jonah at Minha on that day. Jonah is called upon to announce to the Assyrians that they have to repent. When recounting the story, the Book of Jonah does not talk about their prayers but about their actions.
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Make the World Better by Being Better
פרשת כי תבוא / כ’ באלול תשפ”ב
We are commanded to be better people. The Torah does not care about our feelings but about our behavior. We make the world a better place by our actions, not our intent.
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Actions Over Beliefs
פרשת כי תבוא / י”ח באלול תשפ”ב
There is a debate which is more important: Doing the commandments or being spiritual. The Jerusalem Talmud addressed this debate in the 3rd Century CE and concludes that your actions are more important than your beliefs therefore we should follow the commandments even if we do not believe in God.
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Actions Over Beliefs
ט’ בתשרי תשפ”ב / September 15, 2021
In the Jerusalem Talmud there is a debate whether it better to keep the mitzvot (commandments) and not believe in God or to believe in God and not keep the mitzvot.
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Actions Before Beliefs
כ”ד באלול תשפ”א / September 1, 2021