Tag: Society

  • 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.

  • Do Not Shame Your Brother

    פרשת כי תצא / י”ב באלול תשפ”ב

    We are admonished not to let the body of a person convicted of a capital offense hang overnight. This is so the family will not be shamed. It is assumed that the family is embarrassed by the actions of the criminal. We don’t have to rub in.

  • 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.

  • A Society of Individuals

    פרשת ואתחנן / ט”ו באב תשפ”ב

    It is interesting that the word used for you in the Ten Commandments is in the singular. The Torah is pointing out that society is made up of individuals and if an individual is bad then it is bad for society, & if the individual is good then it is good for society. It is in our hands.

  • There is Only One Truth

    פרשת בחוקותי / כ”ג באייר תשפ”ב – ל”ח בעומר

    The curses of this week’s portion have to do with a breakdown of society. One of the problems is that people say, “that is your truth”. Interesting the Hebrew word for truth, אמת, has no plural. This infers that there is only one truth, not multiple truths.

  • What Will You Be Judged On?

    פרשת בחוקותי / כ”ב באייר תשפ”ב – ל”ז בעומר

    When we read the portion we see that God will judge us not so much on how well we pray or perform our rituals, such as the sacrificial service, but on how we treat each other. As the Mishna says the first question that you will be asked in the next world will be “Were you honest in your business dealings?”

  • Private Property & God

    פרשת בהר / י”ז באייר תשפ”ב – ל”ב בעומר

    While the Torah has a respect for private property and wants us to earn our way in the world, Shmita reminds us that, in the final analysis, God is in control of the world. We are commanded to make the most of our situation but if God does not help us we just won’t succeed.

  • Crime & Punishment in the Torah

    פרשת בהר / ט”ו באייר תשפ”ב – ל’ בעומר

    A Jew becomes a slave due to being convicted of theft. The thief is required to repay the victim for the property stolen and pay damages for the pain and suffering that he caused. This is different from most other forms of law that do not connect the victim and perpetrator. The Torah reminds us that there is a connection.

  • 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.

  • Morality From the Bottom Up

    ז’ בתשרי תשפ”ב / September 13, 2021

    The Torah warns that if our society is immoral then the leaders will be immoral. An immoral leader is symptom of a bad society.