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The “Golden Rule” isn’t in the Torah. Hillel the Elder’s (110 BCE – 10 CE) great statement: “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor; that is the whole Torah, while the rest is commentary thereof; go and learn it” is recorded in the Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 31a. Yet, Hillel’s advice may be the most pragmatic application we have of the famous maxim that is in the Torah (in this week’s Parashah): “Love your Neighbor as Yourself.” [Leviticus 19:18). ...
Clinical psychologist Dr. Susan Silk has a “Ring Theory” of Kvetching (complaining). She summarizes it as: “Comfort in -- Dumping out.”* According to Dr. Silk’s theory, we should draw a circle and place at its center the name of the person most affected by any situation about which we might kvetch. We should then write in concentric circles the names of everyone to whom we might kvetch, ranked by how close they are to the person in the center. This results in a “kvetching order.” ...
Thank you to all who graciously commented on last week’s “Letter to my Grandson.” Thank G-d, Noam ben Reuven Yigdal v’Yehudit Tovah (aka Evan) and his mother are doing fine. A few hours ago at our home, Noam entered into the covenant of Abraham. In fulfillment of the Torah commandment, this occurred on the eighth day -- “b’yom haSh’mini” of his life. “Sh’mini” (“Eighth”) is the name of this week’s Torah portion. The reference is actually to the eighth day of the priestly ordination ceremony, not to circumcision. Nevertheless, in light of this special day in my and my grandson’s life, and the “coincidence” of “Sh’mini” being this week’s Torah portion, I’ll take the opportunity to share some thoughts on the circumcision controversy. “Intactivist” critics of circumcision ...
Dear Evan, At 1:30 this morning -- the 18th day of Nisan, the fourth day of Pesach, the third day of counting the omer, in the 64th year since the reestablishment of Jewish sovereignty in our national homeland, and (according to our tradition) the 5,773th year since creation, corresponding to March 29, 2013 -- you were delivered from Mitzrayim (literally “the narrow places”) and entered the world. ...
This week’s Torah portion, Tsav, is one of several describing our ancient animal sacrificial rites. These are certainly not rituals that most of us would care to witness, nor even contemplate. In fact, just reading the Torah text can prompt a salad for dinner! But I suspect that in Temple times, when most people were likely personally familiar with slaughtering, they found the ceremonies spiritually meaningful. “Free-will” and “thanksgiving” offerings were probably especially so as means of ritualized emotional expression.
Debbie told her co-worker Susan that Debbie intended to leave her job soon. Debbie didn’t act as if this was confidential and did not ask Susan to keep it so. Susan assumed that Debbie had told others, including Debbie’s boss. When Susan’s boss asked her to work with Debbie on a new project, Susan mentioned Debbie’s expected departure. But Debbie had not told her boss of her plan, nor was it common knowledge. Susan’s boss informed Debbie’s boss, who questioned Debbie and identified Susan as the information source. Debbie was furious at Susan for revealing her “confidence” and complained bitterly to their acquaintances. ...
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