Bias in Belarus • Torah.org
Posted on
September 6, 2019 (5779) By Mordechai Dixler | Series: Lifeline |
Level:
The laws of Kosher slaughter are complex and demanding, and
typically only someone with the necessary training and piety can become a Shochet, trusted to provide Kosher meat
for a community. During the days of
the saintly Rabbi Yozel Horowitz zt”l (also known as the Alter of Novardok), he
and his congregation relied upon a Shochet known for his proficiency and fear of Heaven.
Someone,
we’ll call him Isaac, came to Rabbi Horowitz one day, complaining that
the Shochet was
really not as pious as people thought — and that he should be replaced with
someone more trustworthy. Knowing that Isaac had personal biases against
the Shochet, Rabbi
Horowitz said, “I don’t believe your accusations, but since you don’t trust the Shochet, you should certainly stop eating his meat.” Isaac
immediately responded, “My intention was not that people shouldn’t eat his
meat. I was merely saying that we
should find someone better!”
Rabbi Horowitz learned from this incident how far personal
bias can go. Isaac claimed that he wanted to protect the community from eating
non-Kosher meat, so much so that he was willing to get the Shochet fired. But once he feared that he personally — and he alone
— would be denied the pleasure of eating meat, he quickly changed his tune.
Our Torah portion this week (Deut. 16:19) warns even a wise
judge, a religious scholar and expert in G-d’s Torah law, not to take bribes —
“for bribery blinds the eyes of the wise.” A sharp mind and righteous deeds are
no match for the influence of ulterior motives.
If the wise and knowledgeable can be persuaded to abandon
their better judgement, it is obvious that we cannot assume we are any better.
Thus, it is imperative on all of us to examine our inner motives if we hope to
find truth. A person must study Torah not to
justify previous beliefs or even to appear wise, but only in order to
know what G-d is telling us. Then, with rigorous dedication to honesty and
without bias, we can hope to best understand the path we should follow.
Weighing In • Torah.org
Posted on September 5, 2019
(5779) By Rabbi Raymond Beyda | Series: Table
Talk | Level:
“You shall appoint judges and police in all
of your gates, and they will judge the people a righteous judgment.”
Our Parasha begins with instructions to the people of Israel
to set up a judicial system in all of
their cities and with an admonition to judges to judge their cases fairly. Our
Sages teach that all of the Torah
portions that we read in the days between Rosh Hodesh Elul and Yom Kippur
contain allusions to the battle with the evil inclination, the Teshubah process
and character improvement — all the elements necessary for a successful trial on
Rosh Hashanah.
The Kli Yakar points out that the verse says, “you shall
appoint judges for yourself [Lecha] “–indicating that one should judge himself
or herself before they point a finger at others. Check your character and
behavior, fix your faults and only then can you judge others fairly. “Appoint judges for yourself” and
then you will certainly “judge the people a fair judgment”
Others say that the word “lecha”– “for you” advises one to
treat others as they would treat themselves. One should not be strict with
others and lenient when it comes to themselves. Rabbi Simha Bunim from
Peshischa says that when one is constantly evaluating their own behavior and
they realize that they are not perfect then it will certainly lead them to see
the strong points in someone else. In other words, the verse is telling us that
when you “appoint judges for yourself” then certainly you will “judge the
people fairly”.
The Shelah HaKadosh sees in this instruction a command to
control what goes in and out of your “gates”.
A person has eyes, ears, a mouth and nose. To reach spiritual
perfection on must set judges and policemen at all of your gates. Should we all
exercise caution and monitor carefully
what goes in and out of our physical “gates” i.e. what we look at, what
we say and what we listen to then we can all be assured of “righteous judgment”
on that crucial day Rosh Hashanah.
May we all take advantages of this special period of grace
and favor called Elul and concentrate on self improvement and forgiveness so
that G-d will also only see good when He
judges every individual, every community and every country on this Rosh
Hashanah for life filled with blessing and happiness Amen.
ANOTHER LESSON
FROM THE PARASHA
You should prepare the way …that every murderer shall flee there. [Debarim 19:3]
The Torah laws about the treatment of an accidental
murderer are unique in the world.
Man-made law could never imagine the parameters set by our
Holy Book in regard to the perpetrator of the death of another. The killer is
advised to flee to a city of refuge wherein
the relatives are not permitted to kill him in revenge for the death of
their loved one. If the murderer fails to enter a refuge city before a relative
can catch him then the pursuer may kill
the killer. The Torah commands the people of Israel to set signposts along the
roads that indicate the safe haven to
the fleeing killer. Rab Hamma bar Hanina said: “If for the wicked Hashem shows
the path to a refuge from harm, then certainly He does so for the righteous.”
Anyone traveling the roads of the Holy Land in the times of the Sanhedrin could see the many directional signs that
filled the roads. Where are the signs that
Hashem provides for us in our generation?
Halakha means
law but it also means the way to walk. If anyone has a question about which way to proceed in almost any life
situation one should consult the Halakha. When Yaakob Abinu a’h fell asleep on
the Temple Mount he had a prophetic dream that revealed to him the destiny of
himself and his offspring throughout history. When he awoke and realized the
holy nature of the place where he had slept he exclaimed,” Had I known, I would not have slept in such a holy place.” The import of this statement
to all Jews at all
times is that
Yaakob our Patriarch was willing to forego an essential prophetic message
and a promise from Hashem to protect him
wherever he would travel in his personal exile and to protect his children throughout their
future exiles — if it meant he had to violate the sanctity of the Temple Mount
by sleeping there. If the Halakha forbids sleeping in that holy place — so be
it. Yaakob Abinu would have found another place to rest.
In every person’s life there are crossroads. Points where
decisions that are crucial to success
or failure in career, marriage, physical health and spiritual growth must be
made. Where should one turn? What direction should one take? Look for the road
signs provided by our Heavenly Father.
Check with an authority what the Halakha dictates in your personal situation and follow the sign to
success. Life’s roads are very confusing and each person has difficulties that
may lead him or her down the wrong path to a dead end or h’v to disaster. By following the Halakha one is
assured that the path will lead to the end that is best under the circumstances.
Shabbat Shalom
Text Copyright © 2003 Rabbi
Raymond Beyda and Project
Genesis, Inc.
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Curbing Corruption
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Posted on
September 4, 2019 (5779) By Rabbi Berel Wein | Series: Rabbi
Wein | Level: Beginner The reading of this week deals with a basic
human temptation and almost universal failing – corruption. Though the Torah speaks of actual physical and
financial graft it certainly implies a broader message to not only to those in
the judiciary but to others in positions of power. The Torah recognizes that
human beings, by their very nature, have biases and prejudices. Some of these
seem to be almost inborn while others are acquired because of life experiences, educational instruction and
societal norms. Students of human nature have long debated which traits are
inborn, such as hatreds and prejudices, and which are learned and acquired in
life. As you can imagine, there is no consensus on this issue and on many other
questions regarding human behavior. It is obvious that the Torah recognizes the
presence of prejudice and corruption, both willingly and unknowingly within all
of us. Even the greatest of us, who possess G-dly wisdom and holiness in
behavior and speech, is also subject to being corrupted. Wisdom can be
perverted, and speech can be twisted because of our innate susceptibility to
corruption. We are not provided with any magic method to avoid this
problem. We only know that it exists and that it is universal and omnipresent.
As such, perhaps simply being aware of its existence eventually leads human beings
individually and human society generally to a willingness to deal with the
matter and to correct it to the extent that human beings are able. We are all aware that that when it comes to physical health
and mental well-being, the first act is to identify and be aware of the problem
that is involved. The same thing is true in all human emotional and spiritual
difficulties. People tend to believe that,
somehow, they are immune to corruption if they do not actually take money
offered to influence their opinions and judgments. However, that is a very
simplistic view of corruption. Since people feel that they are balanced and
fair in their opinions and viewpoints, this is exactly what leads to
prejudices, intolerance of others and a closed mind when it comes to deciding on
important issues and personal matters. One of the reasons the Talmud insisted that at least three
people be present to judge in a Jewish court of law is that when you have three
people you will automatically hear
different points of view and a fairer result will emerge. There are
exceptional cases where even one judge – and that judge must be a true expert
on the law and facts involved – will suffice, but the practice in Jewish courts
throughout the ages has been to have more than one judge – at least three –
involved in arriving at judicial decisions. The Torah demanded that we pursue
justice and fairness at all costs. It does not guarantee that we will always be
able to achieve that goal, but it does demand that we constantly pursue it. Shabbat shalom
Rabbi Berel Wein
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