Midway Jewish Center
56 Years Young: 1953-2009 !
THE CYBERSHUL

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This Week’s Torah Reading

Bemidbar

BemidBAR meaning “in the wilderness” begins the fourth book of the Torah, known also by its Latin name, Numbers. There are many numbers in this paraSHAH, as it records the results of various censuses taken in the wilderness. Only males were counted (apologies to the ladies) of 20 years of age or older, for the census determined the Israelites’ military potential. Israel had to be prepared for possible hostile encounters. The count amounted to 603,550 men. The tribe of Judah had the greatest number at 74,600. Benjamin had the fewest number at 35,400. The tribe of Manasseh had fewer still, but it is regarded as only a half tribe. The Levites were also excluded (so sorry!) from this count for since they were in charge of protecting the mishKAN or tabernacle, they were permanently relieved of military duty. The mishKAN was located in the center of the camp, with the tribes assigned to each of its four sides. The Levite families are recorded by their three tribal divisions: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Each was given specific tasks in tending to the mishKAN. That a specific tribe would handle all the sacred duties was a novel idea, replacing the idea that the first-born male would take on such duties. So for each first-born Israelite male, there was a Levite who replaced him. Unfortunately, there were 273 more Israelite first born than there were Levites. These extra men were redeemed from service to the mishKAN by paying a fee of five shekaLIM. Such a bargain!

Shabbat Thought

Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom.

~~ Theodore Rubin  ~~

Web Of The Week

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPOqY4QLQco

Alan Veingrad—a man who has learned how to tackle the finer points of Judaism

Aural Torah

Shavuot--A Mental Workout

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HERE COMES d’JUDGE 

Dear CyberRav,

We always hear about the greatness of the Sage Hillel, but I have my doubts. I came across a passage in Pirkei Avot, Ethics of the Fathers, which I found terribly upsetting. The passage reads, “Judge not your fellow until you have been in that person’s place” (Pirkei Avot 2:5). I find this teaching fundamentally wrong because if you think about it, it is absolutely impossible to ever be in another person’s place. To be in that person’s place, one would have to have that person’s past experiences, genes, family, income, anxieties, etc. In other words, people may judge others thinking that that they have, in fact, arrived at another person’s place, but as far as I’m concerned, the idea is itself basically absurd. And who was it who proposed this? Hillel, the great sage. He doesn’t sound so great to me.

Unhappy With Hillel

One of my great pleasures in life is to be able to agree with others in their literary analyses of sacred literature, and I’m about to have one such happy moment—I agree with you: It is impossible to ever truly occupy another person’s position. And it’s impossible for all the reasons you’ve delineated. We are who we are; they are who they are and never the twain shall meet. But I nevertheless think you may be missing Hillel’s point.

Hillel did not compose this passage in order to facilitate people’s penchant for judging others. He composed it for just the opposite reasons. How do I know? Maybe I don’t, at least not for certain, but the sin of Lashon Hara, evil speech or gossip or slander has been endemic to human nature for as long as humans have walked upright and gathered in malls, offices and at family celebrations. We judge family, friends, politicians, co-workers, bosses, mega-corporations, countries, and God knows we pass judgment on the President of the United States several times a day. We are very quick to judge others and some of us judge others with relish or malice.

Hillel understands this about human beings and he also understands, being a great pedagogue, how fruitless it is to demand good behavior. Rather than demand that others deny their own human nature, something which is near impossible to do, he sets up a guideline for us. You want to judge others—fine. But don’t do it until you are precisely in the same position as the fellow you are about to pass judgment on.

And if, as you say, it is impossible to so place yourself in another’s position, then the unfairness of passing judgment should follow from that quite clearly.

Human beings will never stop judging others. But Hillel, in his characteristic gentle manner, reminds us of the folly in so doing. What a great teacher and rabbi!

Rabbi Rafi Rank
CyberRav

Shabbat Shalom Everyone!!

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