Category: Torah

It’s only business…

The bad-guy in those gangster movies invariably says, “It’s not personal, it’s only business.”  He rationally explains that he is simply doing what he must for his bad-guy business to be successful.  “How would it look if I let this slip?” He expounds that word would get out and then everyone would take advantage.  And then the bad-guy proceeds to do his really bad bad-guy thing.

I share this because as I understand in my practice of Judaism, things are precisely the opposite.  “It’s not business, it’s only personal.”  For me, the creation of relationships and the development of those relationships are paramount. Relationships are at the core of making meaning in my life.  Judaism gives us a way to find that space to become connected to another and a greater community that shares traditions and values.  It is not about the business of getting it right. I am not counting how many mitzvot you do, nor how well you may do them or how well you do in the business world.   It is not about me judging you, punishing you or even rewarding you for how well you performed.  It is acknowledging that we are all created in the divine image, although each of us is flawed and completely human.  It is about learning to respect those who are different from us as they learn to respect us.  It is about creating relationships that can bridge those differences.  It is all deeply personal, and great business!

Disband Israel’s Chief Rabbinate, save Judaism’s good name – Opinion – Israel News | Haaretz Daily Newspaper

Rabbi Eric Yoffie offered a profound and profoundly sad conclusion to the situation with the Chief Rabbinate in Israel.  I share his words with you.

 

Disband Israel’s Chief Rabbinate, save Judaism’s good name – Opinion – Israel News | Haaretz Daily Newspaper.

Relationships – some insight from Torah– ונועדתי לך שם

Exodus 25 gives us detailed instructions on the finishing of the Ark of the Covenant and in doing so provides extraordinary metaphor for us to embrace and understand the nature of community and what it means to be in relationship.

 We are told to place the Tablets of the Covenant, given by God, into the Ark, which is finished in the most precious of earthly materials, gold.  The top of the Ark is not only to be finished in gold, but it is to be capped by figures of two cherubs also made of gold.  They are to be facing each other with wings outstretched to each other and protecting the cover.

 “There I will meet you,” says God, in the space in between the two cherubim.

These extraordinary words help us understand that relationships are at the heart of all we do.  The cherubim represent us reaching out to each other.  When we do this, standing upon the Law, God is present. We can build our relationships both with God and each other on a holy foundation and thereby, our relationships become sacred.

Exodus 25.16-22:

And deposit in the Ark [the tablets of] the Pact, which I will give you.

You shall make a cover of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.  Make two cherubim of gold — make them of hammered work — at the two ends of the cover. Make one cherub at one end and the other cherub at the other end; of one piece with the cover shall you make the cherubim at its two ends.

The cherubim shall have their wings spread out above, shielding the cover with their wings. They shall confront each other, the faces of the cherubim being turned toward the cover.

Place the cover on top of the Ark, after depositing inside the Ark the Pact that I will give you.

There I will meet with you, and I will impart to you — from above the cover, from between the two cherubim that are on top of the Ark of the Pact — all that I will command you concerning the Israelite people.