MISHPATIM SHABBAT SHEKALIM 5778
PUBLIC PITS YESTERDAY AND TODAY
February 8, 2017
23 Shevat 5778
When a man …digs or opens a pit and does not cover it… and an ox falls into it the one responsible for the pit must make restitution…[Exodus 21:13, 14].
Centuries after the Bible was written, the rabbis who populate the pages and volumes of the Talmud, dissected, evaluated and interpreted the ancient text. Thus while the Bible only discusses the consequences of opening a pit/ditch in a public space, the Rabbis expanded this danger to include creating any hazard that could conceivably cause harm to a pedestrian. In today's parlance simply dropping a banana peel in the street qualifies as a pit.
The Talmud further expands responsibility to the passerby who fails to fill in or cover an existing pit. Even when we are not responsible for creating the danger, there is the moral duty to take remedial action as best we can. We are all responsible to keep the public square as safe as possible.
In our day we not only traverse the physical public wayfarer, but also the Internet highway with its own impediments and obstacles. An all too common encumbrance is the ease with which it is littered with false information that misleads or misinforms the public. Bloggers strew this landscape with stories, reports and false accusations.
Every falsehood is thus a figurative pit that misinforms the public. While the major print and electronic media continually strive for accuracy, every falsehood intentionally placed on the Internet is the equivalent of digging an open pit. The plethora of false information and facile accusations, whether from the right or left, littering the cyber highway with "fake news" are contemporary pits. The Talmud describes the willful dissemination of false information as "genivat da'at," literally robbing others of the capacity to make informed decisions.
As good citizens we will pick up that banana peel or move an obstruction aside. This, however, is a difficult, if not impossible, task when encountering the electronic pit
The Internet is undeniably a wonderful resource. The amount of information at our fingertips is truly astounding. Sadly, however, this path is laden with pits, obstructions and encumbrances whose contours are not easily recognizable. False, misleading and inflammatory information are today's banana peel that can and do throw us off balance. Our responsibility is to garner as much information as possible to enable us to make informed decisions. Above all may we, as fellow travelers, be judicious in what we place in this vast public highway.
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From Jerusalem, my best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom u'Mevorach, a Shabbat of peace and blessing.
Rabbi Arnold M. Goodman
YITRO 5778
REALLY HEARING
February 1, 2018
16 Shevat 5778
May the Merciful One send us Elijah the prophet who will bring is good tidings of salvation and comfort.
The above prayer in the traditional Birkat Hamazon (Grace after a meal) affirms the joy the prophet will bring into our lives with his tidings that the Messiah is on the way. There can obviously be no greater tidings then the beginning of the Messianic era when swords will be beaten into plowshares, into pruning trucks and that nations shall no longer engage in war. Traditional Jewish theology regards this as the ultimate fulfillment of human aspiration.
Hopefully, our own lives are replete with good tidings. It may be a grandchild's phone call with the exciting news of the birth of her child. It may be a wedding invitation sent by family or friends. It may be an email from people we love and cherish with some happy news in their lives. Upon receiving such tidings we happily respond through a gift, a warm note and where possible by our attendance and participation.
This first verse in this week's Torah portion recounts that Yitro (Jethro) Moses' father-in-law, had received the tidings of the wondrous events surrounding Moses' role in the Exodus from Egypt and the successful war against Amalekites. He thus decided to make his way to the Israelites' desert encampment, with his daughter, Tzippora (Moses' wife), and their two sons for a wonderful and celebratory family reunion.
Often in life however we are the recipients of sad news that affects us personally and calls for our response. It's not uncommon when receiving such news that the initial reaction is denial. In such instances, in the words of the Psalmist, are when "we have ears but do not hear." Generally we ultimately respond with supportive action to strengthen the mourner, to visit the sick, to offer encouragement to the recipient of a failure in his/her life.
Then there are the instances when there are rumblings of situations that demand investigation and study. Yet when there is a concern that delving into the situation may well compromise our lives and/or have a negative impact upon our institution, we are beset with ears do not hear.
A current story of non-hearing ears is the sad story of Larry Nassar, for many years the physician for various women's athletic groups, especially the young gymnasts, many of whom he had sexually molested. During this time there were rumors and allegations about his behavior, but his colleagues and superiors turned the proverbial deaf ear. Yet truth will out and as the outcry of the victims continued to resonate, the leadership of Michigan State University was forced to take notice.
Nassar was found guilty of his nefarious behavior and sentenced to what in effect is life imprisonment. Yet the fallout of the failure to respond to the rumblings and complaints has led to the resignation of the university's president, its athletic director and criticism of its Board of Regents.
The revelation of Nassar at Michigan State was preceded by the events at Penn State whose authorities failed to respond to the rumors surrounding coach Sandusky's inappropriate behavior with young boys. The recent movie Spotlight is an account of the investigation that forced the Boston diocese to confront its failure to rein in clergy who molested and abused children in their institutions and programs.
All of us in life at one time or another hear what we dismiss as rumors about the behavior of a child, a spouse, a colleague. We, too, can be afflicted with ears that do not hear. Should the rumors and allegations prove true, there is the pain and the guilt of having turned the proverbial deaf ear and not taken remedial action much earlier.
Hopefully tidings from and about a loved ones and about the people we care will bring joy into our lives, and may we happily share the joy of those moments. Joyous events pass by all too quickly. May we also be blessed to be the bearers of many good tidings that bring joy and pleasure to the people in our lives.
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From Jerusalem, my best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom u'Mevorach, a Shabbat of peace and blessing.
Rabbi Arnold M. Goodman
