These are the words, Judging Others, Judging Ourselves

Devarim (Deuteronomy)

The fifth book of the Bible opens with the verse, “And these are the words (“devarim”) which Moshe spoke to all of Israel on the east bank of the Jordan river in the desert in the plain over against Suf between Paran and Tofel and Lavan and Chatzerot and Di Zahav.” The first question on has upon reading this verse is, “why does the Torah make the effort to mention all of these place names?” Furthermore, Rabbi Yochanan, the great third century Palestinian Israeli Talmudic sage (d. 279) tells us that he went over the entire Bible with great care and did not find any mention of a place called, “Tofel” or “Lavan.” Rashi tells us that Moses’ intent in giving the 36 day speech before passing into eternity was in order to rebuke the people for their erroneous ways, such as speaking contemptuously (TaFLu) about the Manna, which was white (lavan), for instance. However, out of the deepest respect for the holy people of Israel, Moses did not want to shame his flock by overtly mentioning their sins, but rather just alluded to their sins by mentioning the names of the places where these sins took place. The moral lesson we learn from the Torah’s careful choice of words is clear. Even if you feel you must point out another person’s wrongdoing, you must find a way to do it that will not shame the person, but will still get the point across. Shaming or embarrassing another person is a way of killing them spiritually, and one who shames another is guilty of a kind of murder.

And "zug Ich," I say.

I say.

When a man is, God forbid, shamed, he either gets red in the face with embarasment, or becomes pale, or white (lavan). Where is a place beween Tafel and Lavan? There is the main point, and things that are not so relevant. In Hebrew, when something is besides the point, or not to the point, it is called, "Tafel." Yes, people make mistakes right and left, and yes, people are breaking the law and sometimes even know that they are breaking it. But this is besides the point, this is not the main point. This is "Tafel." When we get caught up in other people's mistakes and errors, and forget to see how precious they really are, and all the good that if they are not doing, surely have the capability of doing, and positively and gently reinforcing this potential goodness, or appreciating the good things others do every day, then we have been in a place called "Tafel." After a stint in Tafel, it is not so hard to move on to "lavan," a kind of murder, as in "My father was almost destoyed by an Aramean (Lavan)," shaming another, God forbid and help us to fix our eyes to see what's really important, and how great our brothers and sisters really are.

But Rashi does not say this.

A human being is so precious, created in the image of God, who has no image, but whose form and behavior indeed hints at sublime mysteries of creation in the concatenation flowing out of the formless Infinite. Who dare shame God’s creation?

The Talmud teaches us that we are supposed to imitate God’s attributes. Just as God is merciful, so should you be. And just as God is jealous for His law, so shall you be. The Zohar, the immensely popular collection of teachings about Jewish Law, belief, and Mysticism, takes all of the anthropomorphic scenes of God wearing Tefillin, praying, visiting the sick, and so forth and tells us, “this is the image of God.” When a Jew wears Tefillin, prays, visits the sick, or any one of the directives of the Torah, he is at that moment, “created in the image of God.”

Jewish Theology has God doing all of the six hundred and thirteen commandments in some Divine sort of way. For instance, there is a commandment where if a Jew is given the choice between being killed or committing the three cardinal sins of murder, idolatry, or incest, he must chose martyrdom and offer his life. How does God fulfill this commandment, of “giving over one’s life?” In the book of Numbers, the suspected adulteress goes to the temple, and must drink the “bitter and cursing waters.” The scribe writes the passage of the Torah about the suspected adulteress (“sotah”) with ink on parchment, and then pours water over the letters, washing the ink into a vessel. The suspected adulteress must then drink these waters, made from the erasures of God’s very name. God erases his very name in order to make peace between man and wife, for if she was guilty and lied about it, she is duly punished, and if she was indeed innocent, the inky waters bless her with a new child.

But justice has it that evil should be shunned, battled against, and destroyed. Who is to say what is a sin and what is just? Aside from gray areas on the moral barometer, we have the Torah to tell us what is evil. Amalek is evil. Idolatry is evil. Abusing others is evil, and self-abuse is evil.

Sadly though everyone is an expert in identifying abuse, most people dont have even the slightest idea how to define Amalek, Idolatry, or even beloved Moshiach, for that matter. But still they bandy these words about like fourth of july barbeque grilled meats assuming you've been eating them all your life.

Ever since we ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil we have been wandering around this prison planet judging everything around us and sometimes even ourselves against the scale of good and evil. Sure, there is evil in the world. Every evil is punished and every good deed is rewarded, either in this world or in the next, because God is absolutely just. But the real question is, who is to say that the sinner has the choice not to sin? Determinism is a slippery slope, which could lead to moral anarchy. But still, there is a strong philosophical argument which leads us to see how everything is in the hands of Heaven, including the choice to fear the One who created the heavens … or not. A divine voice called down to one of the greatest Rabbis of his generation, Alisha ben Abuya (born some time before 70 of the common era), and said, “return ye backsliding children, except for Acher (the alias of Elisha b.Abuya).” In other words, be good little boys and girls, and follow the law, but not you, Elisha. You can do whatever the heck you want.” So bear in mind that if Elisha b. Abuya was branded a heretic and given the pejorative name of, “Acher,” it is nothing other than the hand of heaven that reaches down and points the finger of blame back at the Boss.

(The Agra d’Kalah by Tvi Elimelech of Dinnov opens with the teaching of Rav Yaakov Yitsack Horovitz, the Seer of Lublin, who invokes the Talmudic dictum, “when you are a guest, do everything your host tells you except, ‘leave.’ ” God was telling Acher, “leave, I don’t want you to serve me anymore.” So Acher was not supposed to listen to God. He was supposed to go against God and keep the Torah. Then he would truly be serving God from his kishkes, a pure service out of his own free choice, and with no ulterior motives of reward.)

At times I have suprised myself by acting like a religious hot head who becomes red with righteous indignation when confronted with unrepentant sinners. As an american, I have been taught to, "not be judgmental." But as a believing, religious person, I find it very easy to judge others. There is good and there is evil, and God gave us the Torah to distinguish between the two. But it is not so simple in a world where good and evil are so easily confused. And after all, the Mishna in the Ethics of the Fathers teaches us, "don't judge a man until you have stood in his place."

I, like many, also get particularly upset when I hear about pervert rabbis. However, I will put my money where my mouth is and admit that it just might not be in their ability to refrain from, in the words of Elvis Costello, “putting a hand up the fleece of their flock.” But just because such deviants are not in control of their actions, it doesn’t mean that they should not rot in jail.

Everyone sins in one way or another, and as a nation we all sinned while wandering around in the desert trying to figure out what it means to be a Jew in the post exodus world. We also probably did a lot of good stuff, too, but it makes for a much more boring story. Remember those place names in the beginning of this talk? We find in the Mei HaShiloach:

“…in the plain over against Suf…” (Devarim, 1:1)
Why does the Torah discreetly mention the sins of Israel only by making reference to the names of the places where the sins occurred rather than by mentioning the time when they occurred? This is in order to keep you from thinking that the sins were done according to their power of choice, and that they had the choice to remove themselves from the sin. The matter of place hints at this, for it was not possible for them to guard themselves from the sin and move to a different place.