On Labor Day weekend, my family and I visited the Fantasy Island amusement park on Grand Island for the first time. As part of our visit, we had a chance to catch one of the “Wild West” shows they run periodically over the course of the day. While humorous in nature, the show was a reminder of just how chaotic and lawless that period of American history really was.
In a way, the Midbar/wilderness was like the Wild West of the ancient world. Traveling through that vast stretch of land for so many years made the Israelites vulnerable not just from outside attacks, but from calamity within. Is it any wonder why justice is emphasized so often in the Torah? Therefore the Shoftim and Shotrim mentioned at the beginning of this week’s Torah portion are more than just “justices and officers,” but perhaps a better translation would be “sheriffs and deputies.”
“Justice, justice shall you pursue,” is the tagline of the portion, and the call that we’ve always had to put justice first, for without it nothing else is possible. As the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” In that spirit I’d encourage you to read a letter I recently came across from a recently freed slave to his former master right after the Civil War. I think you will be impressed with his response. Here is the letter, enjoy – http://www.lettersofnote.com/2012/01/to-my-old-master.html
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Alex
p.s. – I want to thank everyone for the amazing response to my column last week. We will be fixing up the lot in East Buffalo on Sunday, September 18th right after religious school (we’ll meeting down there at 1310 Bailey Avenue, Buffalo, approximately 11:30). For those of you looking to donate to JFS – soaps, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, feminine products, razors, shaving cream and deodorant – would be much appreciated. Please bring them by the religious school on the 18th or just leave them in my office.
Last Updated on 09/11/2016 by wpadm