I believe most people want to live their lives as ‘good people’.
I don't think an emotionallly healthy person would want to harm another person; no one I know is fighting the impulse to murder somebody.
I don't think an emotionallly healthy person would want to harm another person; no one I know is fighting the impulse to murder somebody.
Which makes it difficult to understand why G-d made ‘Commandments’ out of some seemingly simple ideas like "Don't Murder".
Tonight, we begin the Holiday of Shavuot, which commemorates our receipt of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Imagine several million, recently-liberated slaves gathered at the mountain. They’ve experienced incredible miracles during their Exodus from Egypt, and for seven weeks they’ve been refining themselves – under Moses’ tutelage – in order to receive the Gift of all Gifts: The Torah.
Now, the moment arrives. With incredible physical and spiritual ‘fireworks’, the Creator of the Universe finally speaks to humankind.
What secrets will be revealed? Which mystical messages will resonate from here throughout the coming millennia?
[drumroll please……]
“Do Not Murder!”
Can you imagine the people scratching their heads, saying “So THIS is the big deal?”
It seems too simple.
Which is exactly the point.
The Torah is indeed an infinitely-deep reservoir of wondrous messages. But the Torah’s primary thrust is to make life, regular life – the day-to-day humdrum that we consider simple and mundane – Holy.
The Torah is about accepting G-d’s reason for our creation; it’s about living a life of responsibility.
In other words: It’s not about my pursuit OF life, but about my responsibility TO life, my responsibility to make my ‘ordinary’ life into an extra-ordinary – Holy – life.
When I’m living with G-d-consciousness, I live to better the world and to bring Holiness into reality. With that objective, my breakfast, job, etc. can all fit into a meaningful existence
Which brings us to “Do Not Murder”.
If I refrain from hurting my neighbor because I believe it’s wrong, then I am serving MY value system.
When I recognize that (aside from my good instincts) G-D says it’s wrong, then I am submitting to a life of Divine direction.
So, G-d put ‘no-brainers’ into the Torah to teach us that there’s no such thing.
A ‘no-brainer’ means there’s no need for conscious choice. But there always is.
Because good instincts may be good, but without G-d/responsibility consciousness our actions are missing more than a brain; they’re missing a soul.
Tonight, we begin the Holiday of Shavuot, which commemorates our receipt of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Imagine several million, recently-liberated slaves gathered at the mountain. They’ve experienced incredible miracles during their Exodus from Egypt, and for seven weeks they’ve been refining themselves – under Moses’ tutelage – in order to receive the Gift of all Gifts: The Torah.
Now, the moment arrives. With incredible physical and spiritual ‘fireworks’, the Creator of the Universe finally speaks to humankind.
What secrets will be revealed? Which mystical messages will resonate from here throughout the coming millennia?
[drumroll please……]
“Do Not Murder!”
Can you imagine the people scratching their heads, saying “So THIS is the big deal?”
It seems too simple.
Which is exactly the point.
The Torah is indeed an infinitely-deep reservoir of wondrous messages. But the Torah’s primary thrust is to make life, regular life – the day-to-day humdrum that we consider simple and mundane – Holy.
The Torah is about accepting G-d’s reason for our creation; it’s about living a life of responsibility.
In other words: It’s not about my pursuit OF life, but about my responsibility TO life, my responsibility to make my ‘ordinary’ life into an extra-ordinary – Holy – life.
When I’m living with G-d-consciousness, I live to better the world and to bring Holiness into reality. With that objective, my breakfast, job, etc. can all fit into a meaningful existence
Which brings us to “Do Not Murder”.
If I refrain from hurting my neighbor because I believe it’s wrong, then I am serving MY value system.
When I recognize that (aside from my good instincts) G-D says it’s wrong, then I am submitting to a life of Divine direction.
So, G-d put ‘no-brainers’ into the Torah to teach us that there’s no such thing.
A ‘no-brainer’ means there’s no need for conscious choice. But there always is.
Because good instincts may be good, but without G-d/responsibility consciousness our actions are missing more than a brain; they’re missing a soul.