Two Minute Torah Podcast

Re'eh 5769 by Rabbi Paul Drazen

There are times when it is hard to stay in control. Controlling hunger is hard, controlling personal action is hard. Controlling what pops into our head during the day is all but hopeless. Yes, controlling our thoughts is the hardest.

One section in parashat Re'eh, stands out in that regard. While discussing the sabbatical year the Torah [Deuteronomy chapter 15 verses 9 Ð 11] says: 9Beware lest you harbor the base thought, "The seventh year, the year of remission, is approaching," so that you are mean to your needy kinsman and give him nothing. He will cry out to the Lord against you, and you will incur guilt. É For there will never cease to be needy ones in your land, which is why I command you: open your hand to the poor and needy kinsman in your land."

The text is ageless. It has always been hard to get people to want to help poor people.

This pod-cast is a service of KOACH, the Conservative Movement of Judaism's college program. There is another conservative movement, the political conservative movement among whose adherents are some at the extreme who say, "all government help to the poor should stop. Don't give the bums a dime. If he wants something, let him get off his duff and work for it." All too often their world of family values, sounds too much like "only my family has value."

Bad attitude towards the poor is hardly new. Rabbi Moshe ben Chaim who lived in Safed in the 16th century wrote, "The verse speaks of a poor man who comes to you for charity whom you see is strong and healthy. Do not let your Evil Urge convince you to tell him, "You have good hands! You have good feet! Go out and get yourself a job! Quit asking for charity!" If you do this, it is as great a sin as killing the poor man. Not only do you not give your needy brother charity, but you also insult him and make him feel bad. Besides that, you appear to be begrudging the fact that he is strong and healthy. "

For centuries people have blamed the poor for their trouble. It's easy to assert that a person is poor because of his or her own doing. That is why the Torah warns us. Beware lest we stop doing what we can to help. Beware lest we stop putting food into collection barrels. Beware lest we stop putting dollars into heat funds. Beware lest we start to say, "if they weren't so lazy, they'd be okay." Beware lest we begin to believe either that the government has all the responsibility to help - or that it has none.

Our thoughts are hard to control. But we can change the way we look at others. We can begin the work of Tikkun Olam changing the dire situation in which many people find themselves.

This is Rabbi Paul Drazen, United Synagogue's Chief Program Development officer, for KOACH's Two Minute Torah.