B"H

Friday, Elul 5, 5781 / August 13, 2021

At the end of this week’s Parsha, Shoftim, the Torah teaches us about the responsibility we have for each other.

The Torah says, "If there will be found a person, in the land which the L-rd your G-d gives you, slain in the field and it is not known who had killed him; then your elders and judges shall come forth and they shall measure the cities which are around where the body was found." 

The elders of the city closest to where the body was found had to declare, "Our hands have not shed this blood neither have our eyes seen it."  They would then ask for G-d's forgiveness for the people of Israel. 

Our sages ask, "Would anyone think that the elders of the closest city have committed this crime?  Why do they have to say, 'Our hands have not shed this blood? Why do they have to ask for forgiveness?'"

Our sages explain that this is a lesson for each and every Jew. It teaches us that we are responsible for the acts of every other Jew.  This responsibility lies foremost upon the elders of the community.  Thus, even the most righteous people are in some way responsible for the act of the murderer.

This Parsha is always read in the month of Elul because this lesson is especially important during this month.  During this month we should reflect about our responsibilities toward each other.

This is the reason why, on Yom Kippur, even righteous people, who haven’t committed any sins, recite the entire confession found in the Yom Kippur prayers. In fact, it seems that they are untruthful in their prayers when they confess for sins which they never committed.

The answer is that we are ALL responsible for one other. Even the righteous carry some responsibility for the sins of another Jew and thus, they too, must confess and ask forgiveness.

During this time of the year, it is important to remember the following teaching. The Baal Shem Tov explains the reason why the people of Israel are at times likened to the earth.  For the earth contains wonderful treasures, including gold and diamonds. Yet, they are covered with layers of sand and dirt. In order to find the treasures, one must make the effort of digging through the layers of dirt until the treasures are found and exposed. It may require great patience, depending how deep they are buried.

"Everyone," says the Baal Shem Tov, "can find enough treasures and hidden good in someone else.  It is only a matter of how much effort, patience and dedication we will assign to this task".   

During this time of the year, as we pray that G-d grant us a good happy and sweet year, it is especially important that we, too, feel responsible, charitable, and close toward each other.

SHABBAT SHALOM

Montreal candle lighting time: 7:46 / Shabbat ends: 8:51