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January 21, 2022 (19 Shevat 5782) Be Content with Your Portion Dear Friends, I hope this correspondence finds you well and in good health. We hope you will be able to join us for our hybrid services, this Shabbat morning at 10:30am, which will be held in our sanctuary and over our regular Zoom prayer link. In honor of this week's Torah portion of Yitro, highlighted by the giving of the Ten Commandments, allow me to share an interesting observation. Over the years, I have found that Christians are often more familiar with the biblical text than are some of us Jews. And no, we should not blame Charleston Heston for this situation! Assuming a group of students can come up with the list of the commandments in order, after some gently prompting, the next pedagogical conundrum for me is challenging the students to identify which of these classic Mitzvoth is the most important. As you might imagine, the answers vary, but the most popular responses include, “Thou shalt not have any other gods before me” and “Thou shalt not murder.” Rarely, will I receive the answer of “Thou shalt not covet,” in part because it is last on the list and because the injunction is about thought rather than action. It may also be because we are all likely inadvertently guilty of the transgression, simply by the natural wanderings of our mind. In Mussar literature, which deals with spiritual perfection, the following Midrash is taught: There was a story of a man, who had an evil neighbor who lived next door. The evil one coveted his neighbor’s wife and some of his belongings. One day, on Erev Shabbat, the evil man heard his neighbor say to his wife, “I want to go out on a trip.” And he did. What did the evil one do? On Shabbat evening, he went and broke the wall that separated their homes, sinning against the commandment, “Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy.” He also went and forced the woman, whom he coveted, to lay with him, thus violating the commandment, “Do not commit adultery.” After that, he began to steal some money from the couple, prompting the wife to scream. He then stood up and killed her, thus violating the commandment, “Do not murder.” And when he stole what he coveted, he violated the commandments, “Do not steal” and “Do not covet.” The next day, the evil man stood in front of his father and mother, who rebuked him. Afterwards, he stood up and hit them, thus violating the commandment, “Honor your mother and father.” After that, the man was brought before a Beit Din, where he testified that the objects he took were his property. By this testimony, he violated the commandment, "You shall not utter false testimony against your neighbor. Then, wherever he went, he swore that he had done nothing wrong, transgressing against the commandment, "You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain." In the end, he turned his back against the Living God and came to worship idols, thus violating the commandments, “I am the Lord your God” and “You shall have no other gods before me.” And all of this was caused by his lust, thus revealing that lust, envy, and coveting can bring one very near to transgress against all of the Torah. As we read about the giving of the Torah, this apocryphal story should remind us of how it provides a meaningful guide to how to live an honorable life and how taking missteps can quickly take us down an undesired path. An antidote to the sins of coveting and envy is part of the teaching of the Mishna in Pirke Avoth. In Pirke Avoth 4:1, Ben Zoma teaches, “אֵיזֶהוּ עָשִׁיר, הַשָּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ.” Who is truly wealthy? The one who rejoices in his granted portion. As we enter into Shabbat and take some time for reflection, we should aim to step back and recognize how we should be truly grateful for what we have. Whether our blessings are found in the material, in the spiritual, in health, in community, or in relationships with loved ones, we should try to see ourselves as the blessed and wealthy. Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Eric L. Wasser, EdD.
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