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Thou Shalt Share

05/09/2019 09:41:54 AM

May9

I used to have an expensive watch that I kept in a box under my bed. It was a gift from a family friend for my Bar Mitzvah and was something I thought was pretty special. It was made with real gold, and had a nice leather band. It definitely added sophistication to any of my fancy outfits. I didn’t wear it often, as I was worried I would scratch it inadvertently or maybe even lose it. So I only wore it for special occasions. Yet in the long run, none of these were the main reason why I stopped wearing it altogether, because how could I wear that watch when it was stolen from me! The audacity of some people! I would never do such a thing and steal from others! Except…

In Parshat Kedoshim, we encounter an amazing series of ethical laws and commandments. Whereas some of the laws in Leviticus seem esoteric at best, the list of laws in this week’s portion contains commandments for ethical and moral behavior. There are laws that govern how to treat the poor, laws for a fair justice and economical systems. The Parsha includes laws for fair treatment of foreigners and for ethical business practices. Couched in this inspiring list of ethical commandments, is the commandment not to steal from others. While the commandment not to steal is also represented in the big Ten Commandments of Mount Sinai, our sages ask why it is repeated again here, and specifically, why it is mentioned after the commandment to leave a portion of your crops for the poor and the stranger. (Leviticus 19:9-12) One answer offered by the mediaeval sage Abraham Ibn Ezra is that it comes to teach us that keeping everything for ourselves is in itself a form of stealing. While I may never take something that belongs to another person, I definitely find myself reluctant to share some of my metaphorical crops which I have worked hard to acquire and maintain.

I can imagine many opportunities in my daily life where I’ve failed to share my wealth and power with others; moments where I failed to send the elevator back down or assist those who might have needed an extra hand. While these missed opportunities don’t look like what we classically think of as theft, our sages teach us that not reserving the corner of your field for others or sharing your wealth is itself a form of stealing from the less fortunate. Or said differently, with great power and wealth comes great responsibility, and if we have that wealth and power, then it is our responsibility to share it with others.

Mysteriously, the watch that was stolen to me appeared in an unmarked envelope in my mailbox a few years later. Apparently the thief felt guilty or was caught by their parents. If only we could as easily return what we stole through failing to share our wealth with those who might have needed it when it mattered.

Shabbat Shalom

Fri, March 29 2024 19 Adar II 5784