A Soulful Journey

Rabbi Yehuda the Pious tells the following story.  A Jew came to a rabbi to complain that his children had died and his fortune was lost.  How could this be?  HIs whole life he had never sinned. "Did you ever steal?" asked the rabbi. "Yes," replied the despondent man.  "I used to have a pagan who worked for me.  He was dumb.  I added his wages for him.  He trusted me and I didn't pay him in full.  What did he need it for?  Drink?  When he died all these terrible calamities occurred." "That is the sin," said the rabbi.  "It is a terrible crime to steal, even from a  pagan.  You stole coins, but you paid with your purity, your innocence, your heart and your character.  Woe to you."

A rich merchant arrived at a city to collect debts owed to him.  He was insistent for payment by those who owed him large sums but he did not press the smaller debts as strenuously.  One very poor man he did not bother at all. The wretchedly poor man boasted to others, "See, I am left alone because my credit is better than yours." "Oh no -- that is not the reason," the others explained.  "The merchant does not bother you because you are so small and insignificant.  You have little or nothing to give." Moral: Since Moses was harshly chastised for a minor sin, how are we, insignificant by comparison to him, to be punished for our numerous sins?  But, we are only inconspicuous beings, like the poor merchant, who have nothing.

“When we demand justice, it is not always justice on our behalf against other people.   Nobody, I imagine, would ever ask for justice to be done upon him for everything he ever did wrong. “We do not want justice – we want revenge; and that is why when justice is done upon us, we cry out that God is vindictive.”    - Dorothy L. Sayers Isn't Hillel's rule "What is hurtful to you, do not do to others?"

  “There is no distinctly American criminal class - except Congress.”   - Mark Twain We need governance.   We require the political process.   Yet, it is so vital to not become tainted by the very process that insures our rights.   Every business, organization, company, and gathering   is a “congress”. Our task is to be true.