A Soulful Journey

Stephen Decatur, US Naval Officer and hero, wrote, "My country, may she always be in the right, but my country right or wrong." Half a century later, Carl Schurz, friend of Abraham Lincoln and Civil War hero, wrote, "My country, may she always be in the right! When right to be kept right, When wrong to set right." There is much to be learned from these statements about how we live our personal lives.  Do we justify our actions?  Or critically look at them and expunge what is not good?

A rich man once gave $10,000 to three individuals saying, “I want you to settle all my accounts when I die.  When that time comes, you can deduct whatever you think I owe you and throw the rest into my grave.” At the funeral the rabbi came and said, “I discovered that you never gave anything to the shul so I have deducted 10%.”  He then threw in $9000. Next came his partner and threw in $5000.  He said, “I deducted what you owed me.” Lastly came his lawyer proudly saying, “Although you owed me some fees, I am cancelling them and returning to you the entire amount.”  He then threw in a check for $10,000. The moral?  If we are devious enough we can find a way to defraud while thinking we have pure hands.  In the days leading up the High Holy Days it is wise to not indulge in self-deceit.  As the holy prayer Unetaneh Tokef declares, “He knows even our innermost thought.”