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Showing posts with the label handicap

Dis Abilities

  “People have disabilities. A handicap, on the other hand, is a disadvantage that makes achievement unusually difficult....  The person may have the disability but the environment produces the handicap.  A handicap is a societal burden, not necessarily related to a person’s physical or mental condition: a disability places an additional burden upon the individual but in no way diminishes that person’s potential – society does that.”     Harold E. Yoker   The Torah is transparent and revealing with all our fathers and mothers.  In every instance it details their disabilities from blindness to mental illness, to the incapacity to bear children….  And yet these are the people whom we venerate for their remarkable, unique abilities.

Judging

Rabbi Alexander said: “If a person uses broken vessels it is a disgrace.   But with God it is otherwise.   All His servants are broken vessels, as it is written, “The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and the contrite He will save.”   -Pesachim 158b Perhaps this is the greatest argument to not be judgmental.