Page 3 - The Jewish Voice - March '21

The Jewish Voice, Page 3

From the rabbis

Leave Everything faith: “Shma Yisrael...Hashem Echad,” we are affirming a letter to G-d. He placed his envelope in the mailbox with
When we affirm the fundamental declaration of our
A young boy once desired $100, so he decided to write
in G-d’s Hand our belief not only in One G-d, but in a G-d who is One. only the letters G-D on the front of it. The amused postman
Nothing is outside of G-d. G-d is the essence of decided to forward it to the White House, just in case. When
By Rabbi Dovid Vigler Everything, and Everything is an extension of Him. the sincere and well-intentioned letter was seen by the White
Do you know anyone Hashem Echad = G-d is One. House secretary, she compassionately decided to slip in $5
foolish enough to serve To ascribe power to anything in our lives other than and send it back in a White House envelope.
idols? G-d is a flat-out rejection of G-d’s wondrous Unity. The delight of the young boy knew no bounds when
In the Ten Commandments, If you’ve ever said that “I’ve retained the best lawyer he found the letter, addressed to him in his mailbox. But
the Second Commandment is to represent me, I have nothing to worry about!” or “I’m when he opened the envelope to find just $5, he promptly
not to serve other gods. Who scheduled for an appointment with the top doctor in the sat down to write another letter to G-d:
in their right mind would bow field,” you are ascribing power to the lawyer or doctor as “Dear G-d. Thank you for responding to my request
to figures of wood, metal, if your fate is in their hands. How many people do you for $100. I always knew that I can count on you. But next
and stone as the primitive know who genuinely believe that money holds the solution time, please don’t send it through Washington. Those
pagans did thousands of years to all of their problems? If your happiness is on hold until thieves deducted 95 percent!”
ago? We are so much more you get the vaccine or that phone call, you’re making a G-d plays hide-and-seek with us: He hides and we
technologically advanced and societally sophisticated than they! clear statement that something besides G-d is in control seek. If his presence in our lives was obvious and clearly
Instead of struggling with monotheism vs. polytheism or of your life. apparent, we would lose our freedom to choose to believe
Judaism vs. Christianity, today our tough choices are between When King David was publicly shamed through the in Him. While we know that every decision is approved
Samsung and Apple, BMW or Mercedes, and Delta or American. curses of Shimi ben Geirah, David refused to allow his from on-high exclusively, and no human has any power
This commandment to abstain from worshiping idols is generals to defend his dignity by killing the offender. over us, we know that Hashem chooses to send his blessing
completely irrelevant to us today. It seems as if we need to be “What business do I have shooting the messenger?” says to us through mortals, men, and money.
worrying only about nine commandments, not 10. David. “For it was clearly Hashem who instructed him to Peace comes through Washington, not from it.
A closer analysis forces us to the stunning realization curse me.” Prosperity comes through Wall Street, not from it. And
that we are indeed as guilty of idol worship as our primitive And like David, those who leave everything in G-d’s serenity comes through the courts, not from them.
forbearers, if not more so. hand will eventually see G-d’s hand in everything. And in case you feel that G-d is great but He isn’t in
Idolatry isn’t the belief in the power of something other While our ancestors might have served inanimate idols control of everything, know that He also pays the bills —
than G-d. Idolatry is the belief that something other than G-d of silver and stone, we face the far greater challenge of it’s actually printed on our money!
has power over you. serving human idols of strength and sagacity. Rabbi Dovid Vigler is spiritual leader at Chabad of
Palm Beach Gardens and host of the Jewish Schmooze
Radio Show. Email him at rabbi@jewishgardens.com.
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From the Rabbis on page 4

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