Dos and donts

As Jews, we are constantly told what we cannot do. If you are a Nazarite, you cannot drink wine or strong liquor. You cannot visit a graveyard or shave your head for a loved one who dies (BaMidbar 6:1-21). You have to follow God's commandments, because if you don't, bad terrible things will happen (parshat BeHar). You can't stay in the camp if you are a leper, if you've sinned, if you're impure/unclean.

Basically, the Torah is full of hearing what we cannot do, but less full of the positives, the things we can do. Obviously, we can bring guilt offerings, sin offerings, peace offerings, burnt offering, dedication offerings. But what about the rest?

In BaMidbar 6:23-27 we as the Jewish people are given the ultimate, what we CAN do. The most prophetic part of this is that we have nothing we are required to do in exchange for receiving this. These verses are the priestly blessing, installed on Jews in times of love, dedication, prayer and blessing. God does not ask us for anything in return. And the power of these verses is immense.

The question is whether this priestly blessing out weighs the curses and don'ts that are littered throughout the Torah? Even more, what does this mean for us today? Simply put, the answer is yes. This is as if God is establishing a second Brit, a second covenant with us, bringing us to God as God's people, just as Ruth chooses to be a part of the Jewish people, God actively chooses us to be God's people. Yes, this puts the yoke of the covenant on our shoulders, but it tells us, the Jewish people, that we are still worthy of receiving this blessing. God gives all the don'ts but then hands down the ultimate do. This is acceptance, without judgement.

We have been given a promise from God, that God will be with us inspire of what we do. This doesn't mean we can simply act in whatever way we see fit and ignore common sense and the laws as before, but it does mean that God has chosen us, that we now need to fulfil our end of the bargain.

מברכך ה׳ וישמרך. יאר ה׳ פניו אילך ויחונך. ישא ה׳ פניו אליך וישם לך שלום. God will bless you and keep you. ה׳ will shine upon you and be gracious to you. God lifts up God's face to you and brings you peace. End quote. The chapter finishes with God saying: ושמו את-שמי על בני-ישראל ואני אברכם. And they will put my name on the people of Israel and I will bless them.

Today, we must live as righteous Jews, as righteous individuals, and demonstrate that we are worthy of receiving God's uttermost blessing. We need to make Judaism relavent to people, bring them closer to a better understanding of what it means to live jewishly. We need to re-establish what it means to be a people.

This is not an easy task by any stretch of the imagination. We must slowly and painstakingly lay the foundational work and re-assess it. But once that is done, we can put up the walls and bring in more and more people and knowledge. In the process, we will demonstrate our continued worthiness to receive God's blessings.

כן יהי שלום, may it be God's will. Amen.