June 19th: Shelach Lecha
THIS WEEK IN THE TORAH
Rabbi David E. Ostrich
I have always thought of Judaism as a thinking religion—a religion where our greatest spiritual heroes have had both the right and the gumption to argue with God. Abraham challenges God’s justice with, “Shall not the judge of all the world deal justly?!” (Genesis 18.25). Jacob wrestles with God and, though he limps away, “prevails” and becomes a Patriarch (Genesis 32). Moses, too, encounters God not just as an obedient servant but also as a partner who challenges the Divine when God loses His/Her temper (Exodus 32).
Thus does a particular phrase in this week’s Torah portion comes as a kind of surprise. It is part of the mitzvah of Tzitzit in Number 15 (verses 37-41). God instructs the Israelites to “wear Tzitzit on the corners of their garments throughout their generations.” The purpose of these knotted fringes is to remind us of all of God’s other mitzvot. “They shall be Tzitzit for you so that when you look at them you will be reminded of all the mitzvot of the Lord and do them.” Thus does the Tallit, the holy garment with Tzitzit on its corners, represent an invitation from the Divine. When we robe ourselves in our Tallesim, we are robing ourselves with God’s influence. Just as the Holy One is robed in holiness—“You are clothed in glory and majesty, wrapped in a robe of light” (Psalm 104.1), so can wearing the Tzitzit clothe us in holy possibilities.
The surprise and challenge comes in the next phrase: “This is so you will not go about after your own heart and your own eyes after which you have so wantonly gone astray.” The Torah seems to be putting a halt to independent thought, and, in Orthodox circles, that is exactly how it is understood. There are very strict boundaries around what is permissible and what is forbidden. As long as one adheres to dogma and follows all the mitzvot, one can think and ponder and argue. However, for Orthodox Judaism, the Tzitzit are seen as reminders that it is beyond the limit to question the Divine origin and validity of the mitzvot.
Liberal Judaism, with its autonomous approach to religiosity, looks at this passage differently. Since we define mitzvot in a different way, the mitzvot represent a different kind of limit. We consider the Bible and Talmud to be human documents reflecting our ancestors’ attempts to understand and live in relationship with the Divine—and not as literal instructions from God. As a result, we see the mitzvot as possibilities for sacred awareness and connection. They offer us opportunities to gain an apperception of God and to respond with holiness. They also represent the compelling principles of righteousness, compassion, and holiness. Thus can we look at the Torah’s warning, “so you will not go about after your own heart and your own eyes after which you have so wantonly gone astray,” as a reminder that our urges can overtake our better sensibilities. Whether our temptations are a fattening dessert, a juicy bit of gossip, the opportunity for some larceny, or some other nefarious possibility, we all have Yetzer HaRa, an Evil Inclination, that can lead us to folly or calamity. Pausing to consider our actions in the light of Yetzer Tov, our Good Inclination, gives us time to remember the importance of our core values and godly principles. This is our best chance to turn aside from evil and follow the path of goodness.
Temptation is, by definition, tempting; it seems like it will result in pleasure. The problem is that the temporary pleasure can do considerable damage—to our health, to our relationships, to communal trust. Illicit behaviors are ill-advised because they cause harm. Taking the time to process our urges through the filter of our principles can help us put a pause on impulsive actions and be the blessings we were intended to be.
Holiness is not a defense against sin. It is a reminder of better possibilities. When we wrap ourselves in the Tallit with the Tzitzit, we remind ourselves that we can do better—that we can make godly choices.