Recap for 6 Lyyar 5775 (Parsha Metzora)

This Shabbos, David Schlesinger led discussion. We started off by discussing the counting of the Omer. In the times of the Temple, we would give a sacrifice and then begin counting the 49 days between Pesach and Shavuos. We discussed how the Rabbis continued this practice even after the Temple was destroyed. Thus, some hold that today it is no longer a Torah level commandment to count the Omer. It does make a difference, because if we have any doubts concerning our fulfilling this commandment we go strict if it is Torah level, and lenient if it is Rabbinic level.

This Shabbos we discussed a central concept of Judaism, that we are all together as part of a group. What one of us does, affects the others. David told a story that his father, HaRav Natan Ben HaRav Shmuel (aka Dr. George N Schlesinger), use to tell. A group of men are on a boat. One of them starts drilling a hole in the bottom, but doesn’t think it should affect everyone else. Of course it affects everyone else if the boat sinks, and likewise it affects all of us - what we each do as individuals in our community. It is important to note that it works both ways. The same way we can “sink a boat” we can also each help lift up our entire community.

This Shabbos we also had a discussion about choosing to do the right thing, simply because it is the right thing, and not because we are going to get something in return. Judaism brought the idea of morality to the world, in which right and wrong determines our actions, rather than what we have the power to do. As we choose to do the right thing we grow spiritually.

We discussed another topic this Shabbos, which is how we can attract people – such as the secular - to our more observant way of life. We discussed that it is better to not present newcomers with a full dose of our experience. David commented that it should be our goal to change ourselves and others gradually. David talked about how in life the important thing to focus on is the direction in which we are moving, and where we are going, rather than where we are at. Norm has shared in the past about focusing on one day at a time, when making change, and David has suggested doing at least one thing a day – anything - to move forward with our lives. This is important for both our secular and religious life.

Rabbi Bayovitz was with us this Shabbos, and he commented on how the yetzer hara will tell us we do not have to focus on our spirituality. The yetzer hara will put up in front of us more important things that we have to do, and cause us to give lower priority to studying Torah and going to shul. As we discussed sometimes we need to choose the right thing to do, rather than what feels best at the moment.

Yaki spoke about an ethical dilemma that he had with his freezer malfunctioning and dealing with spoiled food. He spoke about having insurance with 2 separate companies. Is it ethical for him to get paid reimbursement for his damages twice? We concluded that sometimes this is the way things are done – for example with life insurance – and sometimes it is not – for example with car and health insurance. Since he paid into both policies, from a Jewish law perspective it would seem ok to collect from both companies.

This Shabbos we discussed some more about how Hashem remains hidden, and how it takes away from free will for reward and punishment to be direct and obvious. This brought up the topic of the world to come. Would we finally be rewarded and punished in the world to come? David talked about the world to come being an experience in which we are very close to Hashem, and those who are prepared being able to appreciate and participate, and those who are not prepared being left out and bored. David told a story from his father, Dr. Rav. George Schlesinger, comparing the world to come to going to an opera. It is possible to study music and be prepared to enjoy and appreciate an opera. Likewise, we can spend our life growing spiritually and enjoy and appreciate the world to come. On the other hand we can be bored at operas, and in the world to come as well.

Finally, Yaki talked about the sin of lashon hara. Even if we are telling the truth, speaking bad about others is against Jewish law. We need to be careful gossiping and talking about others.

This is a summary of what we discussed. No Halachic rulings are intended or should be inferred.