This Shabbos we discussed the week’s parsha Behaalotecha. We welcomed back Avishai from Israel. We welcome Jason, a regular reader of the notes, to our kiddush.
David Schlesinger led discussion. In this week’s parsha, we did a lot of complaining as we travelled through the desert. We complained about the work involved in travelling, and also complained about the food, which had been only mana (bread). We discussed the connection between the parsha this week and the parsha next week. It was our mission to head straight into the land of Israel, after receiving the Torah at Mt. Sinai. However, with all our complaining and negativity the spies – in next week’s parsha – bring back a negative report and we end up wandering the desert for 40 years.
The other part of the parsha we discussed this Shabbos, has to do with Miriam who was talking negatively about Moses. This talk led to Miriam contracting the disease of lepardsy. From this parsha, we learn the laws of lashon hara. We discussed how lashon hara is talking negatively about others, and how it it not allowed by Jewish law, unless there is certain exceptions. These exceptions include preventing harm in others, in which case it may be an obligation to warn people of certain situations.
We discussed how sometimes we are faced with ethical dilemmas. For example, if someone asks us how they look in a dress, just because they asked doesn’t mean it is ok to be brutally honest! Sometimes we think there is an ethical dilemma when there is not. For example, David told a story from his dad, Dr. George Schlesinger, about someone who approached him with the ethical dilemma of not knowing whether or not he should cheat off of an available answer sheet. We may want to be honest but sometimes it is best to not hurt someone’s feelings.
The other part of the parsha we discussed this Shabbos, has to do with Miriam who was talking negatively about Moses. This talk led to Miriam contracting the disease of lepardsy. From this parsha, we learn the laws of lashon hara. We discussed how lashon hara is talking negatively about others, and how it it not allowed by Jewish law, unless there is certain exceptions. These exceptions include preventing harm in others, in which case it may be an obligation to warn people of certain situations.
We discussed how sometimes we are faced with ethical dilemmas. For example, if someone asks us how they look in a dress, just because they asked doesn’t mean it is ok to be brutally honest! Sometimes we think there is an ethical dilemma when there is not. For example, David told a story from his dad, Dr. George Schlesinger, about someone who approached him with the ethical dilemma of not knowing whether or not he should cheat off of an available answer sheet. We may want to be honest but sometimes it is best to not hurt someone’s feelings.
With lashon hara some ethical dilemmas may come up because in certain situations we may have to talk negative about someone. We may need to warn someone about someone else in order to prevent harm, but we certainly should not be getting enjoyment out of the lashon hara.
This Shabbos we discussed how perhaps the biggest obstacle we face is internal rather than external. This obstacle is known as the yetzer hara. The yetzer hara gives us a lot of temptation to do things that are harmful to us, or not do things that are good for us. When we can overcome temptation, that is a big accomplishment.
We discussed how we have a mitzvah to help bring God and Torah to everyone. In the past, we have discussed how we are all in this together. It is a big mitzvah to help bring Torah to others. I really appreciate those who have helped bring Torah to me. We discussed how it is also a mitzvah to help others overcome the yetzer hara. The yetzer hara gives us temptation to ignore Torah and live solely in the physical world. We have discussed in the past how it is not our mission to reject the physical world completely, but to apply Torah to the physical world.
Finally, we discussed the giving of Aliyahs during our services. In certain cases, such as on a yeirzeit it is appropriate to ask for an Aliyah. We talked about some of the drawbacks of giving out too many aliyahs. I really appreciate all the aliyahs I have received.
This is a summary of what we discussed. No Halachic rulings are intended or should be inferred.
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