What To Do Or Not To Do

Acharei Mot 5784

Im Tirtzi by Hanan Ben Ari

In this week’s parsha, Acharei Mot, God says to the people of Israel,

כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֧ה אֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַ֛יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְשַׁבְתֶּם־בָּ֖הּ לֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֑וּ וּכְמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה אֶֽרֶץ־כְּנַ֡עַן אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲנִי֩ מֵבִ֨יא אֶתְכֶ֥ם שָׁ֙מָּה֙ לֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֔וּ וּבְחֻקֹּתֵיהֶ֖ם לֹ֥א תֵלֵֽכוּ׃

“Do not copy the practices of the land of Egypt where you dwelt, or of the land of Canaan to which I am taking you; nor shall you follow in their ways.”

In her Torah commentary, Nehama Leibowitz writes: “The children of Israel, who had left and were about to enter a highly civilized environment after their long wanderings in the desert, were particularly susceptible to the cultural attractions… of their past and future neighbors. We know today, only too well, how the technical achievements of civilization do not always reflect similar advancement in the field of ethics and morality.” 

Over 100 years before Nehama, the Kol Omer Kra, Avraham Yehuda Shwatz, reinforced her idea and found basis for it in the doubling of the language of lo ta’asu (don’t do) in the verse itself. He said, “It says lo ta’asu (don’t do) two times because there are two commands here: 

1. Not to get used to the ways of the Egyptians because they resided there for two hundred and ten years, and a person can get used to anything they get stuck in…

2. Due to the newness and excitement of being in the land of Canaan, don’t go after the ways of the Canaanites, because the heart yearns after the “cool new thing.” 

That “cool new things” is my own translation… but it gets to the gist of what he meant. We live in the world amidst these other cultures, other wisdom traditions, other values. Instead of assimilating and becoming like their neighbors, God says we should,

 "וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת־חֻקֹּתַי וְאֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַי אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה אֹתָם הָאָדָם וָחַי בָּהֶם אֲנִי ה'"

You shall keep My laws and My rules, and in doing them you shall live: I am Adonai.” (Lev. 18:4)

Judaism is a counter-cultural religion. In a society where prosperity and work are paramount, Judaism reminds us to take care of those who are vulnerable and to take time to rest and gather in community. These instructions, these ways, allow us to truly “live” as opposed to just racing through life. We learn this lesson after the death of Aaron’s two sons. Judaism is a religion that values life, that cares for life. May we please continue to live that value into the world.

Shabbat Shalom,

Josh Warshawsky