Rabbi Levin's Blog

If I ask you what the Torah talks about, what is your first reaction?  I have asked several people this question, across the spectrum of Torah knowledge and connection.  One of the typical reactions is that it is a bunch of rules.  Others mention the stories.  Some focus on “fire and brimstone” and punishments.  Today I got a nice answer:  After the initial “a bunch of restrictive laws,” he said that the Torah teaches us how to live our lives. What I want to suggest today is that a major theme of the Torah is to be honest.  You must not withhold the wages of a poor or destitute employee... You must give him his wage on his promised day—the sun must not set on it, because he is poor, and he risks his life to earn it... You must not pervert the judgment of a convert or an orphan... You must not keep two supposedly identical but different weights in your pocket: a heavy one for buying and a light one for selling... You must possess a full and correct weig...

Over the centuries people have eaten whatever they had available. There was often no understanding of the relationship between particular foods and their health. There were those who studied this relationship and learned about which foods are healthy and which are not. Some chose to eat healthy foods, and they enjoyed the benefits, both short and long term.  It was always much easier to just eat whatever is easiest to prepare. The good stuff may not taste as sweet, salty or crunchy and requires more thought and self control.  Then came the fast food. Instead of planning and cooking, or spending a lot of money and time in an upscale restaurant, you could pick up some delicious food, not even needing to get out of your car. It was advertised as delicious and convenient and healthy. (You could even get a piece of lettuce with the burger!)  the idea caught on like wildfire and spread throughout the world. What an easy way to provide for our nutritional needs. What fun!  ...

  There are many different types of tests that we face in life.  There is the test of suffering and the test of abundance.  Will we continue to keep our faith and serve Hashem under duress, and will we recognize the great gift of abundance that Hashem has given us and respond with greater fervor in our observance?  There is the test of temptation to sin that we all face every day.  There was the test of the “Akeida,” when Avraham was called upon to sacrifice his son, and other tests that great Tzaddikim have faced to expose their deep, unshakeable faith. I think it is fair to say that the test that Moshe describes in this week’s Parsha, Re’eh, is a major challenge, especially for our generation.  “If there will arise among you a prophet or dreamer, and he gives you a sign or a marvel, and the sign or the marvel of which he spoke to you takes place, and he says, ‘Let us follow other peoples’ deities, which you have not known, and let us worship them.’ You mu...