Shoftim
by Rabbi Dovid Green
This week's Dvar Torah provided by
Rabbi Moshe Katz and Rabbi Doni Deutsch
of the Chicago Torah Network
1. DO NOT DESTROY ... (20:19)
Not to destroy things needlessly. Not to waste.
It's a Torah commandment. And a very important Jewish value.
Because it makes a powerful statement:
... That the world is not ours. It's G-d's.
And while it's true that Judaism teaches that G-d gave us the world.
And wants us to enjoy it.
It's still important to remember that it's really G-d's. So we
have no right to waste it.
... And it goes further.
Because the idea of not wasting applies especially to G-d's most
valuable gift.
The one we have a very limited supply of. All of us. Rich and poor.
... Time.
Think about it. We talk about 'killing time'.
... Killing. That's a pretty strong word.
But actually, it makes a lot of sense.
... When we think about how valuable - and how irreplaceable - each
minute is.
2. IMAGINE A VERY UNUSUAL BANK.
Where each morning they credit your account. With $1,440.
It's yours to spend.
With only one condition.
That whatever is left at the end of the day - is erased.
No balance is carried over.
The next morning? They do it again. Another $1440.
With the same condition.
... What would we do with that account?
The answer? We'd probably make sure to use every single penny. Every
day.
To make sure that we get the most out of it.
... Well there is a bank like that.
Time.
One thousand four hundred and forty minutes. That's what we get. Every
single day.
They're ours to use.
And what we don't use. . . Is lost.
Forever.
3. THOUGHT OF THE WEEK
"I used to think it was important to win every argument.
But now when I have a disagreement, I realize there's something much
more important.
... Not to lose myself."
HANG IN THERE - SHABBOS IS COMING!
Good Shabbos!
Special thanks to Rabbi Moshe Katz and Rabbi Doni Deutsch
of the Chicago Torah Network for their contribution of this week's dvartorah.
Text Copyright © 1998 Rabbi Dovid Green and
Project Genesis, Inc.
