Good Afternoon,

 

This week we start reading the book of Leviticus.  This book outlines the many intricacies involving the procedures a Priest would conduct including sacrifices.  In this Torah portion, Moses also teaches the people the laws of which sacrifices to give and when.  One of the situations discussed is when a person commits an unintentional sin.  

 

According to Hasidic thought and various psychological approaches as well, when we do something inadvertently, it is not a mere accident but it is our motives coming out from deep in our soul or subconscious.  These actions reveal what is truly going on deep in us.  Thus, one should not only ask forgiveness and make amends for the actual act that was committed, but for what occurred prior to it that led to it.  

 

That which allowed the act to occur, is our bad habits, our lack of self-control, or our negligence.  All of these individually or together can cause a situation where we commit an act unintentionally, even when the act is something we would never want to purposefully commit.  These sins reveal a piece of our hidden nature, and we must pay even closer attention to our soul and our psyche in order to do what we mean and mean what we do.

 

How many times in our lives are we rushing and we accidentally bump into another person or are we trying to do too many things at once and are distracted?  Whether it is by our phones in the car, how we speak or act to other people.  I am guilty of this and need to work on it as much as anyone.  I often have to remind myself that a text can wait, it is not worth a car accident, hurting myself or someone else.  It is not easy though.  With everything on our shoulders, it can be so tempting to try and do too many things at once. 

 

This Shabbat, think about a time when you have unintentionally hurt another.  What was happening with you before?  How can you prevent a similar situation from happening again?  Each moment is an opportunity to do and be better.

 

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Metz

 

Please join us:

Tonight for Kabbalat Shabbat Services 8 PM

Shabbat Morning services & Torah discussion, Saturday 10 AM 

The Science of Tasting, Cheese Saturday, March 24 7:30 PM – click here to sign up http://bethmordecai.org/special-events/science-of-tasting/

 

Join Us for our Second Night Community Passover Seder and Dinner on March 31, 2018, at 6:30 p.m http://bethmordecai.org/passover/second-night-community-passover-seder-and-dinner-march-31/

Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat