Devorim

Torah Thoughts- Devorim

Av 5 & 6, 5773   July 12 & 13, 2013

Righteousness, Fairness, and Equity in OUR Relationships

Were having spies seek out the land of Milk and Honey the most correct thing to do?  Was it right, ethical, fair to ALL parties involved?  Was Moses correct or incorrect in his judgment call, and did it help his people in the long run?  Was it right? Was it wrong? Was it “legal”, or was it that of “illegal” behavior?  Were things said one way, and acted upon in another?  Did Moses pay the ultimate price so his people could prosper?  Was all of this fair, or unfair? Was the trust present or was the trust broken in the relationship between Moses and G-d, and that of Moses and the masses!?   Were true righteousness, fairness, and equity practiced throughout?

Let’s take a look into our own modern day society where CEOs have literally ripped off their own companies all parties; the stock-holders, the employees, and all those that feel the repercussions.   Martha Stewart, Bernie Madoff to name a few and they feel justified and some-how they can rationalize what they have done, but the end result is it is NOT fair, and the masses do indeed realize it. It is and or was unfair on the trust, and the relationship and equity have been broken, and ruined.

We hear about this in our personal relationships as well.  If a partner can never be pleased, if a partner can never keep his/her word, and though it may not be ‘illegal’, the relationship, somehow will breakdown and eventually break!  There must be a sense of trust and equity in EVERY relationship; a matter of faith and sincerity.

We as humans have the keen sense to know right from wrong with in our relationships, personal and professional.  A good Con-artisit can run a company and lie through his/her teeth, and ruin not only the company, but many, many lives along the way, while pocketing millions.  Absolutely wrong, and destroys the trust of, the equity of the people, and obviously is NOT fair!

Jerusalem was destroyed because no equity or fairness prevailed.  Isaiah said it best, “Zion will be redeemed with justice and ‘her’ returnees with righteousness.”  Without equity and fairness, Jerusalem cannot be rebuilt back up.    It is like the story of the robber who was in jail for a year for stealing in the daytime, and asked the Judge upon review, “Well, when can I make a living then?”

The answer is SIMPLE!!!!  We all must make a live somehow, but without being a goniff (thief). The question arises then; is it morally right? Is it legal? Does it promote equity, fairness, and righteousness to all parties involved? 

No matter what type of relationship, we all must live lives of fairness & equity and this will solidify our relationships and allow us to thrive.  May we all have lives of fairness, truths, equity, and righteousness so we all may prosper!

-Amen-