Wise Choices
This week’s
Torah portion is another combination of parashat, ‘Aharei Mot and Kedoshim.
‘Aharei Mot opens with Aaron purging and cleaning himself, his homestead, and
the Tabernacle after the death of his two sons. It ends with commandments on
sexuality. Kedoshim expands on laws given in the Ten Commandments, focusing on interpersonal
relationships. Rules about stealing, lying, and hurting others in general hone
in on how we treat others.
I want you
to consider this. What are the words for true and false in Hebrew? Emet (אמת) and Sheker (שקר), respectively. Emet
is made up of three letters (Aleph, Mem, and Tav), which come from the
beginning, middle, and end of the Alef-bet. Hashem is also known as the
beginning, middle, and end. He was, is, and will always be. Sheker is also made
up of three letters (Shin, Kush , and Resh). However,
these letters are all from around the end of the Alef-bet. If you think of the
letters on a linear plane, Emet is spread and balanced, while Sheker is unequal
and misbalanced. Therefore, being truthful and kind in your dealings can only
lead to good relationships and success, while lies and unfairness can only
crumble.
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