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Torah Portions
The Weekly Torah Portion of Shoftim
True Responsibility
Our hands did not spill
this blood, and our eyes did not see... (Deuteronomy 21:7)
The principle behind the law of Eglah Arufah
(decapitated calf) is that a person is also responsible for what occurs
outside of the area where he is fully in control. When a murdered traveler
is found out in the field, the elders of the nearest city must go out there
and bring the Eglah Arufah to atone for the crime, although it
occurred "outside of their jurisdiction"; for it was nevertheless their
responsibility to send the traveler off with adequate provision and
protection.
The same applies on the personal level in all areas of life. A person
never has the right to say, "This is outside of my element. I have no
obligation to deal with this." If it is something that, by Divine
Providence, one has been made aware of, that means that there is something
one can do to positively influence the end result.
(The Lubavitcher Rebbe) |
