Last week's Torah portion, Shoftim, included one of the most important mitzvot/obligations/responsibilities/privileges; "Tzedek tzedek tirdof," Justice, justice you shall pursue (literally chase). And then seventy four mitzvot are given in this week's Torah portion, Ki Teitze. (More than any other portion, according to Chabad.org.)
Last week we were commanded to chase, run after justice. It's so important that the word is repeated twice "justice, justice". And this week we are commanded to observe a whole bunch of laws including; burying the dead without [undue] delay, returning a found object, the prohibition against causing pain to any living creature, the prohibition against prostitution, the laws of marriage and divorce, the procedure of the Levirate marriage, and the obligation to wipe out the memory of Amalek.
So what's the connection between the two? The obvious connection is that all of the commandments listed in this week's portion are about the pursuit of justice. But, let's go deeper.
The mitzvot listed aren't only about justice. They are about compassion too. Burying the dead as quickly as possible is an act of compassion to those in mourning and also to the person who has died. Returning a found object to its owner is an act of compassion towards the person who is missing the item. We all know what it feels like to lose/misplace something really important to us (Handbag or cell phone anyone???). And we know the extreme relief we feel when it's returned. I must confess, I am not quite certain (yet) how compassion relates to wiping out the enemy.
There must be a link between justice and compassion. Perhaps the only way to have true justice, full justice, real justice, is to mix it with some amount of compassion. It's quite compelling that our obligation is two fold. We are obligated to seek out justice. We may not stand idly by knowing a wrong is being done. We may not remove or ignore our responsibility from a situation just because we aren't the ones committing the wrong. As soon as we know about the injustice we must do what we can to stop it and protect what is being harmed. This is not simple.
In addition, we must also be mindful that compassion plays a role in our efforts. This is also not simple.
The Torah never asks us to be perfect. It always asks us to try.
Mekor Hachayiim, Source of Life, as we move into Shabbat, continuing our journey through Elul, each day getting closer and closer to Rosh Hashanah, may we be mindful of our responsibility to chase after - run after justice. May we be mindful of the importance of inserting compassion. May we be mindful of our capacity for both.
Shabbat shalom u'mevorach,
Laurie
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