Friday, January 24, 2014

A brief thought

I just read this article on the Times of Israel:
http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/reigniting-prayers-passion/


Discussing the drama around SAR and Ramaz allowing women to wrap Tefillin at minyan (with caveats and conditions), the author wonders how we can inspire prayer rather than stifle it.

To me this is much of the lesson of the parsha. Mishpatim follows Yitro. After the highs of the Aseret HaDibrot, we have the details of the laws.  How do we jump from one to the other?

The simple answer is that we cannot live at a wedding.  We live in real life.  God knows that and puts all of those laws after the big ones.  The way we live each day is the representation of the ideas of last week.  The way we talk to our spouses, do our business, love, live and work is more accurate than how we perceive our ethics!  We have to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.  If we can find passion in that, we are truly following God's ways!