blogs/rabbi-huberman

Villager: We should defend ourselves. An eye for an eye - A tooth for a tooth!

Tevya: Very good. That way the whole world will be blind and toothless.

This brief exchange between the villager and Tevya is one reason why the musical Fiddler on the Roof remains one of the wisest and most quoted texts within all of contemporary Judaism.

Within Tevya's horribly mangled Jewish quotations, and his uphill battle to uphold tradition over modernity, the wisdom of Fiddler on the Roof remains with us to this day.

It is especially true this week, near the end of this week's Torah portion titled Emor (Speak), as we are presented with one of the most controversial phrases within all of Judaism - and by extension Islam and Christianity.

"If anyone maims his fellow, as he has done, so shall it be done to him; fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth." (Leviticus 24:18-19).

These often quoted biblical verses leave much room for debate and interpretation. Some Talmudic Sages argued that the phrase "eye for eye" should be taken literally, and that reciprocity and revenge are important factors in achieving justice. The majority of rabbis disagreed.

They interpreted the phrase to mean that knocking out someone's tooth, or blinding them serves no purpose, other than creating, as Tevya noted, a blind and toothless world.

Rather, our Sages promoted a model that encouraged monetary compensation for those who were physically harmed by another.

This debate over the "eye for an eye" passage provides a wonderful window of understanding of what made and continues to make Judaism special.

We do not always take the Torah literally. Indeed, while many people call us the People of the Book, that title is often misguided. More accurately, we are the People of Debate, Discussion, and Discourse.

We are a nation of interpretation.

Perhaps that is why there are so many Jewish lawyers.

Within other religious traditions, courts will often take this Biblical directive literally. In medieval and early modern Europe, the punishment for theft was the loss of the offender's hand.

By Sharia law, even today, similar punishment is not unheard of. A recent Saudi court case suggested that a violent criminal be paralyzed for the paralysis that he had caused his victim through a knife wound.

No such practice exists within Judaism. Rather, Judaism seeks peace, justice and resolution as opposed to pain, reprisal and retaliation. Or as Tevya put it, "If you spit in the air, it lands on your face."

And this understanding extends beyond physical injury.

Indeed, what are the High Holidays about if not to request pardon from those we have harmed, or granting forgiveness to one who approaches us with an apology?

In the cases of both physical and emotional injury, Judaism seeks closure.

Too often we carry invisible or written lists of grievances or perceived sins we believe others have committed against us. Perhaps we hold on these memories too tightly.

But Judaism teaches that, in order to achieve our full potential, we must find a way to delete or at least neutralize the baggage we carry.

While this week's Torah reading may on the surface lead us towards a textual discussion concerning eyes, teeth and fractures, it also inspires us to consider the fractures which remain within.

Rabbi Shais Taub notes that when we judge others, we are wasting the limited moments of our lives. "If I'm busy being God," he asks, "who is busy being me?"

So let us listen to the wisdom of our Sages, who encourage us to find wise and consensual ways to resolve conflict, whether physical or emotional.

We are reminded that the first five of the Ten Commandments deal with the relationship between God and humanity, while the second five relate to how humans relate to humans.

We must pay attention to both.

Whether it's during the High Holidays or every day, we need to consider ways to rid ourselves of lists, score cards and grudges -- thus embracing Shalom Ba'it -- peace within our domain.

It is the way we as a Jewish people have survived for thousands of years. We have embraced often difficult and painful discussions on the road to a more perfect world.

Two tablets working in harmony. The written word tempered by oral tradition. The Torah enhanced by context.

It is who we are: A people in search of balance.

Sunrise, sunset. Sunrise, sunset.

Shabbat shalom v'kol tuv.

Rabbi Irwin Huberman