BLUFFTON SUN, HILTON HEAD SUN, NEWSPAPER, MARCH 4, 2014,
FAITH AND VALUES: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL
Shalom and Peace:
We will continue to look in depth at some of the many verses held in common by Judaism and Christianity, and at the same time, understand their Jewish Rabbinical roots.
Matthew 7:3-5: reads: '' Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.''
500 years or more before Matthew, the oral tradition of the Talmud in Tractate Er'chin 16b states: "I wonder if there be anyone in this era who will allow himself to be reproved. If someone says to another, 'Cast out the speck that is in your eye!' he will retort,' Cast out first the beam that is in your own eye!''', while Talmud Kidushin 70a says:'' He who condemns others, sees in them his own faults,'' and Talmud Bava Metzia 59a relates: ''Do not rebuke your fellow with your own blemish.''
Judaism gives much value to peaceful relations, as well as continual ethical and spiritual self-improvement. While we are commanded in Leviticus to gently reprove someone who is in error, the sages go into deep discussion of when and how and by whom this edification is accomplished.
The sages were well aware of what psychiatrists today call 'projection.' Rather than work on our own character defects, we see in others, traits that remind us of ourselves, and criticize them, rather than working on improving ourselves.
Rabbi Chaim of Zanz was 20 years old and wanted to reform his entire country morally. By the time he turned 30 he'd had no success. Thinking that he'd bitten off more than he could chew, he decided to focus on his province. At the age of 40 he realized that his scaled-down program was also a failure and decided to morally reform his own town. Ten years later the town looked the same morally as when he'd begun. Now 50 years old, Chaim finally came to the conclusion that he could not reform others without first taking the time to repair his own soul.
Living a life of happiness, joy and freedom begins with repairing ourselves, not by being judgmental and critical. We all need to practice more blessing, and less kvetching (complaining).
Rabbi Arthur Segal is an international lecturer, author, and teacher. Visit him at www.JewishSpiritualRenewal.org . Follow him on FaceBook at 'Arthur L Segal', on Twitter at RabbiASegal, or his blog at http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com . Email at RabbiASegal@aol.com .
RABBI DR ARTHUR SEGAL
www.JewishSpiritualRenewal.com/books www.FaceBook.com/Arthur.L.Segal www.FaceBook.com/RabbiArthurSegalJewishSpiritualRenewal www.RabbiArthurSegal.blogspot.com
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
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Jewish Spirituality
Hilton Head Island, SC; Bluffton, SC; Savannah, GA
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