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Originally published by T’ruah at http://www.truah.org/resources/kedoshim-love-the-stranger-as-yourself/ On a recent Sunday, I was invited to preach at a neighboring Episcopalian church. This church is unusual in
And YHVH said to Abram, “Lekh Lekha (go forth, but literally go to yourself) from your land and from your birthplace and from your father’s
Ha’edoti va’chem ha’yom et ha’shamayim v’et ha’aretz: ha’chayim v’ha’mavet natati l’fanecha, ha’bracha v’ha’klala. u’vacharta ba’chayim, l’ma’an tichyeh atah v’zarecha. הַעִידֹ֨תִי בָכֶ֣ם הַיּוֹם֮ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָרֶץ֒ הַחַיִּ֤ים
Arur makeh re’ehu ba’sateir – v’amar kol ha’am “Amen” אָר֕וּר מַכֵּ֥ה רֵעֵ֖הוּ בַּסָּ֑תֶר וְאָמַ֥ר כָּל־הָעָ֖ם אָמֵֽן׃ Cursed be the one who strikes down their fellow
To love the stranger represents an outrageous leap out of the typical moral economy, in which we do kindnesses and expect to be repaid in kind. In loving the stranger, we transcend self-interest.
This week’s Parsha, Shoftim, begins with this famous declaration: Tzedek, tzedek tirdof / צֶ֥דֶק צֶ֖דֶק תִּרְדֹּ֑ף Justice, justice thou shalt pursue. Deuteronomy 16:20 This is
Pato’ach tiftach et yadcha l’achicha, l’aniyecha u’le’evyoncha b’artzecha כִּ֛י לֹא־יֶחְדַּ֥ל אֶבְי֖וֹן מִקֶּ֣רֶב הָאָ֑רֶץ עַל־כֵּ֞ן אָנֹכִ֤י מְצַוְּךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר פָּ֠תֹחַ תִּפְתַּ֨ח אֶת־יָדְךָ֜ לְאָחִ֧יךָ לַעֲנִיֶּ֛ךָ וּלְאֶבְיֹנְךָ֖ בְּאַרְצֶֽךָ׃ You
B’ever ha’Yarden b’eretz Moav ho’il Moshe be’er et hatorah hazot בְּעֵ֥בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מוֹאָ֑ב הוֹאִ֣יל מֹשֶׁ֔ה בֵּאֵ֛ר אֶת־הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את On the far side of the
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