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Haven on Earth
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Haven on Earth
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'O YERUSHALAYIM, BUILT AS A CITY THAT IS COMPACT TOGETHER: THERE THE TRIBES USED TO GO UP, THE TRIBES OF THE L~RD, AN APPOINTED PRACTICE FOR YISRAEL, TO GIVE THANKS TO THE NAME OF THE L~RD.' TEHILIM 122. 'THE L~RD REIGNS; LET THE PEOPLE TREMBLE: HE IS ENTHRONED UPON THE KERUVIM; LET THE EARTH BE MOVED . . . O MIGHTY KING, WHO LOVES JUSTICE, THOU HAS ESTABLISHED EQUITY; THOU DOST EXECUTE JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS IN YAAQOV . . . EXALT THE L~RD OUR G~D, AND WORSHIP AT HIS HOLY HILL; FOR THE L~RD OUR G~D IS HOLY.' TEHILIM 99.
When Yerushalayim, the most ancient of places, appearing now to each who knows how, is representing us in the gate of our city, then the most Ancient will appear standing enthroned facing, as a giving of light upon the way, our walking together, our house building, our facing, our kindness a Holilife, on Holiday in Holicity. Free to us is our opportunity. Freedom grants responsibility to plead the common right. The common right to entrust Reciprocity.
'JUDGES AND OFFICERS SHALL THOU MAKE THEE IN ALL THY GATES, WHICH THE L~RD THY G~D GIVES THEE, THROUGHOUT THY TRIBES: AND THEY SHALL JUDGE THE PEOPLE WITH RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT.' DEVARIM 16. 'AND MOSHE CHOSE ABLE MEN OUT OF ALL YISRAEL, AND MADE THEM HEADS OVER THE PEOPLE, RULERS OF THOUSANDS, RULERS OF HUNDREDS, RULERS OF FIFTIES AND RULERS OF TENS.' SHEMOT 18.
If in fact the Torah is judge in the gate of every house, why then a need for a judge of ten? Perhaps because in each house, having its own particular gateway explaining the judgements of the Torah, their still remains a further need, to cooperate with other houses and their gateways to Torah judgement. If in living the judgements of the Torah, a group of ten households requires guidance to cooperate with each other, and to cooperate with others not of those ten houses, can not a judge of fifty suffice for organizing this ten? Perhaps the living Torah requires specifically organized groups then! Organized groups of families, rulers of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens!
Historically we have been learning all the commandments from a tradition which starts with the explanations taught by Moshe our Teacher concerning the Law given at Sinai. This explanation of the law re-included the transmission of the covenant made with Noach, and accepted by his sons Shem, Ham and Yefet from whom came the whole of humanity. The laws of circumcision, the sign of the covenant, which Avraham received upon himself and his household and by which he taught the significance of the covenant to all Mankind was at the giving of the Law from Sinai renewed also. The first laws that were given to the people of Yisrael, the people descending from our fathers Avraham, Yitzhak and Yisrael, in the interval during the process of being freed from slavery, until our receiving the Torah from the revelation at G~d's mountain, the laws of calendar, Pesach and Shabbat were also renewed as laws given at Sinai to the people of Yisrael and explained by Moshe our Teacher.
'AND IF THE HOUSEHOLD BE TOO LITTLE FOR A LAMB, LET HIM AND THE NEIGHBOUR NEXT TO HIS HOUSE TAKE IT ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER OF THE SOULS; ACCORDING TO EVERY MAN'S EATING SHALL YOU MAKE YOUR COUNT FOR THE LAMB . . . IN ONE HOUSE SHALL IT BE EATEN: THOU SHALL NOT TAKE ANY OF THE MEAT OUTSIDE, OUT OF THE HOUSE; NEITHER SHALL YOU BREAK A BONE OF IT . . . AND IT CAME TO PASS ON THE SELF SAME DAY, THAT THE L~RD DID BRING THE CHILDREN OF YISRAEL OUT OF THE LAND OF MITZRAYIM BY THEIR ORGANIZED GROUPS.' SHEMOT 12. END.