Text 1: Leviticus 19:1-2 (Parshat Kedoshim - last week):
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר: דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַ֧ת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל
וְאָמַרְתָּ֥ אֲלֵהֶ֖ם קְדֹשִׁ֣ים תִּהְי֑וּ כִּ֣י קָד֔וֹשׁ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃
1. The LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
2. Speak to the whole Israelite community (kol adat Israel) and say to them: You shall be holy, for I, the LORD your God, am holy
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר: דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַ֧ת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל
וְאָמַרְתָּ֥ אֲלֵהֶ֖ם קְדֹשִׁ֣ים תִּהְי֑וּ כִּ֣י קָד֔וֹשׁ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃
1. The LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
2. Speak to the whole Israelite community (kol adat Israel) and say to them: You shall be holy, for I, the LORD your God, am holy
Text 2: From Parshat Emor - this week's Torah portion:
(כב) מִשְׁפַּ֤ט אֶחָד֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם כַּגֵּ֥ר כָּאֶזְרָ֖ח יִהְיֶ֑ה כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃
(22) You shall have one standard [law] for stranger and citizen alike: for I the LORD am your God.
Mishpat echad yihiyeh lachem, ka-ger ka-ezrach yihiyeh.
Ki, Ani Adonai Elohehem
Ki, Ani Adonai Elohehem
Baba Metzia 59b
With regard to one who also oppresses a convert as well, three prohibitions are written: “And you shall neither mistreat a convert, nor oppress him” (Exodus 22:20); “And you shall not oppress a convert (Exodus 23:9); “And you shall not be to him like a creditor” (Exodus 22:24). This last prohibition is a general prohibition, in which converts are included. … It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Eliezer the Great says: For what reason did the Torah issue warnings in thirty-six places … with regard to causing any distress to a convert?
With regard to one who also oppresses a convert as well, three prohibitions are written: “And you shall neither mistreat a convert, nor oppress him” (Exodus 22:20); “And you shall not oppress a convert (Exodus 23:9); “And you shall not be to him like a creditor” (Exodus 22:24). This last prohibition is a general prohibition, in which converts are included. … It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Eliezer the Great says: For what reason did the Torah issue warnings in thirty-six places … with regard to causing any distress to a convert?
Big Questions:
- How do we define a friend?
- How do we define a stranger?
- When does a stranger become a friend?
- Do we have subconscious biases in place in how we treat people based on our relationship to them - for example judgement, acceptance of opinion, etc?