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Ki Teze: Asylum for Those in Need
Submitted by on August 20, 2006 – 2:29 amNo Comment | 2,405 views
A Timeless Message
This week’s Parsha teaches us that we are morally obliged to grant asylum to those who flee persecution. “You shall not turn over to his master a slave that has been rescued from his master to you” (Deuteronomy 23,16).
The Torah was written more than three thousand years ago, yet it displays a timeless sensitivity and compassion that is amazing to behold.
What would the Torah think of the boatloads of Jews, who fled Nazi persecution only to be turned away by countries that ostensibly represent freedom?
What would the Torah think of the refugees that were turned away from the shores of Australia where they sought asylum in 2001?
What would the Torah think of those in Seattle who gathered around a suicidal woman, perched atop a bridge, and encouraged her to jump instead of coming to her rescue?
Every Moment is Precious
I attended a funeral recently. Reflecting on the frailty of life, the new widow tearfully implored me to take advantage of every moment, to embrace it and to fill it with meaning. In her words, life is too precious to be trifled with and too short to be wasted.
What can be more meaningful than coming to the aid of a person in need?
Tags: life, morals
