Lex Talionis and a Passover Cat
Friday Night Shabbat Services Tonight 5/20, at the regular time of 7:00 PM.
Candle lighting in Austin is at 8:03 PM
Cantor Ben Moshe’s Message
This week’s parshah, Emor, contains the “Lex Talionis”, the Law of Retribution-“an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”. Many have decried this as a primitive law. Mahatma Gandhi famously said “An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.” However, Jewish Tradition has always interpreted this law to mandate proportionality in sentencing and punishment-an “eye for an eye”, not a life for an eye. The Code of Hammurabi, which is from roughly the same time period as the Torah, says that a commoner who maims a noble is to put to death. The Torah says that the punishment must fit the crime. Where English Common Law had the death penalty for theft of livestock, the Torah prescribes monetary compensation-as indeed Halachah does for the loss of an eye, a tooth or a limb. Would that all justice systems were so “primitive”. May we always strive for true justice, in our own lives and in society at large. Shabbat Shalom.
Hazzan Yitzhak Ben-Moshe
Sunday School will be this Sunday at 10 AM with our awesome teachers Morah Anat, Shiry and Bev. We will be having a Lag Ba Omer cookout immediately following to celebrate the end of the school year.
And don’t forget to save the date: Sunday June 5 at 4:45 PM, Beth El’s Annual meeting and kosher BBQ cookout.
Very happy and blessed birthday wishes to Mark Lit, Efrain Rodriguez, Bella B. and to Ruth Stavchansky!
We would all like to wish our own Arthur and Patrice both a refua shlema – a quick and speedy recovery. Our thoughts are with you both.
Grandpa Abe : THE PASSOVER CAT
I have to tell you about our little guy. Little Guy didn’t have a name for the longest time. Being he’s kind of small, the name Little Guy stuck to him. He’s really a funny, lovable and ornery cat. Isn’t that how cats are? We came home one evening and found him sleeping on a box of Matzoh. Yes, on a box of Matzoh! We thought it was so cute of him. We then thought we should move the Matzoh. We moved it to the other side of the kitchen and guess what? He followed it over there. We waited a day or two and moved it back to another spot. He didn’t like it, but he followed it over to there. We could tell by the look in his eyes that he didn’t want to play these games and leave his Matzoh box alone. We even tried to give him a little Matzoh to eat. He would have no part of that. Just the Matzoh box! When he is through outside running around all day, he’ll come inside and sit on his Matzoh box. It really is getting comical as one night we put the Matzoh box away and he howled until we brought it back. Well, I told Little Guy if he really wants to be Jewish, I could take him down to the vet and we could make a bris there. At that point, I got one of his “leave me alone” looks. Well, Passover is over and our empty Matzoh box is still on the counter top accompanying Little Guy as he dreams along. What is he dreaming about? Perhaps freedom as we just celebrated the freedom of the Israelites from Egypt. Perhaps he’s dreaming of the freedom he feels as he roams around outside. Whatever, the Matzoh box is staying where it is!
Community News:
Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning, Celebration of Learning: Tuesday May 24th, 7pm in the Early Childhood Multi-Purpose room. Featuring Keynote by Dr Robert Garcia on: The Crypto Jews of South Texas. Free and open to all.
SPLASH BASH AT THE J: Join the J on Sunday, June 5, from 10 AM-2 PM for a pool party, live music by Johio, inflatables, free sno-cones, prize drawings, and food for purchase. The BERS Sunday school kiddos will be there!
