Pork on Shabbat? A New Approach to Healing America?
Famed Talmudic scholar, Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz invited a professor to his Talmud class at a Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He asked the professor, “Why don’t you join the class? All of your colleagues come. It’s in your building — right down the hall.” The professor responded, “I don’t belong in the class. We have nothing in common.” “What do you mean we have nothing in common?” asked the Rabbi. “You don’t understand!” said the professor. “I only eat pork! On Shabbat! Exclusively!” “Only on Shabbat?” asked Rabbi Steinsaltz. “Specifically! Spitefully! On Shabbat!” “Ahh, in that case,” said Rabbi Steinsaltz, “we do have something in common.” “What do you mean?” asked the professor. I have my way of observing Shabbat and you have your way of observing Shabbat.” Both men are talking about celebrating Shabbat. Clearly, they both believe it is important or they wouldn’t bother to engage in the ritual and/or to object! So they actually agree on that point — Shabbat is important. They just don’t agree on precisely what should be done about it! In this week’s Torah portion, we read how Avraham had a nephew (and brother-in-law) named Lot who came with him to Canaan from their homeland. After a while, it became clear that Avraham and Lot had different values. Avraham’s and Lot’s shepherds were quarreling and it got to the point where Avraham finally said to him: “Please let there be no quarrel between me and you… for we are brothers… Please separate from me. If you go left, I go right. If you go right, I go left.” Sounds like a parting of the ways, right? Rashi repositions the statement ‘you go left and I’ll go right’ as really meaning ‘I won’t be far off and I’ve got your back.’ It sounds like such a twist of logic, but ultimately Lot required this assistance as it says “And Avraham heard that his relative was captured… [and went to rescue him.]” But really, the question here is how do I deal with someone who is on the opposite side of an issue? Do I fight them? D
