EXOD500 Some have interpreted the verse about not making idols out of gold or silver in a literal sense-do not make money into an Idol, something other than God that a person believes has ultimate power. In fact, some commentaries have shown that the Hebrew word for money or silver, "Kesef," actually means an insatiable desire. Thus, Ecclesiastes is really teaching that when a Jew's desire for Torah is the same as a greedy person's desire for money, then he has achieved God's true will. Ecclesiastes 10:19 with Chomat Anach (Chida) commentary. The word "Kesef" - "desire," is even use by King David to describe his desire and a longing to be close to God. Psalms 84:3 with Rashi and Ibn Ezra commentaries.

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EXOD499 "The Longest Distance Is to One's Pocket" (Yiddish Proverb). And then there are those who seem almost congenitally unable to let go of any of their money at all: "These are the traits of the miser: He does not give charity, he does not have mercy on the poor, and in business, he does not yield at all. He does not feed or clothe or give pleasure to anyone but himself. And he doesn't trust God, who gave him his money" (Orhot Tzaddikim). Having an atrophied sense of solidarity with the rest of humanity, the miser sneers at those who must receive as well as those who willingly give. "R. Judah said: The miser responds to the poor man with an evil disposition: 'Look at those thighs--look at those legs! See how fat you are! Why don't you go out and work for your food?'" (Lev. R. 34.7) Since the miser thinks only of himself, he says:" I will cut down this fruit tree for its lumber" (Pes. 50b). He is not only indifferent, but downright disdainful of such a tree's promise to produce an edible yield over and over again. By worshiping money, the miser violates the commandment [this verse]. By rejecting the divine spark within everyone, misers commit blasphemy, reducing God to a being as little and mean-spirited as they are.

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EXOD502 It was in Avoth itself that we learned that if any number sit and study Torah together, be it ten or two, the sh'chinah (Divine Presence) dwells in their midst (Avoth iii 7). So, too, does the world become worthwhile, justified on account of anyone who studies Torah for its own sake. Metaphorically he lights a candle in a world of spiritual night, to let some added measure of Godliness dwell here on earth, bringing a little closer the time when Divine illumination will reach everywhere. Vilna was holy because of the Vilna Gaon and the great scholars who followed. Radun acquired holiness because the Hafetz Hayyim lived there. The Almighty promised, "In every place where I will have My name mentioned, I will come to you and I will bless you" [this verse]. Holiness among American Jewry need not be limited to certain parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The Torah and its study are portable: it can be transported and transplanted. In the wilderness the Almighty told Moses, "The place on which you are standing is holy ground" (Exodus 3:5)--because there and then Moses was about to receive His word. Wherever we open the page of Torah to receive His word, that place becomes hallowed.

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EXOD503 (Continued from [[EXOD189]] 13:18 armed AMJV 120-1).  And yet, Judaism makes a clear distinction between “religion and state” when it comes to weapons.  Weapons are indeed necessary, but they remain an “evil” and must never be used in any realm considered “religious” or holy. Thus, already in the Torah, God forbids the building of the Holy Altar using any metal implement (it was built miraculously with a special Shamir worm that cut stone). Why? Rashi explains that the symbol of the Holy Altar is to extend human life, while metal, representing weapons, diminishes life. One cannot be used to build the other. Bechor Shor similarly states that since metal and weapons represent hurting man, the opposite of holiness, the Altar, the symbol of holiness, could not be built with metal.  It is clear, then, that while Judaism recognizes the need for weapons in the context of war, they are only a necessary tool for engaging in battle and not something to be proud of or admired. The ultimate goal for weapons, in the famous verse in Isaiah, is to make them totally unnecessary and hope for the time when the metal from weapons will be melted down to be used for farm tools. Isaiah 2:4

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EXOD504 Do not use hewn stones to build the Altar. So that we internalize that the Altar brings us peace and blessing, because through the Altar we gain atonement for our sins. To fix this point in our minds and hearts, the Torah forbids us to build an altar out of stones that were cut or shaped by any tools made of materials that are used for destructive purposes, such as iron. Weapons of war and destruction are made of these materials. A tool made of a substance that is used for bloodshed and violence must not be wielded over the stones of the Altar.

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EXOD505 We should try to make peace between people who are quarreling. Stones used for the alter in the Bais Hamikdosh (Holy Temple) were ruled unfit for use if they were touched by an iron implement (Rambam, Hilchos Bais Hamikdosh 1:15). Rashi cites the Mechilta which explains that because the altar established peace between Israel and their Father in heaven, it was forbidden to use an instrument of violence in its construction. The Mechilta proceeds with a kal vechomer (an inference from minor to major): "Stones do not see, hear or speak, but because they establish peace, the Torah said that you shall not lift up your sword upon it; therefore someone who makes peace between a man and his wife, between one family and another family, between a man and his fellow man, will surely merit that no harm shall befall him."

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EXOD506 A moral condemnation of war was inherent in the prohibition of the use of metal tools in the construction of the sanctuary's altar [this verse]. The use of a chisel, an implement of war, would profane the altar, a symbol of peace and reconciliation. King David was not authorized to build a temple in Jerusalem because "thou hast shed blood abundantly and hast waged great wars" (I Chronicles 22:8). An idealized picture of an era of lasting peace, millennia ahead of its time, was drawn by prophets of the eighth century B.C.E. in poetic terminology which has not lost its force with the passage of time. "And he [God] shall judge between nations and shall decide for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning forks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore" (Isaiah 2:4). The cessation of war will come when the discordant elements of mankind learn to live in unity and peace. This vision was expressed by Isaiah in the following allegory, "And the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lay down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them" (Isaiah 11:6). Isaiah's prophecy was echoed in almost identical words by his younger contemporary, the prophet Micah (Micah 4:3–4). The dream of a messianic age emerged in the sixth century B.C.E. The prophet Zechariah envisioned it as an era of discernment and peace when nations will be governed by law and not by the sword. "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts" (Zechariah 4:6). "And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle-bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace unto the nations" (Zechariah 9:10). In the view of Maimonides (12th cent.) the messianic era will not usher in a change in the order of nature, except that there will be neither famine nor war, nor rivalry nor contention (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Melachim 12:5). Needless to say, even in the messianic era there will be a great need for the quality of compassion. Its value, then as now, will depend on whether it is used to promote justice or to defeat it.

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EXOD507 Privacy is at the heart of mutual trust and friendship, tolerance and creativity. If you reveal things I tell you in confidence, I will think twice before trusting you as a business partner, a colleague, or a friend. Along the same lines, privacy is a prerequisite for a free and tolerant society, for each person has secrets that "concern weaknesses that we dare not reveal to a competitive world, dreams that others may ridicule, past deeds that bear no relevance to present conduct, or desires that a judgmental and hypocritical public may condemn" [citations omitted]. These moral concerns justify the protection of privacy in any society, but a religious tradition like Judaism adds yet other rationales for safeguarding an individual's privacy. First, since human beings, according to the Torah, are created in God's image, honoring them is a way to honor God and, conversely, degrading them is tantamount to dishonoring God. [Mekhilta Yitro on this verse; Sifra Kedoshim on Leviticus 19:18 (also in J. Nedarim 9:4 and Genesis Rabbah 24:7); and Deuteronomy Rabbah 4:4.]. One way we respect others is to safeguard their confidences. On the other hand, revealing people's secrets shows disrespect for them--and often downright shames them. But the Jewish tradition teaches us that when we reveal a person's secrets we not only defame that person but also we dishonor the image of God within that person and thus God Himself.

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EXOD508 We must treat our fellow man with even more respect than we would treat the altar in the Bais Hamikdosh. The approach to the altar was not to be made of steps; rather it should be a gradual incline. Rashi cites the Mechilta: "If there would have been steps, the priests would have widened their paces; and although it is not an actual uncovering of nakedness, for the priests wore breeches (Shmos 28:42), nevertheless the widening of one's paces in ascending and descending steps is akin to uncovering nakedness and this would be considered acting toward the altar in a disrespectful manner. From here we have a kal vechomer: "The stones of the altar have no understanding or sensitivity to shame, nevertheless the Torah says that since they fulfill a need you must not act toward them in a disrespectful manner. How much more so should you not act disrespectfully towards your fellow man who is an image of your Creator and is sensitive to his shame." This statement speaks volumes on the Torah attitude toward man. We must treat our fellow man with more respect than we would the altar in the Bais Hamikdosh. Anyone visiting the Kosel Hamaravi (Western Wall), which has less sanctity than the altar, will have a glimpse of this level of respect. If someone were to sling mud at the Kosel, everyone present would run to stop him. How much greater is our obligation to prevent someone from slinging verbal mud at another person!

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EXOD509 Moses received the Torah at Sinai and handed it down to Joshua; Joshua to the elders; the elders to the prophets; and the prophets handed it down to the Men of the Great Assembly. They [the Men of the Great Assembly] said three things: Be deliberate [patient, careful] in judgment; raise up many students; and make a fence for the Torah... Pirkei Avot, Perek I mIshnah 1. The Men of the Great Assembly said three things, the first of which is, "Be deliberate in judgment." A judicial decision, particularly one involving religious law, must not be given thoughtlessly or in haste. Ill-considered judgments usually generate reversals by the same court and conflicting opinions by others. These in turn lead to a loss of respect for the courts and a downgrading of their authority. If you wish to render a judgment that will be just and final--be deliberate. We read in the Torah, "And you shall not ascend My altar by steps, so that your shame may not be revealed" [this verse]. This is followed by, "And these are the ordinances which you shall set before them." (Exodus 21:1) The meaning might be: Do not ascend the altar of the Almighty by taking precipitous steps, by a hasty skip or jump; the ordinances and judgments must be placed before the people slowly and deliberately. Far too many of us, in formulating opinions, jump to conclusions, overlook important considerations, and later regret in leisure what we decided in haste. Proceed slowly in matters pertaining to Jewish law, lest your "shame" be revealed: lest your judgment be held up to ridicule. Another reason for deliberation and judgment is that with a little time and effort, a settlement or compromise can be usually reached to which both litigants can agree. A judge can often settle a matter to the satisfaction of all concerned out of court, and his private chambers. A decision reached in haste would preclude such a possibility. In fact, says the Ba'al haTurim [Rabbi Jacob ben Asher (1269-1343), author of a commentary on Pentateuch; so called because he wrote a four-volume work on Jewish law entitled arba'ah turim ("the four rows")], the word hamishpatim, "the ordinances," is composed of the initial letters of the Hebrew for: "The judge is duty-bound to make an equitable compromise before he reaches an ultimate decision."

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