LEV1092 The biblical verse that forbids people from mistreating a servant reads, "He [i.e., the master] shall not rule over him ruthlessly in your sight" (this verse, emphasis added). The implication of "in your sight," suggests that if you see someone mistreating another--even in a situation that is not life-threatening--you should intervene. Yet most people don't. Certainly, throughout history, people commonly saw masters mistreating slaves and, despite this verse, said nothing. Today, people often remain silent when they see peers (to whom they are free to speak their mind) shouting at, mistreating, or otherwise acting "ruthlessly" toward people over whom they have power. If this happens "in your sight," then you should not regard your presence as a coincidence. Rather, you should presume that God has placed you in this situation for a reason. Uncomfortable though it may be, speak up and try to save the oppressed from the hands of the oppressor.

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NUM66 Jewish culture has long linked meat eating with the mood of celebration. A well-known Jewish aphorism (based on Pesachim 109a) declares: "There is no joyful meal [on a festival] except with meat and wine." To this day, mention a holiday meal to most Jews, and what immediately comes to mind are foods such as chicken, chicken soup, and gefilte fish, along with wine and challah. Some Jews assume that this aphorism mandates the eating of meat on the Sabbath and other holidays. In support of this position, they cite Maimonides' ruling that a person is obligated to rejoice during festivals along with his family and all those who are with him. "How is this done? He gives sweets and nuts to the children... and the adult eat meat and drink wine... and there is no joy except with meat and wine" (See "Laws of Holidays" 6:18). I understand this statement differently. Maimonides' insistence on eating meat and drinking wine was presumably directed at the large majority of human beings for whom meat eating and wine drinking were luxuries. In effect, he was telling them: "Don't be parsimonious on the holidays; although meat and wine are expensive, don't scrimp. Spend the money so that you and your family enjoy yourselves." However, to imagine that Maimonides would insist that someone who experiences unhappiness at the thought of eating meat must do so makes as little sense as expecting that he would force a child who disliked sweets to eat them or that he would instruct an alcoholic to drink wine on a holiday. For such a person, drinking wine destroys, rather than enhances, the Sabbath or holiday's spirit. [On the other hand, there is one annual holiday meal during which the Bible mandates meat eating: the Passover feast, at which every Jewish family is instructed to consume the Paschal Lamb (Exodus 12:21–27). So basic was participation in the eating of this lamb that a Jew subjected himself to the punishment of karet--which involves the possibility of premature death at the hand of God--by refusing to participate in this ritual [this verse]. It is, therefore, clear that Judaism in the past did not sanction a complete vegetarian lifestyle. However, Jews have not sacrificed Pascal lambs since the instruction of the Second Temple (70 C.E.), and so the issue today is a mood one (also, see the following paragraph, which cites Rabbi Kook's belief that in messianic times all sacrifices will consist of vegetation, not animals). Therefore, there is now no meal at which a Jewish vegetarian is specifically enjoined to eat meat.

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NUM92 Help others to fulfill their potential. Since loving our neighbor involves wishing for others what we wish for ourselves (see pages 12–13), we need to do what we can to help others achieve their goals. Sometimes we hold back out of fear that our peers' achievements will come at our own expense. We all know, or have heard, of instances in which managers have refrained from promoting subordinates because they feared the subordinates might outperform them. Compare this behavior with an incident in the Torah. During the Israelites' sojourn in the desert, an unnamed man comes to tell Moses that two man, Eldad and Medad, are prophesizing. Although there is no implication that they are speaking falsely in God's name, or are saying untrue or irresponsible things, nonetheless, Joshua, Moses' top aide, says to Moses: "My lord Moses, restrain them." Apparently, he is concerned that the two men might become Moses' competitors. Unlike Joshua, Moses is not bothered, and he responds: "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, and the Lord put his spirit upon them!"(Numbers 11:26–29). Moses' trust in God and his generous love of neighbor freed him from the ego concerns that cause many of us to act unlovingly to others, and to refused to encourage their accomplishments.

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NUM132 The concept of seeking God's blessing for the sick is rooted in the Torah. When God strikes Miriam with illness for having spoken unfairly of her brother, Moses, it is he who prays to God on her behalf [this verse].

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NUM284 See [[NUM288]] Numbers 22:32 beaten TELVOL2 306-7

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NUM288 One way in which Balaam, the prophet hired by Moab's King Balak to curse the Israelites, revealed his low character was through his cruelty to his donkey. When an angel of God was sent to deter Balaam from setting out on his mission, the well-paid prophet couldn't discern the angel, but the donkey did, and refused to move forward. Highly irritated, Balaam started to beat the animal with a stick until God opened his mouth, and the donkey said to Balaam, "What have I done to you that you have beaten me three times?" (Numbers 22:27–28). The prophet responded by brandishing a sword at the donkey; at that point, the angel of God spoke to Balaam in a manner similar to the prophet's donkey: "Why have you hit your donkey three times?" [this verse]. [Both Maimonides (The Guide for the Perplexed 3:17) and Judah the Chasid (Sefer Chasidim #666) regard this biblical episode concerning Balaam and his donkey as the source for the biblical prohibition of cruelty to animals (see Rabbi J. David Bleich, "Animal Experimentation," in his book, Contemporary Halakhic Problems, Volume 3, pages 201-203).] Ironically, the sword-brandishing Balaam was killed shortly thereafter by a sword (Numbers 31:8).

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NUM295 The Bible depicts Balaam as having genuine prophetic ability and, like Moses, of being in personal contact with God. Though King Balak is willing to pay him well to curse the Israelites, Balaam, inspired by God, praises and blesses them instead [this verse, 24:9]. Why then is Balaam regarded as a villain? Because of an incident that happens a short time later. Perhaps to win back the favor of the highly irritated Balak, Balaam invites the Midianites to send out attractive women to seduce the Israelite men and lure them away from their attachment to God (See Numbers 31:16 and 25:1–3). Ever since, he has been regarded as an exemplar of someone blessed by God with great gifts, which he uses to oppose God's will instead of supporting it.

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NUM366 See [[NUM288]] Numbers 22:32 beaten TELVOL2 306-7

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NUM370 See [[NUM295]] Numbers 24:5 fair TELVOL2 265

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DEUT13 See [[EXOD653]] Exodus 22:20 wrong TELVOL2 268

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