**D’Var Torah – Parshas Kedoshim*** this week is Parshas Acharai Mos & Kedoshim
What would you do in the following scene? You are a Dayan-Judge in a Bais Din . A wealthy man and a poor man come before with a dispute involving $1500. That sum is a huge amount of money for the poor man and an insignificant amount for the wealthy man. As you listen to the facts of the case, you realize that the law is on the side of the wealthy man. Do you rule in favor of the wealthy man because that is the correct ruling; or, do you rule in favor of the poor man since he desperately needs the money to live and feed his family, while the wealthy man will barely feel the loss of a thousand dollars, and the wealthy man is obligated to give tzedaka to the poor man any way? You are the judge. The power is in your hand. What is the right thing to do? From a purely humanistic point of view one would seem almost compelled to find for the poor man. The Torah teaches us otherwise. The Torah says that the dayan must render the accurate ruling without any outside considerations, even to the detriment of this poor soul. This doesn’t seem right! You know and I know, but the Torah knows better. If we give false decisions, we will be destroying the truth. Once we lose our perception of the truth, we lose our perception of reality and when that happens we lose everything. With our limited human judgment it may seem greater to help the poor man; but, the Torah is teaching us that maintaining and protecting the truth is the greatest good, even for the poor man who is ruled against in this case.
have a wonderful day everyone!