麻豆约拍

A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Rabbi Warren Elf

Good morning.

Today is the 10th day of the Hebrew month of Tevet. It is a fast day in the Jewish calendar from sunrise to sunset.

It commemorates the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylonia which culminated in many of the Jewish people being taken as exiles to Babylonia and later the Temple in Jerusalem being destroyed as well.

It is one of several days in the Jewish year when we remember events that have shaken and drastically affected the Jewish People.

The Temple was rebuilt, initially around 70 years later, but I believe that the first type of synagogues evolved in Babylonia, established by groups of exiles needing somewhere to meet and be Jewish together.

Being exiled from your homeland is something that many people around the world can identify with. Whether being forcibly removed or choosing to flee your country, escaping oppression or other adverse conditions, seems to be something that is affecting our world more and more 鈥� and it鈥檚 not right or fair!

I am very aware of the command in Torah, mentioned in one form or another 36 times, that the stranger must be treated fairly, with respect and love. Concern for the stranger was considered a religious value of supreme importance and reads: 鈥淵ou shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt鈥� and "You shall love the stranger as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt".

This is regarded as the central principle of Torah and should not be ignored by any Jewish person, whatever their position or role in society.

So my prayer today is that I never forget what has happened in the past and learn from that - that we have a duty to respond favourably to everyone, whether our neighbour or a stranger. May I always show respect, care and love to all my fellow human beings.

Amen

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