178. Shoftim: Responsibility, Eglah Arufa

This Week’s learning was sponsored in honor of the yahrtzeit on Beis Elul of Tzvi ben Shmuel. May his neshama have an aliyah and may his family be reunited all together with the coming of Moshiach! To sponsor a sicha, reach out to Etty 6197570486! Topic: The unique (and shocking) mitzvah of “Egla Arufa” - (“decapitated calf”), performed when a murdered person was found out in the field and the killer was unknown. The details of how this mitzvah is performed highlights the tragedy of what happened with this person. There are different opinions on which part of this tragedy to focus on, the murdered, the murder, or the murderer. Rashi focuses on the ONE who was murdered. We are all responsible for this person. We dont get to “dump” or “excuse away” the situation thinking “maybe somehow this person brought this on himself - not even using Torah sources for this” NO! We must RUN to look out for each other. Where do I put my energy? We all have to be shaken up. A, I ensuring that when ppl go on their way - they will be safe, right food, right clothing, right protection of yiddishkeit and torah and mitzvos? In this month of Elul especially, Hashem is ready for EVERY Jew. I must go out of my way to care for every Jew, not just in the city, but in the field! With the tragedy of the 6 yidden murdered this week, please take the time to listen to this sicha, and take on an active resolution to reach out to someone else. (Parshas Shoftim, Chelek Chof Daled p.121.)