If I Were Jewish
3 min read
When boundaries become blurred, it’s important to clarify them. Boundaries define what is and what is not acceptable or appro
priate behavior in society. They express how we expect to be treated and determine how we treat others. Personal boundaries exemplify who we are and manifest our spiritual and moral personas. We don’t have security alarms to signal when our boundaries have been crossed. Our own internal alert systems determine if and when our personal boundaries have been compromised or violated.
In a world of shifting values, stable boundaries are crucial for safe- guarding our collective and personal identities. But who is to determine what those boundaries should be?
Long before the idea of “setting boundaries” was in vogue, the Torah emphasized their pivotal role in safeguarding the Jewish People. In this week’s Torah portion, specific boundaries were enumerated to maintain the sanctified identity of the nation. The statement “I am God, your God” begins and ends this section. These words succinctly reveal the Divine source from which humanity’s boundaries emanate. Maintaining Israel’s sanctity became the cornerstone of Jewish family and communal life for all time. Therefore, the purpose of boundaries was, and is, to protect against corrupting influences.
The first of the Ten Commandments is: “I am God, your God.” With those few words, the Jewish People are called upon to raise themselves to a greater degree of moral adherence to the Almighty. Rashi explains that they eventually could become disconnected from Judaism through forbidden relations— breaches of boundaries. To avert this, the section delineating forbidden carnal relations concludes with a dire warning: “The people of the land who preceded you did all of those abominations and the land became defiled. Let not the land vomit you out for having defiled it, as it vomited out the nation that preceded you… I am God, your God.” The seriousness of these transgressions is underscored.
When you value your identity, necessary measures are enacted to ensure its protection. Boundaries serve this underlying purpose. They may begin with the seemingly mundane but extend to the sublime. Without them, our innate sanctity can be lost. A sanctified people is comprised of individuals and families of outstanding spiritual and moral worth. To maintain this status requires ongoing diligence. The ongoing threat to our collective spiritual identities is all too present and real. At the outset, God foresaw this. The Torah tells us proactively to respect God’s Divinely prescribed boundaries and to refrain from Divinely proscribed relations.
All humanity must act above its base instincts to produce a better version of the world we all share. Observing and safeguarding the boundaries God gave us enables everyone to protect what we value most: our personal space and inner worth. Following God’s commandments refines and elevates us to manifest outwardly the Divine image in which we were created. That is sanctity in action. Its relevance is enduring and its opportunities are boundless.
