A good friend of mine is going through difficult times. Two days ago he was told that he and his family are about to embark on a long, challenging path. To him, and to anyone who has challenges, I am writing the following words:
“Judges and officers you shall place in all your cities (literally: gates),” this week’s parasha tells us. One of the most popular commentaries on this passuk is the wonderful comment of Rabbi Mordechai Cohen of Tzfat in his book “Siftei Cohen al HaTorah”. This is what he says: “in all your cities/gates: those are the gates that are in a human being’s body – the eyes, ears, nose and mouth.” The Torah’s instruction to post judges and officers at all the gates, means that a person must judge well everything that goes in and out of his body’s gates. He has to go through a checkpoint every time something is entering or exiting. He has to stop for a moment, think and use his mind to decide what’s proper and what isn’t.
Not everything that can be seen should be seen. One must involve the judge at the eyes’ gate, and ask him to examine what is right and what is less than right; and if necessary, one may make use of the officer – the policeman. So it is with hearing. Not everything should be heard, certainly not lashon hara – derogatory, negative speech. The mouth should be subject to a thorough examination, to make sure that everything that goes in should be kosher, as well as everything that comes out of it.
This is the gist of the Siftei Cohen’s commentary.
I thought to add that when one is coping with challenges, one has to guard himself or herself from seeing everything as being black and negative; one should refrain from listening to pessimistic predictions and of course be careful not to speak of them. Judges and policemen should be placed at all the gates, in order to maintain constant optimism, and if necessary, simple-minded naivete.
These days, one must add another level: to make sure the eyes don’t google the situation. It’s permitted and the information is available, but a stern judge and an equally stern policeman should be posted there. One should also guard the ears and examine very carefully all the advice that comes through them. There is lots of advice. Most of the advice-givers mean well, but the judge and the policeman of the ears should sift through all of it and decide what’s suitable for you. And yes, one should guard one’s thinking. There’s no opening there where one can post a judge, but one does need a policeman who will reject negative thoughts, and leave only the happy ones.
And if one should ask: “How will I succeed?” the Torah says in the continuation of the passuk: “Which Hashem, your G-d, gives you”. Hashem gave us judges and policeman, together with the strength to use them. May we all be successful!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Zalmen Wishedski