Torah Portion: Leviticus 26:3 - 27:34
Reading #1 - Leviticus 26:3–5
My Thoughts:
I have a friend who does metal detecting. Her and her husband go everywhere. They have found some very valuable jewelry, like wedding/engagement rings. The thing is they don’t attempt to find the owners, they keep what they find. Finders keepers, right? I was really interested in doing this, but then I read Torah and felt guilty about keeping anything that I found. In all reality, if you found a ring on the beach it would be impossible to find the owner. But, maybe not. Maybe you could report it to the park and maybe the people who lost it had filed a notice with the park. My point is – maybe we need to be careful about what we find and what we keep. Let’s try to find the owners first!
Challenge:
Specifically today Hashem is talking about things lost and then the person who found it lies. He teaches about restoration and reparation. We aren’t really taught about these things in our society. But, if we were taught, imagine how different society would be. Maybe people would not be quick to lie or steal. Maybe even the crime rate would go down if there was personal restitution required. You and I know how hard it is to make something right when we have wronged someone. It can be painful. That is my challenge to you today. If you have done something wrong like this – even if you feel innocent – go to the person and make it right. It will help to repair relationships and the world.
Reading #1 - Leviticus 6:3-5
6:3 "...or has found that which was lost, and lied about it, and swearing to a lie—in any of these things that a man sins in his actions— 4 then it shall be, if he has sinned, and is guilty, he shall restore that which he took by robbery, or the thing which he has gotten by oppression, or the deposit which was committed to him, or the lost thing which he found, 5 or any thing about which he has sworn falsely: he shall restore it in full, and shall add a fifth part more to it. He shall return it to him to whom it belongs in the day of his being found guilty.
