The original top ten list comes to us this week: The Ten Commandments. (Though, I should mention that none of the commandments is more important than any of the others. But I digress.) Among them is the 9th commandment: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Abravanel, the 15th century Spanish-Jewish commentator, writes that first, God warns us not to harm our neighbors with our actions. Do not murder; do not harm his body. Do not commit adultery; do not harm his family. Do not steal; do not harm his possession. After these precautions, God warns us not to harm our neighbor with our words: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Literally, bearing false witness is lying under oath, but Abravanel takes it one step further and says that this includes a prohibition against mocking our neighbors, slandering them, disparaging them, or insulting him publicly. Abravanel believes, and I agree, that included among the Ten Commandments is the requirement to treat one another respectfully and avoid causing others any kind of harm, be it through our actions or through our harm.
Next Friday is Freedom to Marry Day. Between this Shabbat and next Shabbat, countless groups around the country will gather to stand in solidarity with gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer neighbors who are not allowed access to civil marriage in most states in our country. Here in Minnesota, people of faith, along with many others, will gather at the Minnesota Capitol at 8:30 am on Thursday, February 11 along with Outfront Minnesota to say, “I do support love.” As long as marriage equality is not a reality across our country, we will continue to have neighbors who are mocked, slandered, disparaged, and publicly embarrassed through their being told that they are less than equal in the eyes of our state and our federal government. It is not enough to be sure that our actions do not hurt others, as Abravanel teaches us, but we must make sure that neither do our words cause harm. I encourage you to find a way this week to stand on the side of love and support marriage equality in our country.
Next Friday is Freedom to Marry Day. Between this Shabbat and next Shabbat, countless groups around the country will gather to stand in solidarity with gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer neighbors who are not allowed access to civil marriage in most states in our country. Here in Minnesota, people of faith, along with many others, will gather at the Minnesota Capitol at 8:30 am on Thursday, February 11 along with Outfront Minnesota to say, “I do support love.” As long as marriage equality is not a reality across our country, we will continue to have neighbors who are mocked, slandered, disparaged, and publicly embarrassed through their being told that they are less than equal in the eyes of our state and our federal government. It is not enough to be sure that our actions do not hurt others, as Abravanel teaches us, but we must make sure that neither do our words cause harm. I encourage you to find a way this week to stand on the side of love and support marriage equality in our country.
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