Kaisipang Hudyo sa Mga Awit 119:30: Akeidat Yitzchak & Duties

It is a fact that nature works on the basis of promoting the useful and avoiding that which is harmful. If even the inarticulate animal kingdom knows how to choose a lifestyle that ensures its survival, man, who is endowed with superior intelligence can be expected to do likewise in even greater measure. By the same token, an animal that acts contrary to its healthy instinct, causes but limited harm. If man, however, should act contrary to his best interests, the harm he may cause can be far more extensive. If we do observe the odd phenomenon such as the ant act intelligently despite the absence of central leadership, this unusual phenomenon serves to draw our attention to the fact that normally, leadership is essential for successful pursuit of a nation's purpose. (1) If leadership is essential to avoid localised damage, it is even more essential to avoid widespread damage and destruction such as can be perpetrated by man. In order to minimise the need for Divine intervention, the Torah orders the active pursuit of righteousness. (16,20) In order to accomplish this, every town must have its own Court and police force with varying degrees of authority and competence required for the adjudication of civil law and criminal law respectively. (verses 3-23) Justice must not be bent, bribery is prohibited. Since man has a greater tendencey to be ruled by his basic urges, legislation to prevent or minimise this is important. Even the best man is not immune against the lure of material gain or the lure of acquiring power. The Torah therefore warns against the abuse of power by those entrusted with it. Even rabbis must not sit in judgment when one of the litigants is a colleague of theirs, a fellow rabbi. Their esteem for fellow sages might impair their impartiality. (Shabbat 119) The Torah issues a triple warning concerning the dispensation of justice on an impartial basis. "Do not wrest judgment, do not take bribes, do not respect persons." (verse 19) He who ignores these instructions is akin to someone who plants an asherah, a tree for the purpose of worship, (16,22) or he who "builds a pillar" for the purpose of sacrificing to another deity. (16,22) (2) He who employs laymen as judges instead of experts, is like someone who erects a pillar to worship. He who uses gentile legal methods is like someone planting an asherah for idol worship. He who displays prejudice and favouritism when adjudicating a case, is like someone who offers a blemished animal to G'd as a sacrifice.

Hence, for religious acts, trust in G-d is proper only in the completion stage of the act. After choosing it wholeheartedly and faithfully and after the second stage of resolving and making efforts to do it with a pure heart , and with intent to do it for the sake of His great Name. With this, we are obligated to beseech Him to help us in it, and to teach us on it, as written "lead me in Your truth and teach me" (Tehilim 25:5), and "lead me in the path of Your commandments for I desired it" (Tehilim 119:35), and "I have chosen the way of truth, I have placed Your ordinances before me" (Tehilim 119:30), and "I have clung to Your testimonies; O L-ord; put me not to shame" (Tehilim 119:31), and "And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in Your judgments" (Tehilim 119:43).