The Hebrew word Mitzvah is typically translated as either “good deed” or “commandment.” I would like to suggest an alternative, “obligation.” For me, good deed is too light hearted and misses the compulsory quality conveyed by the rabbis, and commandment is too jarring for modern ears.
Obligation feels about right. We all have obligations to one another, to the world, and, most importantly to ourselves. No matter our connection to specific religious principals, we intuitively understand that to live in human society means obeying certain communal norms, and trying our best to make this world a better place.
I write this in context of this week’s Torah portion, Tzav, a name that comes from the same root as mitzvah, Tzadi-Vav-Hey, that can be loosely translated, “just do it.” Unlike the famous Nike slogan, this is not a call for independence, but an infinitive command directed at the Levitical priests in reference to their Temple duties.
It is glaring that the priests in this part of Leviticus are so concerned with the sacrificial service that they forget their deeper obligations to society. Later on in Chapter 18 they will instruct us to “love our neighbor as ourselves,” and to “not put a stumbling block in front of the blind.” But here they simply want to do their job.
This Shabbat, thousands of Americans will converge in DC to discuss the topic of gun violence. For those who suffered the pain of Parkland and other shootings, this is more than just an exercise of democratic values – it is an obligation, a mitzvah. It is an obligation to never let this happen again.
We will be gathering in Buffalo as well at Niagara Square. Many communal leaders and high school students will be speaking, including myself, to try to prevent future tragedies. For me, I will be carrying a picture of my four-year-old. I, am first and foremost, a parent. I am tired of readiness drills and lockdowns at my children’s’ school.
I am ready for the day when gun violence is a thing of the past and where all of us remember our obligations to one another, to love and protect our neighbor, to love and protect our world.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Alex