DISPOSABLE SOCIETY

  At my Shiur this week, I was asked to render an analysis of the status of our modern day society. I assured those in attendance that it was truly, an insightful question, for we need at times to evaluate the status of our life and begin to understand what our priorities are. When we are dissatisfied in what we see, we must learn how to extricate ourselves from the quagmires that modern life presents. 

  With this in mind, I began to realize that most of our problems stem from the fact that we live in a society that can be described in one word "disposable". For indeed, we live in a disposable society, a throwaway society.  For the most part it makes us happy, and makes life easier because what we don't need we just throw away. This not only applies to our disposable dishes, bottles and cans. It seems to even apply to disposable people. Look around and see that we are living in a time when human dignity and human worth are eroding. Our news media reports daily of rape, of murder, of mugging and of gun shootings.  The worth of a person to so many, is insignificant.  "Why worry? They  are disposable anyway." Our relationship with each other is also disposable. I see more and more couples and friends who are unable to develop long term relationships, and often are thrown away like kleenex  tissues, for we have become disposable humans, almost on the brink of uselessness. 

   My quest for a more humane, loving and caring society is found in this week's Sedrah Mishpatim. For herein, we see the important laws of בין אדם לחברו, relationships between man and his fellowman, emphasizing that we are not disposable, but rather every person has value and importance and is deemed to be respected and accepted. The mitzvah that should be uppermost in our minds and actions is,  ואהבת לרעך כמוך, "Love and respect your neighbor as yourself." Act to others as you would want others to act to you. 

  Many wonder, "How can one achieve this magnificent attitude of recognition and feelings for others?"

  In my search for greater clarification, I began to realize that this Sedrah occurred after the Jewish People beheld a vision of Divinity as they stood at Mt. Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments. What a great and spiritual moment that must have been, and how inspirational it was as they were being enveloped by the Sh'china. That was the greatest religious moment ever in Jewish history. One wonders, "How did they act afterwards?"

  The Torah states, ויחזו את האלוקים ויאכלו וישתו , "And they beheld G-D, and they sat down to eat and drink."

  Rashi is in a quandary, "How is it possible that after such a spiritual experience, and being on such a lofty plain, did they respond by sitting down and partying?"

  I realize that there are so many people who live to party, to have a good time.  Many do so at the expense of others and that is unacceptable. However, there is nothing wrong in living a life of fun and happiness and even to party. But to truly party, appropriately, we need to 

ויחזו את האלוקים. First, we must realize that the essence of life is to behold Hashem, to see life in a G-Dly and spiritual way.  When we live a life of בין אדם למקום ובין אדם לחברו, we can sit down and  ויאכלו וישתו, eat and drink and enjoy life.  For then and only then our eating is always a סעודת מצוה, a joy that can only come from within and flows out and is not artificially stimulated. 

  Far to often we party away our life and then people become disposable when that type of fun runs out. 

   We are enjoined to remember that we are all created בצלם אלוקים and after מתן תורה we became a ממלכת כוהנים וגוי קדוש.  From that time in Jewish History, it became our individual and collective responsibility to live  a life that will always bring pride to the bearers of that title. 

    A person is Great - if today he is greater than yesterday and greater tomorrow than today.