In the US and in many democracies [including the modern State of Israel] there is a LOT of talk about rights. Obama recent gave in his inimitable fashion a roaring "drasha" where he asserted "Women's Rights", "LGBT Rights" "Animal Rights" "Pro athletes rights to kneel during the National Anthem", "Black Rights", "Rights to be Lefts" "Immigration Rights", "Rights Of Ex-Presidents worth 40 million dollars and counting to say what they want and to trash Trump and Republicans", "Rights of former first ladies named 'Michal' to put their husbands in their place despite their wealth and fame" etc. etc.
I grew up in a different generation. Nobody ever told me that I had rights - except the Miranda rights i.e. the right to remain silent [ESPECIALLY when my father שליט"א was taking his Shabbos afternoon shluf]. I was ALWAYS told that I have obligations. From the moment I woke up until I fell asleep at night, my day was FILLED with obligations. I am obligated to daven. I am obligated to go to school. I am obligated to wear tzitzis and tefillin. I am obligated to respect my elders. Obligations, obligations, obligations.
AND SO IT SHOULD BE.
The Torah is ALL about obligations. We DO HAVE G-d-given rights but NOT NECESSARILY, as declared "Independently": "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
Life is not about pursuing happiness but about pursuing GOODNESS with happiness being the by-product. And all men were NOT created equal. That is why Lebron James played in the NBA and I didn't, while I can PROBABLY [although I never tested him] learn Torah with a little more depth then he can [if he would try]. Maybe Lebron wants a chavrusa?
He has the "Right" to ask.
Rights have their place but we must not forget OBLIGATIONS.
#Iamalefty
#theworldisachangin'
#Iamalefty
#theworldisachangin'
