TWO GIANTS OF THE LAW - THE OLD AND THE NEW



After the destruction of the Temple and the loss of the land, the only thing that remained between Jews and despair was a book, a scroll – the Torah (Pentateuch). From there, the eternal ten commandments were established. One of the most revolutionary laws amongst the commandments, is keeping the Sabbath.

It is probably true to say that the Jew has survived over two thousand years of persecution and humiliation largely because he had the Sabbath. It was one factor that not only made him survive, but kept him alive, both spiritually and morally. Without the Sabbath, the Jew would have vanished. The well-known idiom penned by a secular Israeli writer, Ahad Ha'am, goes, “more than the Jews have kept Shabbat, Shabbat has kept the Jews.” As long as Judaism exists as a vibrant, vital force, the Sabbath is its most outstanding ritual practice.
This commandment benefits not only the Jews. The creation of the seventh day for rest and cessation of labour, enables everyone to refill their batteries. Probably, most of mankind has internalized the idea that the creation of a day of rest gives meaning to work and creation. The rest and enjoyment from one day a week enables one to draw satisfaction from labour on the other six. One is able to rest when he knows that his actions are valuable. This allows him to gather his strength and ready himself for the next stage, when he will resume working. To benefit from this it is not necessary to rest specifically on the Jewish Shabbat – except for religious Jews.

Last week, two of the most famous men in Israel engaged in law died on the same day and at the same advanced age of 90+. It followed that the two funerals also took place at the same time. The newspapers reported  that at Meir Shamgar’s funeral hundreds passed before the coffin and underneath appeared a notice, “tens of thousands at the funeral of Rabbi Karlitz”.

Meir Shamgar z”l, was highly respected in Israel and in the world as the most prestigious Israeli civic lawyer and judge, and a true pioneer for Israel and the rule of law. His extraordinary career included service as the military Advocate General and Brigadier General in the IDF, Attorney General of Israel and President of the Israeli Supreme Court.

Rabbi Nissim Karelitz z”l, was considered by his adherents as one of the most prominent arbiters of Jewish law of the generation. He had great influence through the Torah he taught and through his good character traits. The rulings of his court, which counts several dozen rabbinical judges, are respected and honoured throughout the Jewish world.


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