Caden Bernstein-Lawler [March 19, 2022]Jeremiah 9:22-23
Shabbat shalom, every Shabbat there is a specific prophet that we read, and Jeremiah is the prophet for this Shabbat. These are the words specifically that I am chanting today:
Jeremiah 9:22-23
Let not the wise glory in their wisdom, let not the mighty glory in their might, let not the rich glory in their riches; but let them who glory, glory in this: that they understand and know Me-that I, the Eternal, practice kindness, justice, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things do I delight.
The Prophet Jeremiah told this to the people of Israel before the destruction of the Temple and exile of the Jewish people to Babylon. Prior to this, the people of Israel had turned to false idols, breaking their covenant with God. Based on the words of God that Jeremiah shared, the people of Israel were misguided. The gratitude and glory was not going towards God, or kindness, justice, and righteousness, but instead to one’s own wisdom, strength, and wealth. Even wisdom is considered too self-indulgent in comparison to the knowledge that God practices such things.
This is only the Haftarah portion for Parashat Tzav. The Torah portion itself is about the laws of sacrifice. At face value, these two look very different, one a poetic but dire warning to the people of Israel and the other how to cook a cow properly, but both deal with the same idea. This idea is that we give thanks to God. The rituals of sacrifice can no longer be done, without the Temple or priests, but Jeremiah presents to us another way to give thanks. In the times of the Temple, we would give thanks with a thanksgiving offering in gratitude to God. This was an acknowledgement of God’s influence on life. Now without the means to hold the ritual sacrifice, Jeremiah tells us another way to acknowledge God’s influence. To understand that God practices kindness, justice, and righteousness in the Earth. In addition to this, God adds: for in these things do I delight. There is a lot to unpack in God’s words. First, we can look at the aspect of selflessness and altruism, not to glory in your own intelligence, strength, or wealth, but to glory God’s good deeds. Second, I see this as a call to action. Jeremiah was warning the people of Israel of their sin and what destruction it would lead to. When God says “in these things do I delight” God could very well be pushing the people of Israel to stop being so full of their smarts, how much they can deadlift, and how much they made in NFTs last week to instead focus on improving the world around them, just as God does.
Even now, these words still ring true. We see Vladimir Putin leading Russia to invade a smaller country, motivated by his own self-interests. Jeremiah tells “let not the mighty glory in their might,” and the current situation is a prime example. Putin is glorying in his might, attempting to use Russia’s military power against Ukraine, an incredibly uneven matchup by any standard. Other translations and interpretations change “mighty” to “strong man” which is another word for dictator. While likely not intentional, this change presents another idea of strength. Not physical strength, but the strength of a country or of influence. Do not glory in the strength of your country. Do not use that strength for a selfish goal. Instead, use that strength to aid in God’s practice of kindness, justice, and righteousness in the earth.
Perhaps this comes down to each of us. What Jeremiah was teaching us is not to glory in our own wisdom, strength, or wealth, but to glory in the good that God does in the world. We too can help spread kindness, justice, and righteousness in the Earth. On the example of Ukraine, there are a number of organizations all of us can support. Change starts with a single action, and builds off acts of kindness to affect the world around us. We can do our part to help practice kindness, justice, and righteousness in our world around us.