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Thought for the Day: The Torah is Universal

I had the zchus once to walk R' Asher Weil home from ma'ariv at the Aguda.  We got half way across Peterson and had to wait on the yellow divider line as traffic whizzed by on both sides of us in opposite directions.  R' Weil (who was holding my arm) said, "This is life in this world!  The nations of the world are zipping passed us in different directions, but we stand on our thin line of Torah in the midst of it all."  (See?  I learn from the best.)

I am sure that the traffic on one side just grouped us with the traffic on the other side, even though we really were solidly not moving at all and not associated with either.  I find this happens very often while discussing topics that have very vocal proponents on both sides.  It used to be the abortion issue, those on the pro-life side called me pro-choice; ie, anti-life (in their minds).  Those on the pro-choice side called me pro-life; ie, anti-choice (in their minds).  The truth I am neither.  Moreover, to be absolutely honest, I have no opinion whatsoever on the issue.  I also have no opinion on following gravity or exposure to viruses.  I don't applaud people who follow gravity nor look down on people who get sick after being exposed to viruses.  I find it a bit odd when people try to ignore gravity and virus exposure.  Sure you can do that for a while, but sooner or later the inevitable consequences follow.  Same with abortion, shabbos observance, homosexual marriage, kashrus, etc.

Now you are thinking: "Hang on there!  Gravity and viruses are physical; shabbos and kashrus is halacha; abortion and homosexual marriage is ethics!"  You are welcome to divvy things up like that if you like (and there are many occasions when it makes sense to do so), but in the end all of those things come from one source: our holy Torah; the blueprint for creation.  Gravity has its rules, shabbos its rules, ethics its rules; but in the end they all come from the Torah haK'dosha.

Ok, ok, I will admit I have opinions.  I like my food crunchy, for example.  I know some people don't, and I can respect that.  I would never dream of imposing my opinions of good and bad on anyone.  I do find it a bit odd when people ignore HaShem's opinions, though.  Its a free world, but boy howdy there are some humdinger consequences for ignoring HaShem's Torah.
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