Friday, 17 March 2017

Miller's Musings Parshas Ki Siso: Playing with Fire



בס''ד
 

A visual presentation is always a worthy addition to enhance any transmission of new information to one previously unacquainted with this knowledge.  Hashem appears to utilise this method in this week’s Parsha, specifically of interest to us, in regard to the half a shekel that was required from every male above the age of twenty, in order to formulate a census.  The Medrash tells us that in order to demonstrate to Moshe what must be collected, Hashem took a coin of fire from under His throne and showed it to him as an example.  Leaving aside why Hashem felt it necessary to pictorially explain what a coin was, we will concentrate on why this coin was depicted specifically as one of fire.

The nature of fire is such that the way it is utilised defines it as either a tremendous gift, to those that wield its power constructively, or a terrible force of evil to those that harness its destructive properties.  Money, explains the Noam Elimelech, mirrors this quality in much the same way.  Used correctly with prudence and as a means to improve the lives of others, it has the potential for incredible good.  Used inappropriately to glorify oneself or as an instrument for unnecessary and excessive indulgence it is a vehicle for spiritual negativity.  This was the message being conveyed to Moshe by this vision of a coin of fire.

In Jewish thought there is a maxim that everything has an exactly parallel potential for good as it does for bad.  Something that has a huge capacity for positivity must have an equal and opposite possibility of being used for negativity.  This is evidenced by the aforementioned examples of money and fire, but is equally true of many of today’s advances in technology.  As a force for good, they have unparalleled capabilities, but along with that must necessarily come a power to bring about damage beyond compare.  Facing up to this fact with true intellectual honesty is the only means by which we can ensure ourselves and those we love are protected from those elements that are so tremendously harmful, whilst being able to harness those aspects that can produce so much good.  Not to acknowledge its benefits is foolhardy, but to ignore its dangers is to play with fire.

*May the fire of Shabbos ignite our neshomos and warm our lives*
 

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם
 

לרפואה שלימה:  שרה יעל בת ברכה אסתר

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