Boost #76 Justice and Compassion

“Do not murder” is perhaps the most universally accepted moral law. Yet its depth goes beyond not taking life. It calls us to protect, secure, and nurture life.

This morning, I was privileged to hear personal stories from Dr. Michael Matsas. Michael survived the holocaust. His immediate family was one of the very few Greek Jewish families who fled to the mountains and hid there, protected by the locals. Now, he is 95. An author and orator on the subject, he bears witness to the lack of information Greek Jews had, the well-informed Americans and English who did nothing about it, and an amazing personal story.  And yet—remarkably—he has not closed his heart.

What’s most inspiring is his humanity. He embodies both an acute sense of justice and a heart full of love for people. He reminds us that Torah doesn’t ask us to feel only one thing. We can—and must—pursue both justice and compassion. That is the true meaning of “Do not murder”: it takes a wise person to put a stop to murder and bring perpetrators to justice, and at the same time, actively affirm and nurture the life of all people. You can see a recording of the presentation HERE.

Each day this week, take one interaction and choose your way. Decide if you are acting with justice or compassion. Both ways require great humanity and humility, but they are different. Justice is demanding, compassion is forgiving. Either way, do it for the betterment of life!