Fulfilling the Law and the Prophets

“However you would like to be treated, treat others that way; that sums up the Torah and the Prophets” This is the teaching of the Great Rabbi. Love works no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. He told a parable of which sums up this moral.

“There once was a rich man who used to dress in the most expensive clothing and spent his days in magnificent luxury. At his gate had been laid a beggar named El'azar who was covered with sores. He would have been glad to eat the scraps that fell from the right man's table; but instead, even the dogs would come and lick his sores. In time the beggar died and was carried away by the angels to Avraham's side; the rich man also died and was buried. In Sh'ol, where he was in torment, the rich man looked up and saw Avraham far away with El'azar at his side. He called out, 'Father Avraham, take pity on me, and send El'azar just to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue, because I'm in agony in the fire!' However, Avraham said, 'Son, remember that when you were alive, you got the good things while he got the bad; but now he gets his consolation here, while you are the one in agony. Yet, that isn't all: between you and us a deep rift has been established, so that those who would like to pass from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'

“He answered, 'Then father, I beg you to send him to my father's house, where I have five brothers, to warn them; so that they may be spared having to come to this place of torment too.' But Avraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; they should listen to them.' However, he said, 'No, father Avraham, they need more. If someone from the dead goes to them, they'll repent!' But he replied, 'If they won't listen to Moses and the Prophets, they won't be convinced even if someone rises from the dead!”

Many people have used this parable to validate their beliefs in “hell” or to teach their beliefs on the afterlife. However, the true heart of this parable is very rich. It validates the words from the Proverbs of old, such as: Rob not the poor, because he is poor, neither oppress not the afflicted in the gate: for YHVH will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them. Yet, in this parable, we find no grounds to believe that the poor man was oppressed or robbed by the rich man.

We find another proverb which says, “He that despiseth his neighbor sinneth: but he that hath pity on the poor, happy is he.” and also, “He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoreth Him hath mercy on the poor.” and again, “the righteous has hope in his death.”

Therefore, we conclude that the rich man's sin was in that he did not show pity on El'azar. The basic moral of this story is to love your neighbor as yourself. The rich man passively transgressed this commandment. How often do we find ourselves repenting of transgressions which we committed presumptuously, i.e. cursing at someone for cutting us off in traffic, yelling at our coworker or gossiping? Yet, we never stop to think about the unintentional sins that we commit on a daily basis, i.e. not helping that homeless lady on the corner, etc.

Remember, when you love your neighbor as yourself, you are fulfilling the Law and the Prophets.