David had a special coat. One day, he asked his friend Sam to watch his coat while he went to play. When David came to get his coat back, Sam said, "Oh no! Someone stole your coat while I was watching it!"
David was sad. But wait! David's other friends saw something. They said, "Sam, that's not true! We saw YOU take the coat and hide it in your house!" What happens now? The Rule: When someone promises to watch something for you, and they say it was stolen, but it turns out THEY took it themselves, they have to give back double! It's like when you promise to be careful with your friend's toy, but then you break it on purpose and lie about it. You'd have to make it extra right because you weren't honest. The Torah says it clearly: "For any sinful word, for a bull, for a donkey, for a lamb, for a garment, for any lost article, concerning which he will say that this is it, the plea[s] of both parties shall come to the judges, [and] whoever the judges declare guilty shall pay twofold to his neighbor." While this seems like a simple legal case, there's a deeper spiritual message here. Our souls were given to us to watch over. When we misappropriate our spirituality, when we take what's meant to connect us to Hashem and use it for other purposes, we need to pay back double. Many people don't think for themselves Jewishly. They just want to fit in and to be accepted by their neighbors. They'd rather not wear their Judaism on their sleeve. In the verse, these people are referred to as sheep; always following the culture around them rather than their Shepherd. Then one day comes the realization: "I need to start to change." But how? Go to the Judges, the Moses of the generation, and double what you've been doing until now. Until now you came to one class? Come to two. Until now you went to classes but not to prayer services? Add that too. Do more. Grow beyond what you're "used to." Walk around as a proud Jew! Then something beautiful happens: You become so connected with G-d that you follow Him like a sheep follows its shepherd. Not doing mitzvos because "I understand them," but because my Shepherd said I should. Have a good Shabbos, P.S. This lesson connects perfectly with the upcoming holiday of Purim! Haman accused the Jewish people to King Achashverosh: "There is one nation scattered and dispersed among the peoples... and they do not keep the king's laws." He was describing Jews who tried to blend in, who were "scattered and dispersed," swayed and influenced by everyone around them. They weren't keeping the laws of the King, the King of the Universe. But on Purim, everything changed. The Jewish people came together and proudly stood up for who they were! They stopped hiding and started being the sheep who follow their true Shepherd. Queen Esther revealed her Jewish identity and Mordechai refused to bow to Haman. The entire nation united in their commitment to Torah. This Purim, let's take the lesson of "twofold payment" to heart: Double down on your Jewish pride and commitment. Wear your Judaism proudly and celebrate with joy! We're not here to blend in with everyone else. We're here to shine as the special nation we are, following Hashem our Shepherd.
Rabbi Kushi Schusterman
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