Following the story of the spies, the Children of Israel begin to receive the laws for living in the land. Sacrifices need to be brought, a portion of dough needs to be separated for God, and suddenly, the text is interrupted with a discussion of, of all things, mistakes. Centuries later, the rabbis who put together the Mishnah read this to refer to the Beit Din, the court of judicial leaders of the congregation, who may rule incorrectly and lead the people astray through their rulings. If even one person on the court knew that their teaching was in error, no one may rely on the court's decision. When a person has seen the right path and no one has heard him, no one walks away unaffected.
Human experience is filled with error.
Discuss this article Share this Feature with a Friend Rabbi Abby Sosland is the Assistant Rabbi of Town and Village Synagogue in downtown Manhattan. All rights reserved.