Hashem is Watching

This week is a double Parsha of אחרי מות-קדושים. There are numerous laws particularly in קדושים that deal with laws between man and man.

The Pasuk ויראת מאלוקך, and "You should fear ה׳", is found twice in the Parsha. One example follows לפני עוור לא תתן מכשול, not putting a stumbling block before a blind person. And the second time comes after והדרת פני זקן, that we should glorify the elderly.

The connection between these two cases is that we can act as if we are not putting such a stumbling block (by giving bad advice. And it even applies to a non-Jew by selling him articles of עבודה זרה) Or, we can claim that we are showing proper respect to the elderly, when we are not. We are to remember to fear Hashem.

The overall message is that we cannot fool Hashem. He knows what our true intentions are. We are to remember that we are to act in private as we would in public, in the sense that nothing is hidden from Hashem. It may be a simple message but it is one that we need to be reminded of from time to time.

Yesterday was 22 with ספירת העומר.