A Thorn in Your Side

It is important that we submit our will to Hashem’s will. He alone knows what is true compassion and true justice. This is especially difficult when views in the Torah contradict our own value system.

Another such example comes from פרשת מסעי where we are told to drive out the inhabitants living in Israel from our holy land. We are warned that if we do not drive them out, they will be as “pains in our sides and thorns in our eyes.” And if we do not drive them out, we will certainly regret it.

This does not sound like the epitome of tolerance to say the least. Yet, it is a very definite commandment from Hashem.

We Jews have a mission to teach morality to the world. We cannot allow ourselves to be influenced by inhabitants who will turn us astray from our ultimate destiny. As difficult as such a commandment might be, it is true and just, and represents the word of Hashem that we must observe.