Rabbi's Message - Tuesday's Call for Justice - Psalm 82

Shalom,

Balance as we wade through the tumult of life, our tradition guides, can often be found in the Psalms.  In recent months, I have taken to exploring this part of our sacred text with a renewed interest.  Of the many rhythms of our Jewish tradition is the recitation of a daily Psalm, the same 7 Psalms for each of the 7 days of the week taught to be recited in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem.  As Professor Miriyam Glazer writes in Psalms of the Jewish Liturgy, “We may no longer have the Temple, or the ancient melodies of the Levites or their instrumental scores.  But we do have the words to the Psalms themselves, the very same words the Levites sang.  If we take the time to enter into them, to mull them over, chant them for ourselves, make them our own, reciting this ancient sequence of seven psalms, one per day, can become a powerful - even a life-changing - experience.”  (page 15)

On this 3rd day of the week, for our Jewish weeks begin with Sunday, it is our tradition to recite Psalm 82.  You can read it by clicking here>>>.  In exploring its depth, we can discover a yearning for balance, one not yet realized.  The Psalm depicts a juxtaposition between Divine judgement and our own.  It is a call to strive for more, for better.  As we see the injustice in the world, we must, our tradition is guiding us, feel and be called to work towards a justice on par with that of the Creator.  

Rabbi Sandra Lawson, the Executive Director of Carolina Jews for Justice, wrote about this Psalm, “—a powerful reminder of our sacred responsibility to pursue justice and care for those in need. This psalm challenges us to align our actions with divine values, creating a world rooted in compassion and fairness. As you engage with this psalm, may it inspire you to take meaningful steps toward justice in your daily life. Let’s begin.”

As we move through this week, may we be aware of this sacred charge and may we discover ways big and small that we have the power to create a world full of justice and compassion.

Shavua Tov,

Rabbi Evon