Judges and Officers: The Pitfalls of Self Deception

Abe Seinfeld is sure that the man on the street he’s just run into is his old friend Sam.

“Sam,” he says, “Is that you?! Why, you’ve put on a lot of weight and your hair has turned so gray. You seem a few inches shorter and your cheeks are somewhat puffy. What’s happened to you Sam?” You sound so different; gosh, your walk is even different.

“My name is not Sam and I don’t believe I know you sir,” replies the gentleman; half amused and half bewildered, “So why don’t you just move on.”

“Wow Sam!” says Abe: “You son-of-a-gun! You even went and changed your name on me.”

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“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.” – Albert Einstein

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The story is told that the Rebbe of Volborz beheld an apparition of a recently deceased man whom he well knew. The man appeared confused and was oddly urging him to find for him a wife, since his late wife had recently died.

“You’re extremely confused,” said the Rabbi. “You obviously don’t realize that you are no longer amongst the living.” Refusing to accept this, the Rabbi lifted the man’s coat revealing his shroud. This seemed to have done the trick and the apparition let up.

When the Rabbi’s son heard what had happened, he mused in bewilderment: “In that case how could anyone know that he is not living in delusional state with regards to all that he sees and believes. Perhaps I too am living in a state of confusion and imagination.”

To this his father replied: “So long as you are aware that such a problem exists, you are not likely to be its victim.”

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When Kaiser Wilhelm sought to invade Belgium, he was reminded of the signed treaty agreements, which his actions would blatantly violate. Dourly brushing the matter aside the Kaiser declared: “We shall take Belgium! As for the treaties? We can leave it to the philosophers to supply the necessary explanations.”

“Philosophy,” correctly asserted one contemporary thinker “Is simply the formation of bad reasons for what we already believe on instinct.”

A phrase that comes up a lot nowadays is: “Perception is Reality.” Many, including Dr. Phil, are of the belief that “There is no reality; only perception. Whatever meaning or value a particular circumstance has for you, will be the meaning or value that you give it.” Our perceptions determine how we act and react, which can cause trouble, especially when dealing with people.

Although I’m not sure whether or not the latter is true and what Judaism’s position actually is on this critical issue, I think it is safe to say that “Perception certainly effects reality.”

Reality seems like such a straight forward thing. We assume that we really have a firm grip on reality, whether it is the weather, our boss, our relationships, a news story, or the size of our hips. Not so fast. We might physically see or experience the same thing as someone standing next to us, but we perceive it differently. That’s because perception involves running what we see or feel through our mental filters that are based upon our cumulative life experiences.

If the latter is the case with respect to our physical reality, how much more so is it the case with our mental and spiritual reality. Perception undoubtedly is a critical factor in how we understand the reality of our spiritual status.

With the above in mind it is extremely important to note and to remember that while it is true that our perceptions affect our personal reality, not all of our perceptions are correct. We might be under the influence of false perceptions, created by our self closeness and love.

Indeed, we humans have a resident “philosopher,” which is capable of justifying any act to which we set our mind. Reason, more often than not, serves as a handmaiden of man’s will; providing creative explanations and rationalizations for any objective upon which his heart is set. No wonder that Judaism has always had a healthy dose of suspicion of man’s capacity to rationalize.

An act for which we are quick to criticize another, is often quite all-right for ourselves. People who insist they are honest and fair tend to have two standards; one for themselves and one for others. While there are endless excuses and explanations with regards to one’s own misconduct, for the next guy there is no such tolerance and understanding.

When it comes to others, we might see fit to air harmful rumors and speculation – fomenting animosity among family and friends, even as we tear the guy’s reputation to shreds without compunction.

How many friendships are wrecked, Shidduchim aborted and marriages destroyed by a simple self-important “Krim mit de nuz?” (a crooked nose (Yiddish)), or skeptical remark, if only under one’s breath and only by way of question or possibility. Whatever one’s reasoning for his destructive conduct might be, it is no less damaging.

There are those who even wrap themselves in the mantle of piety while indulging in this disparaging activity. They manage to drag all that is holy and pure into their self-serving destructive agenda. As a result they turn Jew against Jew, Synagogue against Synagogue and ideology against ideology, all in the name of holiness.

In fact, when not preoccupied destroying others with their malicious tongue, these very people can sometimes be heard preaching about “Shmiras Halashon” and “Lashon Hara.” In addition to the obvious hypocrisy and harm stemming from the abuse of religion for one’s personal agenda, preaching about Shmiras Haloshon, while personally engaging in this negative conduct, is equivalent to raising a white flag while approaching the enemy, as if to surrender, and then lobbing a grenade. That soldier has not only acted immorally, he has furthermore, betrayed and undermined an important institution of life and civilization.

In his anthology, Hayom Yom, the Lubavitcher Rebbe relates the following episode in the name of his father in law, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson:

“My grandfather said to my father: ‘The Yetzer Hara (evil impulse) is called “Animal soul,” not because it is necessarily a brute animal. At times it may be a fox – the most cunning of beasts – whose machinations require great wisdom to perceive. At other times, it may clothe itself in the garb of an earnest, straightforward, humble Tzaddik – possessing fine traits of character.

The animal soul manifests itself in each person according to his individual character. One person may suddenly experience a powerful urge to study Chassidus (Chassidic philosophy) or to meditate deeply on some Divine concept. In truth, however, this is nothing more than the Yetzer Hara’s counsel and its machinations to prevent him from engaging in what is actually required of him at that time, i.e. prayer [with a Minayn] or the like. . .

My father concluded: ‘Until then, I had not known that there can be a ‘pious’ animal soul, let alone a ‘Chassidic’ animal soul.’”

Our Parsha; Shoftim, begins with the commandment to appoint judges and law officers throughout the land: “Judges and officers shall you appoint for yourself in all your gates [cities].” (Deuteronomy 16:18).

The use of the words for “You” and “Yourself,” which in the Hebrew language are in the singular, indicate that this is not only a communal command but also one that is directed towards the individual.

Indeed the Zohar (classic Kabbalistic text) states that the concept of “judges and officers” applies to each individual with regards to his own persona. In order to triumph over one’s evil inclination and tendencies, one must develop an internal judicial system within one’s self. One must exercise enormous acumen in evaluating one’s own choices and decisions and their true motivation.

In this regard the prohibitions in our Parsha against perverting justice and taking bribe apply to each individual as much as to a public adjudicator. Everyone – even an accomplished Torah scholar – no matter how much greatness and stature he has achieved, must scrutinize his every action to determine its true and inner motivation, for he is no less partial to his own benefit and interests. Self deception is an equal opportunity human trait; it is by no means limited to the wicked.

I’m reminded of a talk given by the Lubavitcher Rebbe with regards to a certain painful matter. After describing the nature of the given situation, leaving out all names and references to guilty parties or individuals, he proceeded to admonish those who would try to direct his deliberately indistinct remarks towards a particular incident or individual that they fancied to be the subject of his remarks. The Rebbe continued to predict that there are those who were busy doing just that, even as he spoke these very words.

We must search the crevices of our soul for the true motivation of our actions and desires, even when it involves an overtly positive and holy act, how much the more so when the act in question is of an adversarial, disciplinary or counteractive nature. The motive and purity of such actions must be examined twice and thrice. Is it an act of Pinchas, or perhaps that of Korach? While the line may sometimes be fine, they are worlds apart; polar opposites.

One must further take care to avoid the pitfalls of self deception and delusion that so often creep up on us. One must not allow pleasure, profit, honor, or any of the countless other self-interests, to influence his judgment – bribing him into thinking that an unworthy act is permitted, worthwhile, or perhaps even a Mitzvah.

The latter can only be accomplished through the appointment of Judges and officers at all our personal “Gates,” i.e. points of entry and exit. We must examine discerningly everything that comes in and goes out – what our eyes observe, our ears absorb, and what our mouth ingests and exhales. Then, and only then, can we be somewhat sure that the motivation and drive behind what we believe to be holy and pure, is truly for the sake of Heaven.

May we merit the time when evil will be eradicated from the world and truth will shine forth as the light of day – a time when the earth will be filled with the knowledge of G-d like the water that covers the ocean, with the coming of the righteous Moshiach BBA.