{"id":60574,"date":"2021-04-09T15:05:41","date_gmt":"2021-04-09T21:05:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/?p=60574"},"modified":"2021-04-09T15:05:41","modified_gmt":"2021-04-09T21:05:41","slug":"off-the-pulpit-the-first-mitzvah-and-the-last","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/off-the-pulpit-the-first-mitzvah-and-the-last\/","title":{"rendered":"Off the Pulpit: The First Mitzvah and the Last"},"content":{"rendered":"

By RABBI DAVID WOLPE<\/p>\n

In Maimonides\u2019 listing of the 613 commandments, the first is believing in God. The last is a king not amassing great personal wealth.<\/p>\n

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Ego is integral to our characters and its distortions common to our struggles. It pushes us to do things and even want things that higher impulses warm against. As the world recognizes the eminence of an individual \u2013 priest, prophet, sage, king, or in our day, politician, tycoon, star, athlete \u2013 the temptation to self-aggrandizement grows greater.<\/p>\n

Acknowledging that we are human and ephemeral, that there is a God, infinitely greater than ourselves, helps induce the humility that remind us not to overestimate our own gifts and accomplishments. The first and last mitzvah tie together to remind us \u2013 achievement is worthy; arrogance is outrageous.<\/p>\n

(Rabbi David Wolpe is the senior rabbi of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles.)<\/em><\/p>\n

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