A Moment of Silence
Depicted over the gallery doors of the House Chamber in the U.S. Capitol are 23 historical figures noted for their work in establishing the principles that underlie American law.
Moses, is in the center, facing forward, with 11 portraits on either side facing right and left toward him. Of course, this is in recognition of the fact that the foundations of a moral and ethical society must be predicated on a belief in G-d as transmitted to Moses, the Jewish people and, by extension, the whole world at Mount Sinai.
In the U.S. supreme court, the Ten Commandments are displayed as Hebrew-inscribed tablets held by Moses, one of a series of historical figures who look down on the justices.
There have been many legal cases presented in recent times which have sought to challenge public displays of the ten commandments, or the mention of G-d in general, on government owned property based on the notion that it runs contrary to the separation of church and state mentioned in the first amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof”. The obvious counterargument is that this amendment was never intended to promote “freedom from religion” but rather to protect “freedom of religion”.
The founding fathers of this great country arrived on these shores and established their independence because they sought the freedom to practice their religion and to serve G‑d without interference by the government. And it was precisely this freedom that they sought to guarantee in the Constitution by the first amendment.
Our government has a long tradition of explicit affirmation of faith in G‑d, as is evidenced on our currency, upon which is printed the words "In G‑d We Trust." Similarly, Congress opens each session with a prayer to the Almighty.
All good citizens are in agreement that we must live in a moral society and follow a common set of societal guidelines to enable us to be safe and prosper. Perhaps this apparent disagreement is not just about semantics but rather expresses a much more profound question: Can we rely on human logic and conscience alone to dictate and define appropriate behavior or must we need a G-d given system to guide our morals and values?
A similar question can be asked regarding the Ten Commandments which we read about in this week’s Torah portion, Yitro.
The five commandments inscribed on the first of the two tablets deal with our relationship with G-d:
1. I am the L‑rd your G‑d.
2. You shall have no other gods before Me.
3. You shall not take the name of the L‑rd your G‑d in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long upon the land which the L‑rd your G‑d gives you.
Whereas the five inscribed on the second tablet deal with our relationship with our fellow human being:
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, his manservant, his maid-servant, his ox, his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.
We can appreciate why the Torah instructs us regarding the first five which express our connection to G-d. But why must the Ten Commandments also include the second set of five which concerns our relationship with our fellow? They seem pretty straightforward and logical and would seemingly be adhered to even without G-d's command.
A person's perspectives and behavior is strongly influenced by their environment, education and dispositions. What is seemingly obvious and logical to one person may not be necessarily the case for another.
On our own, we can’t be sure we will always be good people. We need an objective standard governing our conduct. A person can have the best intentions and yet when it comes to his or her actual conduct, one may harm others severely.
The juxtaposition of the two set of laws teaches us that our relationship towards our fellows must be predicated upon our belief in G-d. We are responsible to behave properly toward them because G-d says so. Torah gives us objective standards of justice and good. A person should uphold them, not because he or she thinks they’re valuable or beneficial, but because they are G‑d’s law, immutable and unchangeable.
If the source of our commitment to decency is anything other than G-d's mandate, there is no guarantee that our actions will not be swayed by self-love or worse. When G-d is removed from the picture, even the most "cultured" society can commit mass murder. But when the first half of the Ten Commandments, the awareness that "I am G-d, your G-d," governs our lives, we are sure to overcome any obstacle that stands in the way of goodness and truth.
A little bit more than a generation ago, this thesis might have been contested on the battlegrounds of logic. But today, we are all witness to what happens when the need for a G‑dly standard is ignored. In the early 1900s, the paragon of civilization, the master of science, culture, philosophy and ethics, was Germany, and as a nation she pointed to the success of man’s efforts to better himself.
And yet this nation perpetrated one of the most hideous crimes and atrocities in history — and all in the name of humanity’s advancement. Moreover, it was not only the rabble in the street that supported these deeds. By and large, the champions of science and culture did not stand up against the Nazi regime. Indeed, the overwhelming majority collaborated with it.
This perspective also protects us from the other extreme: Our belief in G-d must lead us to live a moral life and deal with others honestly and respectfully. For the Torah leads us not only to spiritual development and a connection to G‑d, but also to growth as a people and advance our interpersonal relationships.
How can we practically educate ourselves, our families, and our society to live by these ideals?
The Rebbe, Rabbi M.M. Schneerson, advocated strongly that both private and public schools of all denominations should include a “Moment of Silence” in their daily schedule.
A "Moment of Silence" is a brief period of reflection or meditation at the beginning of each school day.
"[A] person has the ability to influence his surroundings, extending eventually to the country and to the whole world, making the world a stable, productive place," the Rebbe explained in a 1984 talk given for his 82nd birthday. " ...This begins with the proper education of the youth, as written: 'Educate a youth according to his way so that when he grows older he will not depart from it.' The only way to educate the youth in the ideals of justice and righteousness is not through instilling fear of the police (for then one can think he will outwit the police), but by instilling faith in the Creator and Ruler of the world—that there is ‘an Eye that sees and Ear that hears.’ ”
The Rebbe also added that this simple, daily act (i.e. Moment of Silence) would hand responsibility for a child’s emotional and spiritual well-being back where it belonged, with his or her parents. "Another advantage to a ‘Moment of Silence’ specifically is that it will force parents to take part: They will have to tell their child what to think about during the ‘Moment of Silence’—about the Creator and Ruler of the world. Parents will therefore send their child to school equipped not only with physical food but also with spiritual food.”
Since the mid-1980s, the this initiative has gained adherents in the U.S. and beyond as many schools, public and private, have begun to start their days with a moment of silence and reflection.
The “Moment of Silence” is currently mandated for public schools in 12 states and encouraged (but not required) in another 25. It is legal everywhere in the United States. The children who participate in this program reap the benefit of an injection of meaning at the start of the school day.
Furthermore, the ultimate purpose of the creation of the world and the giving of the Torah was to fuse together the spiritual and the physical, and permeate our daily lives and the world around us with the belief and trust in G-d.
Let us take a moment each day to reflect and meditate on our Divine purpose in life and bring more meaning into our lives and our workplace. Let us encourage our friends, neighbors, elected officials, and faculty of our educational systems to teach our youth to lead productive and purposeful lives based on Divine morals and values.
Our Sages point to Mashiach and the Redemption as the ultimate purpose for the creation of the world. For G‑d created the world in order that He should have “a dwelling place among mortals,” and this goal will be realized in the Era of the Redemption when all nations will come to serve G-d. As our Sages state, “For then I will make the peoples pure of speech, So that they all invoke the LORD by name And serve Him with one accord”. Through our collected efforts, we will usher in a time of peace and prosperity for all nations on earth with the coming of Redemption.
