You are God’s children (Deuteronomy 14:1). Banim atem Lashem Elokeikhem. In this meditation, we explore what it would mean to live into this reality, to treat ourselves with the dignity and honor of a child of God. We look at the phrase that comes after this one, lo titgodedu, the prohibition against cutting yourself as a mourning practice, interpreting it as an admonition against our tendency to attack ourselves when we are down, with the reminder that instead, we can turn towards the unconditional loving acceptance implied by our status as God’s children.
Sources:
Deuteronomy 14:1
Kiddushin 36a
Pirke Avot 3:14
Image by Владимир Берзин from Pixabay
