Rorting the system – Ki Tetzei
It is an exciting sidra. Not because of any dramatic events, but because it contains such a rich variety of laws touching on the day to day experiences of human beings… war and peace, marriage and divorce, good children and bad children, criminals and respectable people, lost and found articles, male and female clothing, slaves and freemen, management and labour, making vows and taking interest… it rings a bell in every age and place.
Almost hidden away is a law against rorting the system: “When you come into your neighbour’s vineyard you may eat grapes as you desire, but you must not put any in your vessel” (Deut. 23:25).
The worker engaged in picking the grapes may eat what he wants, but he must not fill his bag and take grapes home. As Hertz puts it, “Hunger, not greed, may be satisifed”.
Rorting the system is often easy. Employees using office time and facilities for personal calls, staff taking home stationery or other supplies, people taking personal advantage of a situation – the possibilities are endless.
You can try and control such activities, but rules and regulations are unlikely to be adequate. Someone who knows the system can usually find a way to use it for their own purposes. What the Torah wants is a built-in sense of morality to ensure that greed does not get the better of you.
