For example, the Talmud discusses the proper conduct of those who are in charge of charitable funds: “When those in charge of the distribution of charity have no one to whom to distribute the funds, they are not permitted to exchange the copper coins with themselves but only with others. Otherwise, they are not worthy of the positions they hold. They must avoid anything that even smacks of impropriety. But Jewish ethics goes far beyond that and demands that those in positions of trust be totally above suspicion. ![]() The question today is: are we dealing with Samuel or with his sons? It is clear to all that outright bribery and thievery are forbidden both by Jewish law and by Israeli civil law, and those who indulge in it belong in jail and not in the Knesset. “But his sons did not follow in his ways they were bent on gain, they accepted bribes, and they subverted justice” (ibid. Unfortunately his sons were not as honest as he. These words were later echoed by Samuel, defending his honor: “Whose ox have I taken, or whose ass have I taken? Whom have I defrauded or whom have I robbed? From whom have I taken a bribe to look the other way? I will return it to you” (I Samuel 12:3). During Korah’s rebellion against Moses’s leadership, Moses defends himself by saying “I have not taken the ass of any one of them, nor have I wronged any one of them” (Numbers 16:15). ![]() Later, the Torah is very clear about this, when it says that bribery blinds the eyes of a judge, and when it sets out the clear qualifications for members of the Sanhedrin, the supreme governing council: “.you shall not take bribes, for bribes blind the eyes of the discerning and upset the plea of the just” (Deuteronomy 16:19). When Moses was starting his work of governing the people of Israel, Jethro advised him to appoint people to help him who were “capable men who fear God, trustworthy men who spurn ill-gotten gain” (Exodus 18:20). From the very beginning, honesty has been Judaism’s demand of its leaders. How sad it would be if that were to be true of our houses of government. Do you consider this House, which bears My name, to be a den of thieves?” (Jeremiah 7:5, 11). He called upon the people to “mend your ways and your actions if you execute justice between one man and another. I cannot help but be reminded of the words of Jeremiah when he stood in the Temple court and warned against what was happening in the society of his days. We did not establish a Jewish state after 2,000 years of exile only to see it turn into a center of corruption. (function (a, d, o, r, i, c, u, p, w, m) ` (script) ![]() ![]() Published by our friends at Singapore Centre for Global Missions we are certain that these stories will inspire and encourage your family to find ways to serve God with what you have, regardless of whether it means stepping out of Singapore or not.Tradition today: ‘Clean hands and a pure heart’ - The Jerusalem Post This carefully written and beautifully illustrated storybook tells the inspiring stories of 10 Singaporean Christians whose lives were used by God in different parts of the world.įrom the Amazon jungles in Bolivia to the mountains of the Himalayas in Nepal from Saipan to Papua New Guinea from Hong Kong to Afghanistan - these exotic settings provide a backdrop against which ordinary Singaporeans gave their lives to serve an extraordinary God. "Clean Hands, Pure Hearts and Beautiful Feet" is a book about God's missionaries from Singapore, who bring the Christian message of faith, hope and love to the world through acts of service and charity. If you've ever been asked that question by your kids, here's an exciting resource that you can use to tell them more about missions! □
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