Redeeming the Captives, an Ancient TOV Idea

I was flipping through channels and came upon a program about Human Trafficking. We all hear about things like this, but after an initial shock, they are soon forgotten. Many of us "modern" people don't really think about "slavery." That concept is relegated to Biblical times or before the Civil War -- but "slavery", like so many other evils, never goes away.

In the Hebrew Bible, Rabbinic writings, Jewish history and prayers - redeeming captives appears a number of times. It is a mitzvah (commandment) to redeem captives. Today we hear on the news about Somali pirates, Boko Haram, Isis and other groups who take captives and engage in forms of slavery. But it is important to be aware of other forms of "captivity" and "slavery," too. People fleeing poverty and war are at the mercy of human traffickers. Here in Texas, and other border states, hundreds and thousands of people try to come illegally, to find some rescue, safety and a chance at having a life.

The program I watched also talked about a group of nuns in Italy who help migrant women from Africa who've been lured into prostitution by the promise of a better life. Vulnerable and usually penniless, they end up as victims in the billion-dollar international market of human exploitation. The nuns created a shelter where women are able to hide from their "handlers" and break free from the streets. Those in the shelter live together and are taught sewing skills and to gain confidence and learn the language. In the past 20 years over 370 women, mostly from Nigeria have found refuge and learned skills to enable them to make a living and a life. In cooperation with social workers and embassies, the nuns assist the women in getting new documents that are necessary for a new start.

This is a great example of doing TOV -- redeeming from captivity and slavery and helping a person to become "self-sufficient." This is one of the Highest ideals and Values in Jewish tradition. The nuns did the things necessary to create TOV -- THEY PROTECTED LIFE, PRESERVED LIFE, INCREASED THE FUNCTIONALITY OF LIFE AND IMPOROVED THE QUALITY OF LIFE!

There are a number of other things that we are captive to, but that's for another story. In the meantime -- Do TOV and Choose Life.

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Thank you & Shalom,

Rabbi Jeffrey Leynor