Jury Duty

Jury Duty - It's one of those things every good citizen should do - has to do - but which often is just inconvenient.
First, the notice never seems to come at a good time, if there ever is a good time.

Then there's the parking. Why are courtrooms always placed in the most difficult-to-park parts of town?

Inside it's a giant waiting room - and we do mean waiting. With lots of noise and a blaring TV. So you can't get any work done. Or reading. Or resting.

Finally you get called to a judge's court (the lawyers just spent three hours trying to settle - three hours of your time wasted waiting in the "jury pool" - and couldn't).

The judge gives you a lecture. The prosecuting attorney gives you a lecture. The defense attorney gives you a lecture. Then they ask you a lot of questions, to make sure you can be an impartial and open minded juror.

If you're lucky (!?), you're selected. A fundamental right: trial by a jury of one's peers.

If you ever have to go to court, you want the jury to be composed of people - just like you! So, maybe it's worth a little time and sacrifice.

It varies from country to country how often you're called to jury duty. But in Judaism, you're on jury duty every day.

Every day you're called away from the conveniences - the "creature comforts" - of life. Every day you have to wait - prepare, really - in the jury pool until the judge is ready to begin the trial. Every day you have to listen to the prosecutor and the defender. Every day you have to weigh the evidence. Every day, you have to decide.

What are we talking about? Who's on trial? You are.

Every day we put ourselves on trial. We ask ourselves - did we perform a mitzva (commandment)? Did we use an opportunity we had to help another person. Did we give some extra charity?

The "trial" takes each time we pray. (In fact, one of the meanings of the Hebrew word for prayer, "tefila," is [self-]judgment.) That's part of what happens when we pray - we make an assessment of our accomplishments and missed opportunities, of mitzvot done and transgressions committed.

Our daily prayers precede the nightly assessment. The prayers for reciting the Shema before bed include a section for self-judgment. We are to judge ourselves and correct ourselves.

There's a famous story about the early Chasidic master, Rabbi Zushe of Anipol. Shortly before his death, his disciples came to visit him and saw that he was deeply concerned. They asked him what was troubling him. He replied, "I am worried that I won't have an answer for the Heavenly Tribunal." They asked him what he meant.

"When I stand before the Heavenly Court to be judged," he explained, "if I am asked why was I not like Moses, I will have an answer. I was not Moses. If asked why was I not like Rabbi Akiva, I will answer, 'I was not Rabbi Akiva.'

"But if they ask me, 'Zushe, why were you not like Zushe?' - what shall I answer them?"