By Rabbi Yaakov Raskin
Chief Rabbi, Chabad of Jamaica
IN FEBRUARY, a news story shook the entire country. A wealth advisor at NCB pleaded guilty to stealing over $74 million from customer accounts, transferring them to her own. This story caught my eye for several reasons. Beyond the shocking sum, it highlighted the sad reality that many people don’t see it as wrong to enrich themselves at others’ expense. This got me thinking about some foundational rules society has against theft, and the deeper meanings behind those rules.
No matter which philosophical or ethical code you subscribe to, laws against stealing seem like common sense. I have yet to meet someone who has a neutral opinion about stealing when it’s their own property being stolen. Prohibition against theft is one of the most ancient and universal laws across civilisations and throughout history. According to Judaism, it is one of the oldest commandments given to humanity, and one of the seven Noahide Laws, or civilisational rules for all of mankind to observe.
SPIRITUAL DIMENSION
Laws against theft are necessary to uphold the safe and harmonious functioning of society. However, there is much more to it than that – a spiritual dimension to theft that is often overlooked. This is especially relevant as Jews mark the upcoming holiday of Shavuot (June 11-13), which celebrates the momentous occasion of receiving the Ten Commandments, including the famous commandment “Thou shalt not steal”.
According to Jewish mystical tradition, the divine revelation at Mt Sinai was more than a mere transmission of laws; it was a historical inflection point heralding a new spiritual order. Until Moses received G‑d’s divine law, there remained a separation between the physical and spiritual realms. Though the world was filled with good deeds and virtuous acts, the physical objects used in their performance remained spiritually mundane and unaffected by the actions performed with them.