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Torah Priorities One of the fallacies of simplistic religious experience is that a good deed, known in Judaism as a mitzvah, can be done in any and all situations and always be considered good. Thank God, this is by and large the case. However, sometimes conflicts exist between different Torah obligations. When that happens we do not have the liberty to choose whichever mitzvah we prefer. The Torah has a set of priorities requiring us to perform particular actions under these circumstances. Let us take life endangerment for an example. If our fulfillment of any other mitzvah will endanger a life, the mitzvah of saving a life must take precedence. We do not have the option of preferring to do another mitzvah and allowing someone to die. Another example: The mitzvah of Circumcision on the eighth day takes precedence over the observance of Shabbat, although it involves a violation of a Shabbat prohibition. It is required, not merely allowed. Similarly, a circumcision from the ninth day and on is forbidden on Shabbat. One does not have the option of preferring this delayed circumcision over Shabbat observance. Our oral law is full of questions regarding such conflicts. Which parent should one honor given a conflict? Does a personal teacher or a parent take precedence? How shall we deal with conflicts between holiday joy and family grief? Between the study of Torah and the need to act upon its fulfillment? Between getting married and burying the dead? These and many more are the practical and value conflicts between different mitzvot that our Talmud deals with and decides upon. Priorities are set, and the Jew in deciding to follow our hallowed tradition follows them. It makes sense that new mitzvah-conflicts that arise in the modern era should also be dealt with by halachically decided priorities. A pertinent question would be: "What causes should the financial resources of the Torah community be directed to?" This is a question that is of great significance in any generation, but it takes on particular meaning given the recent financial success the American community has come upon, the Jewish community amongst them. In my next columns I will attempt to give a partial answer to this question based on Torah texts and commentaries. Rabbi Menachem Schrader is a Ram at Yeshivat Hamivtar Orot Lev.
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