When Yisro saw the tremendous effort that Moshe Rabbeinu invested in judging Bnei Yisrael, he suggested that Moshe divide the responsibility between a number of people. After receiving approval from Hashem, Yisro's advice was accepted and criteria were set to determine the qualifications for a judge: "You shall discern from among the entire people, men of accomplishment, God-fearing people, men of truth, people who despise money, and you shall appoint them leaders" (Shemos 18:21).
Rashi explains that the "despising of money" mentioned in the pasuk refers to money that is truthfully theirs, but due to a lack of evidence it can be extracted from them in a court of law (see Ramban's clarification of Rashi). Only a person who despises such money would be qualified to judge Bnei Yisrael. What would compel a person to not only willingly forfeit money which is rightfully theirs, but to also despise the money in question?
Rav Wolbe cites the Shulchan Aruch (Y.D. 116:7) which mentions that an especially punctilious person will not eat meat from an animal that had a questionable shechita, even if the animal was rendered kosher by a competent halachic authority. The very fact that he must rely on a human's decision detracts from the "glatt kosher" standard that he wishes to maintain. Just as there is glatt kosher meat there is also glatt kosher money. Money which can be extracted from a person via a court decision does not conform to the high standards which a Jewish judge sets for himself.
Most people are very careful about what they eat. They will make sure to check for a hechsher on every product, and something with questionable verification will not make it into their shopping cart. Yet, when it comes to monetary issues they do not demand that their revenues carry the same level of verification. It would seem that the difference is in the emphasis that parents place on the kashrus of food when children are young. It behooves us to impress upon our children that they should be as careful with what enters their pockets as with what enters their mouths. Conveying this idea to others will sharpen it in our own eyes and aid us in attaining a glatt kosher bank account.
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Moshe ascended Har Sinai and Hashem instructed him to tell Bnei Yisrael the following: "You have seen what I did to Mitzrayim and that I carried you on the wings of eagles and I brought you to Me" (ibid. 19:3). Rashi explains that Hashem was telling Bnei Yisrael that they do not have to rely on testimoniesor hearsay since they witnessed Hashem's wonders with their very own eyes.
Rav Wolbe cites the Sefer Kuzari which elaborates on this idea. The sefer revolves around the king of Kuzar's search for religious fulfillment. He discussed religion with a Christian, a Muslim and a Jew. When he asked the Jew about his beliefs, he responded, "We believe in the G-d of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, Who redeemed Bnei Yisrael from Egypt in an awesome display of miracles, sustained them in the desert and conquered the Land of Canaan for them."
The king asked the Jew why he described his G-d as, "The One Who redeemed Bnei Yisrael from Egypt," and not as, "The One Who created the world," as He was described by the Christian and Muslim. The wise Jew responded that while other religions belief in G-d relies on hearsay, Jewish belief is based upon occurrences that took place in front of the eyes of the masses.
The foundation of our beliefs is rock solid. Millions of people experienced Yetzias Mitzrayim and heard Hashem speak at Har Sinai. Truth be told, if we pay close attention we can also see it now in the twenty-first century: He runs the world, He runs our lives, and we can feel His hand guiding us through the maze of life.
Important Numbers
