Clowns to the Left, Jokers to the Right – Stuck in the Middle with the Karaites

This may sound like a great pop song from the 70s, but it also depicts an important principle of the Torah. The Law of do not add or subtract is repeated twice in Deuteronomy. However, another way of expressing a similar concept is:

Deut 5:

28 Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you; ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

Deut 28:

14 and shalt not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

We know from the verses following this, that the words the Torah is referring to are:

58 If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and awful Name, the LORD thy God;

also

Deut 30:

10 if thou shalt hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law; if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul.

So turning to the right or left refers to the central written Torah axis that we are commanded to follow. The idea of the right being the strong arm, and the left being the weaker arm (for most of us) thus tells us that turning to the right is a form of adding to the Torah, whilst the left is subtracting. Subtracting might be religions like Christianity, where most of the Torah is turned into history and irrelevant.

This structure repeats itself in the Book of Joshua, 1:

7 Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses My servant commanded thee; turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest have good success whithersoever thou goest.

8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein; for then thou shalt make thy ways prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success

Again, we are told by Joshua not to turn right or left of the Written Torah.

Similarly, in Proverbs 4:

27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil.

Now, the rabbis try to say the opposite of this, based on Deut 17:

11 According to the law which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do; thou shalt not turn aside from the sentence which they shall declare unto thee, to the right hand, nor to the left.

They claim this refers to the rabbis exclusively, at any time, place, and manner of their own choosing. This is refuted completely by the Torah a few verses earlier

9 And thou shall come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days; and thou shalt inquire; and they shall declare unto thee the sentence of judgement.

This law refers to solving a local dispute at the High court, composed of Kohanim, who were the very people that the rabbis warred with and eliminated. It has already been dealt with here http://tanakhemet.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/that-which-they-shall-tell-you-claim.html

In conclusion, there may be many clowns to the left, and jokers to the right, but the Torah wants us to be stuck in the middle – which is the best place to be.