In this week’s Parashah, the Torah talks about what will happen when they enter into the land of Israel. The Creator tells Moshe to tell the Israelites when they come into the land of Israel they are to set up these cities, called ari miklat, cities where if a person would kill another completely accidentally, he would have to run to these cities and begin the purification.

After they cross the Jordon, they will set up six of these cities. If a person completely accidentally kills, he runs there and begins his purification process.

Then toward the end of the explanation of the set up, the person who would accidentally kill another person will stay in these cities until the death of the High Priest, of the Kohen Hagadol. After the death of the High Priest, then all of those who had accidentally killed another person could go back to their house.

The Midrash explains that the parents of the High Priest, the mothers, would send food to these accidental murderers and their families. Why? The mothers were afraid, since only the death of the High Priest would release these murderers. They were afraid the murderers would be praying for the death of the High Priest. In order to appease them, to ask them not to pray for this death, they would send them food so they would not pray for the death of the High Priest.

The question the Kabbalists ask is: we know if a person prays for the wrong thing, certainly if it is to damage another person, what danger is there, what true fear is there? What was the fear for the mothers of the High Priest that the murderers will pray for his death? Prayers that are baseless will not get answered.

The answer, and it is important for all of us, is that the High Priest had a responsibility. Every day, in addition to his other prayers, every day he should pray that no person accidentally kills another person. Because if he does not feel the responsibility, does not pray this everyday, there is an opening for him to get hurt. His lack of responsibility allowed one person to kill another accidentally.

This idea of responsibility, of knowing how much we are responsible for others in the world, is something I think we all take too casually.

There is a story of Yeshua ben Levi; Elijah would come to teach him. Every day Elijah would come and teach him and visit with him. One day Elijah the prophet stopped coming. Yeshua ben Levi asked, “Why has this great soul stopped coming to see me?” The answer was because three miles away from where you live a person was mauled by a lion. Because that could occur in your three-mile radius, Elijah no longer will come and see you.

What this tells us, certainly great souls, the High Priest, Yeshua ben Levi, they had a responsibility not only for themselves, but also for those around them, and for a geographical area. If they left an opening for negativity, it was their responsibility.

This is one of the keys to true spiritual connection to the Light–feeling the responsibility to ourselves, to those around us and to the rest of the world. Knowing our actions, if not cause, at least leave an opening for something negative to occur. I have to asked myself, how did I, through my actions, either negative or not positive enough, leave an opening for it to occur?

This global responsibility we need to develop is one of the keys to the connection to the Light. In these three weeks, one of the aspects of connection is the responsibility we feel. Yes, most of us know our own spiritual work, our own responsibility. Maybe it goes to those around me. How often do we ask ourselves, direct it to a more global responsibility, to the city, to the country, to the world?

This is not just a spiritual idea. It must have practical consequence: not only to pray, but also to do something about it. A true connection to the Light cannot be achieved without the acceptance of global responsibly. It must have a practical manifestation in our prayers and in our actions. Every day we need to ask ourselves this question: How is my life directed, besides everything else I do, toward bringing about the end of pain and suffering in the rest of the world?

What we see from the High Priest and from Yeshua ben Levi, is that it’s not just the right thing to do; it is a true responsibility. And true responsibility has consequence. They lost their connection because they didn’t understand their responsibility. It’s a true and actual responsibility. We are responsible for the negativity that occurs.

Not only will it make our connection as it should be, but it will also protect us. Responsibility means I do it because I know I have to do it. I’m in this world not only to grow myself and my connection, and those around me. I’m in this world because I was put here to have responsibility for the rest of the world. Ask, What action am I doing toward that goal I am responsible for?