Parshat Mispatim starts out with, “These are the rules that you shall set before them:” and proceeds with a list. Some rules are logical, some outdated, and some disturbing. The ones that caught my interest were a series about oxen who harmed property or people. The rules acknowledge that oxen are big animals and accidents will happen, and so the punishments are for the ox. It has to be sold or killed and restitution made to the injured party. But the story continues… “If, however, it is known that the ox was in the habit of goring, and its owner has failed to guard it…(Exodus 21:36)
An ox is an ox, and it will hurt people if not properly handled or secured in their pen, but if you know the ox is dangerous and you stand by doing nothing, then you are liable for the damage caused.
We have an obligation to act. The action can be big, to demand, to protest, to write to our senators and demand that changes be made, that organizations hiding under the guise of government be abolished, and that lists of monsters (and their enablers) be public knowledge. Or that action can be small, using our dollars to help others with louder voices continue fight that fight.
But, standing by and doing nothing makes us liable.