There is a current TV series called "My Name is Earl". The series talks about the idea that "karma" controls what happens in our lives and as a result he is trying to repair his "bad luck" by trying to repair all the evil things that he has done in a lifetime. The idea of "karma" is a Hindu concept that was originally associated with scrupulous fulfillment of the prescriptions of Vedic ritual practice. Karma is kept within reach of contemporary Hindus by interpreting it as "unselfish service." In that sense the way of action recommends itself to all, even in the absence of a vital tradition of ritual sacrifice. It is clear that this definition is not the one that Earl uses in the situation comedy. So what is the concept that is used in the TV series?

The idea of karma that is used in the comedy series, "My Name is Earl", is not well developed but it goes something like this. Every person has a balance sheet in heaven. Every bad act sets up a negative tick mark on the balance page of the life of the person who does it. Every good act sets up a positive tick mark on that page. If a person gets enough bad tick marks that are not countered by good tick marks, then their life will be filled with bad events. One can correct these bad tick marks by making reparations for the bad acts to the persons that we have harmed and by being sorry for our bad acts. This idea of karma is very popular in America. It is sort of an American extension of the protestant idea that one is forgiven by grace and the catholic idea that one must make reparation for sin and be sorry for it before forgiveness flows. You hear must often as "What goes around comes around." Theologically, the idea is inconsistent and contrary to scripture. So where does it come from?

The Zohar teaches us that there is an eternal balance. Each act that is done with more giving than receiving is considered beneficial to the "good" side of the eternal balance. Each act that is done with more receiving than giving is considered detrimental to the "good" side of the eternal balance. The concept of the three pillars formed by the Tree of Life, the right, the left, and the middle, mean that the universe naturally wants to remain balanced by the middle pillar. Thus, all the universe seeks to maintain a balance between "good" acts, that is, acts of giving and "bad" acts, that is, acts of receiving. The scripture implies that it is more blessed to give than receive, but in reality every giver must have a receiver or there could be no giving. The universe requires that someone must give and another must receive and therefore ultimately there must be as many givers as receivers. Earl's idea of karma is much more personal than the Zohar's idea of balance. The good acts of a few can balance the bad acts of many and vice versa. It is not true that each person will get his just reward on earth. What is spoken of in scripture is a concept of justice and justice comes by maintaining the balance. Eventually, every person will gain their just reward, but the Zohar teaches us that we may not gain our just reward here and now. It may happen in the afterlife or just as likely in a future or past life. A just g-d in Zohar's view is one who maintains the purity of the balance, but as the Voice has told me, sometimes very bad men die and a good man must die to balance the bad man's death and vice versa.

In order to demonstrate the reality of this ultimate law of justice, I want to look at a particular person. This person does not meet the Earl standard of being bad. And nothing he ever did would require much reparation as he was scrupulous about his good life. I want to speak of Brother Roger Schutz-Marsauche, the founder of the Community of Taize. Brother Roger was murdered during the celebration of evening prayer in front of 2,500 young people and brothers by a instrument of the Satan. She slit his throat and he bled death quickly, but not before he had a chance to grant her forgiveness. I was horrified by the death and very, very sad. I knew that a Tzaddik had passed from the world. I begged the Voice to explain to me how such a horrible event could happen, how justice was dealt with by the murder of this saint. The Voice said to me that an exceedingly bad man, one equally bad to Brother Roger's saintliness had passed and that the Balance required the death of a Saint to overcome the death of evil represented by the evil man's passing. The Balance is more important than individual "justice" because the Balance is the support of the middle pillar and the guarantee that this universe will continue. There is justice, but justice is not individual; it is profoundly cosmic. There is no guarantee that a person's act will be rewarded here and now.

The Book of Job ends not with justice being done. Job never gets back his lost children. New children cannot replace lost children. New wealth cannot replace lost wealth. Individual justice is not guaranteed. Sorry Earl.