The Bible has so many rules that it is tempting to simply ignore them and pay closer attention to the stories. But I find that examination of these rules often yields high rewards. Chapter 19, verse 14 of Leviticus (or in Hebrew, Vayikra) reads "You shall not curse the deaf." I thought to myself, "Why? Because they already have it bad enough?" A commentator got me to revisit the verse.
Generally, prohibitions remind us about the harmful side of our selfishness. They help us grow an awareness others and the importance of respecting the needs and rights of others. So when we read a prohibition, our automatic response is to look for the pattern of our selfishness making a victim out of someone else. But apparently this verse is different.
A deaf person is the only person who really can't be damaged by a curse. The verse does not read, "do not curse," but specifically forbids cursing the one person who can't hear a curse. That is why the commentator's insight hit me: I become my own victim. When I curse someone else who can't hear me (because their windows are rolled up and their stereo is blaring), the relief I feel is false - I am actually feeding my ego and moving away from God. I guess I did have something to work with after all.
