What are the practical implications of "avoiding everything which is contrary and hateful to the happiness and well-being of ourselves and to that of the fellow creatures who enjoy existence down here in this world"?
1. Why do we want to take vengeance or harbor grudges? On what basis are we told not to do so?
2. What does this text teach us about how we treat others?
3. What does this text teach us about how we treat ourselves?
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| On another occasion it happened that a certain non-Jew came before Shammai and said to him, “I will convert to Judaism, on condition that you teach me the whole Torah while I stand on one foot.” Shammai chased him away with the builder's tool that was in his hand. He came before Hillel and said to him, "Convert me." Hillel said to him, “What is hateful to you, do not to your neighbor: that is the whole Torah; the rest is commentary; go and learn it.” [AJWS translation] |
שוב מעשה בנכרי אחד שבא לפני שמאי, אמר לו: גיירני על מנת שתלמדני כל התורה כולה כשאני עומד על רגל אחת. דחפו באמת הבנין שבידו. בא לפני הלל, גייריה. אמר לו: דעלך סני לחברך לא תעביד - זו היא כל התורה כולה, ואידך - פירושה הוא, זיל גמור.
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1. How is Hillel's phrase here different than the verse in Leviticus, "Love your neighbor as yourself?"
2. If we truly followed this dictum, how would our daily behavior change? How would our government policies change - foreign and domestic?
3. What other social justice themes emerge from this text?
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| When God created the first human beings, God led them around all the trees of the Garden of Eden and said: “Look at My works! See how beautiful they are—how excellent! For your sake I created them all. See to it that you do not spoil and destroy My world; for if you do, there will be no one else to repair it.” |
בשעה שברא הקב"ה את אדם הראשון נטלו והחזירו על כל אילני גן עדן ואמר לו ראה מעשי כמה נאים ומשובחין הן וכל מה שבראתי בשבילך בראתי, תן דעתך שלא תקלקל ותחריב את עולמי, שאם קלקלת אין מי שיתקן אחריך
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"And they shall rule over the fish of the sea" (Genesis 1:26): Rabbi Chanina said, “if he merits it then [G-d says] have dominion, while if he does not merit, then [G-d says] he will be taken down.” Rabbi Yaakov of Kfar Chanin said, "If he [the human acts] in Our image and likeness [then] 'he will rule,' if he [acts] not in Our image and likeness, then 'and he will be taken down.' Rabbi Yaakov of Kfar Chanin said [further]: “the [righteous person] who is in Our image and likeness will come, and rule over [wicked people and animals] who are not in Our image and likeness." [translation by Rabbi Yonatan Neril, adapted in part from that of Isaac Levy to Rabbi Samphson Raphael Hirsch, The Pentateuch to Genesis 1:26 (citation below) and Soncino Midrash Rabbah] |
ורדו בדגת הים, אמר רבי חנינא אם זכה רדו ואם לאו ירדו, אמר רבי יעקב דכפר חנין את שהוא בצלמנו כדמותנו ורדו, את שאינו בצלמנו כדמותנו ירדו, רבי יעקב דמן כפר חנן אמר יבא צלמנו ודמותנו, וירדה לשאינו דומה לצלמנו כדמותנו
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