Babylonian Talmud, Ta'anit 20a-b
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Our Rabbis have taught: A man should always be gentle as the reed and never unyielding as the cedar. Once R. Eleazar son of R. Simeon was coming from Migdal Gedor, from the house of his teacher, and he was riding leisurely on his donkey by the riverside and was feeling happy and elated because he had studied much Torah. There chanced to meet him an exceedingly ugly man who greeted him, ‘Peace be upon you, Sir’. R. Eleazar, however, did not return his salutation but instead said to him, ‘Reika (Worthless!), how ugly you are! Are all your fellow citizens as ugly as you are?’ The man replied: ‘I do not know, but go and tell the craftsman who made me, "How Ugly is the vessel which you have made".’ When R. Eleazar realized that he had done wrong he dismounted from the donkey and prostrated himself before the man and said to him, ‘I submit myself to you, forgive me’. The man replied: ‘I will not forgive you until you go to the craftsman who made me and say to him,"How ugly is the vessel which you have made".’ He [R. Eleazar] walked behind him until he reached his native city. When his fellow citizens came out to meet him greeting him with the words, ‘Peace be upon you O Teacher, O Master,’ the man asked them, ‘Whom are you addressing thus’? They replied, ‘The man who is walking behind you.’ Thereupon he exclaimed: ‘If this man is a teacher, may there not be any more like him in Israel’! The people then asked him: ‘Why’? He replied: ‘Such and such a thing has he done to me. They said to him: ‘Nevertheless, forgive him, for he is a man greatly learned in the Torah.’ The man replied: ‘For your sakes I will forgive him, but only on the condition that he does not act in the same manner in the future.’ Soon after this R. Eleazar son of R. Simeon entered [the Beit Midrash] and expounded thus, A man should always be gentle as the reed and let him never be unyielding as the cedar. And for this reason the reed merited that of it should be made a pen for the writing of the Law, Tefillin and Mezuzot. [Soncino translation] |
Suggested Discussion Questions
1. In what way did R. Eleazar's status as a scholar lead him to treat the ugly man so poorly?
2. What does it mean to be flexible like the reed rather than rigid like the cedar?
3. In what ways do we all forget that every human being was created in the image of God? How can we improve on our track record here?
1. In what way did R. Eleazar's status as a scholar lead him to treat the ugly man so poorly?
2. What does it mean to be flexible like the reed rather than rigid like the cedar?
3. In what ways do we all forget that every human being was created in the image of God? How can we improve on our track record here?
Elie Wiesel - What Being Jewish Means to Me
I remember: as a child, on the other side of oceans and mountains, the Jew in me would anticipate Rosh HaShanah with fear and trembling. He still does. On that Day of Awe, I believed then, nations and individuals, Jewish and non-Jewish, are being judged by their common creator. This is still my belief. In spite of all that happened? Because of all that happened? ---to be Jewish today is to recognize that every person is created in the image of God and that our purpose in living is to be a reminder of God… A Jew must be sensitive to the pain of all human beings. A Jew cannot remain indifferent to human suffering, whether in other countries or in our own cities and towns. The mission of the Jewish people has never been to make the world more Jewish, but to make it more human.
Suggested Discussion Questions
1. What is Wiesel’s definition of justice?
2. What is the mission of the Jewish people?
3. Why does Wiesel mention being made in the image of God?
I remember: as a child, on the other side of oceans and mountains, the Jew in me would anticipate Rosh HaShanah with fear and trembling. He still does. On that Day of Awe, I believed then, nations and individuals, Jewish and non-Jewish, are being judged by their common creator. This is still my belief. In spite of all that happened? Because of all that happened? ---to be Jewish today is to recognize that every person is created in the image of God and that our purpose in living is to be a reminder of God… A Jew must be sensitive to the pain of all human beings. A Jew cannot remain indifferent to human suffering, whether in other countries or in our own cities and towns. The mission of the Jewish people has never been to make the world more Jewish, but to make it more human.
Suggested Discussion Questions
1. What is Wiesel’s definition of justice?
2. What is the mission of the Jewish people?
3. Why does Wiesel mention being made in the image of God?
Abraham Joshua Heschel, Moral Grandeur and Spiritual Audacity. (New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1996), P. 105.
What is involved in being a Jew? Duties of the heart, not only external performance; the ability to experience the suffering of others, compassion and acts of kindess; sanctification of time, not the mere observance of customs and ceremonies; the joy of discipline, not the pleasures of conceit; sacrifice, not casual celebrations; contrition rather than national pride.
Suggested Discussion Questions
1. What does being a Jew mean to you?
2. Why is the ability to experience the suffering of others one of the central facets of being a Jew? Is this a critical to being human or simply Jewish?
What is involved in being a Jew? Duties of the heart, not only external performance; the ability to experience the suffering of others, compassion and acts of kindess; sanctification of time, not the mere observance of customs and ceremonies; the joy of discipline, not the pleasures of conceit; sacrifice, not casual celebrations; contrition rather than national pride.
Suggested Discussion Questions
1. What does being a Jew mean to you?
2. Why is the ability to experience the suffering of others one of the central facets of being a Jew? Is this a critical to being human or simply Jewish?
-------- ABRAHAM JOSHUA HESCHEL, “THE REASONS FOR MY INVOLVEMENT IN THE PEACE MOVEMENT” FROM ABRAHAM JOSHUA HESCHEL, MORAL GRANDEUR AND SPIRITUAL AUDACITY (NEW YORK: FARRAR, STRAUS & GIROUX, 1996). ------- Original The more deeply immersed I became in the thinking of the prophets, the more powerfully it became clear to me what the lives of the prophets sought to convey: that morally speaking there is no limit to the concern one must feel for the suffering of human beings. It also became clear to me that in regard to cruelties committed in the name of a free society, some are guilty, all are responsible. ....
Discussion Questions
1. In what ways do we limit our own concerns with the suffering of human beings? How can we fight that inclination to avoid witnessing suffering?
2. What constitutes a cruelty? What is a cruelty committed in the name of a free society?
3. Why are all responsible for the crimes of some?
4. How can we apply Heschel's principles to our lives today?
Discussion Questions
1. In what ways do we limit our own concerns with the suffering of human beings? How can we fight that inclination to avoid witnessing suffering?
2. What constitutes a cruelty? What is a cruelty committed in the name of a free society?
3. Why are all responsible for the crimes of some?
4. How can we apply Heschel's principles to our lives today?
Jewish text is very particular when it comes to the concept of the potential and intention for God's creatures. Humans, regardless or gender or race, are consider to be b'tzelem elohim- created in the image of God. Compare and contrast the life and works of Moses with the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This first section is an exploration of justice and how it is that the Jewish community became involved in the Civil Rights movement in the U.S.A. in the 1960's. To this day, Jews remain committed to racial and social equality. Why did we not stand idly by? What motivated the Jewish community to act towards justice? Why are we obligated to love each of God's creatures regardless of gender, disability, and race?
Judaism teaches respect for the fundamental rights of others as each person's duty to God. How do we get to this idea? Consider the following:
Judaism teaches respect for the fundamental rights of others as each person's duty to God. How do we get to this idea? Consider the following:
(יז) לִמְד֥וּ הֵיטֵ֛ב דִּרְשׁ֥וּ מִשְׁפָּ֖ט אַשְּׁר֣וּ חָמ֑וֹץ שִׁפְט֣וּ יָת֔וֹם רִ֖יבוּ אַלְמָנָֽה׃ (ס)
(17) Learn to do well; Seek justice, relieve the oppressed, Judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
(א) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה בֹּ֖א אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְדִבַּרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֗יו כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר ה' אֱלֹקֵ֣י הָֽעִבְרִ֔ים שַׁלַּ֥ח אֶת־עַמִּ֖י וְיַֽעַבְדֻֽנִי׃
(1) Then the LORD said unto Moses: ‘Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him: Thus saith the LORD, the God of the Hebrews: Let My people go, that they may serve Me.
(כב) מִשְׁפַּ֤ט אֶחָד֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם כַּגֵּ֥ר כָּאֶזְרָ֖ח יִהְיֶ֑ה כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י ה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶֽם׃
(22) You shall have one law, as well for the stranger, as for the citizen alike; for I am Adonai your God.’
(כ) צֶ֥דֶק צֶ֖דֶק תִּרְדֹּ֑ף לְמַ֤עַן תִּֽחְיֶה֙ וְיָרַשְׁתָּ֣ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־ה' אֱלֹקֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ׃ (ס)
(20) Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may live, and inherit the land which the LORD your God gives you.
(כז) וַיִּבְרָ֨א אֱלֹקִ֤ים ׀ אֶת־הָֽאָדָם֙ בְּצַלְמ֔וֹ בְּצֶ֥לֶם אֱלֹקִ֖ים בָּרָ֣א אֹת֑וֹ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה בָּרָ֥א אֹתָֽם׃
(27) And G-d created man in G-d's own image, in the image of G-d, G-d created him; male and female created He them.
שוב מעשה בנכרי אחד שבא לפני שמאי א"ל גיירני ע"מ 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.
Another time a non-Jew came before Shammai and said, "I will convert if you can teach me the entire Torah while I stand on one foot." Shammai pushed the non-Jew aside with the ruler that was in his hand. The non-Jew came before Hillel and Hillel converted him saying, "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor, that is the entire Torah, the rest is just commentary, now go and study."
Rabbi Yisrael Salanter
When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn't change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn't change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.
When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn't change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn't change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.
Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Gifts to the Poor 7:3
לפי מה שחסר העני אתה מצווה ליתן לו, אם אין לו כסות מכסים אותו, אם אין לו כלי בית קונין לו...ומצווה אתה להשלים חסרונו ואין אתה מצווה לעשרו.
You are commanded to provide the needy with whatever they lack. If they lack clothing, you must clothe them. If they lack household goods, you must provide them...You are commanded to fulfill all their needs, though not required to make them wealthy.
Suggested Discussion Questions
1) What does this text teach us about our obligation to provide for those in need?
2) What social justice themes emerge from this text?
3) What do you do when you feel you are being asked for more than you can give?
2) What social justice themes emerge from this text?
3) What do you do when you feel you are being asked for more than you can give?