“I go to bed worried about all the promises we’ve made. And I get up each morning thinking we haven’t made enough promises.” - Dr. Paul Farmer, 1959-2022, quoted in Dr. Michelle Williams "Paul Farmer taught us not to accept the status quo in public health", February 22, 2022, https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/02/22/opinion/paul-farmer-taught-us-not-accept-status-quo-public-health/
A piece of mishnah had its moment in the limelight in the summer of 2021 when a volume of Pirkei Avot from 1492 was used at a White House swearing in ceremony:
"...that 529-year-old book made a starring appearance under the hand of Eric Lander, a man who helped map the human genome, when he was sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris as the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Lander, 64, who is Jewish, used the book as the sacred text upon which he swore his oath to uphold the values of a nation that was not even a notion when the book was printed....
Lander zeroed in on chapter 2, verse 16 of “Pirkei Avot,” which speaks to the value of Tikkun Olam, or the endless task of repairing the world: “It is not incumbent upon you to finish the task, but neither are you free to absolve yourself from it.”
That espouses, Lander says, his family’s deepest values. “We are (all) part of a continuous chain of people who are devoted to repairing the world,” he said. “That’s what keeps the world, you know, livable and good. And we make it better in this way.”
https://blogs.loc.gov/loc/2021/06/the-white-house-scientist-and-the-ancient-jewish-book/
"...that 529-year-old book made a starring appearance under the hand of Eric Lander, a man who helped map the human genome, when he was sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris as the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Lander, 64, who is Jewish, used the book as the sacred text upon which he swore his oath to uphold the values of a nation that was not even a notion when the book was printed....
Lander zeroed in on chapter 2, verse 16 of “Pirkei Avot,” which speaks to the value of Tikkun Olam, or the endless task of repairing the world: “It is not incumbent upon you to finish the task, but neither are you free to absolve yourself from it.”
That espouses, Lander says, his family’s deepest values. “We are (all) part of a continuous chain of people who are devoted to repairing the world,” he said. “That’s what keeps the world, you know, livable and good. And we make it better in this way.”
https://blogs.loc.gov/loc/2021/06/the-white-house-scientist-and-the-ancient-jewish-book/
(טו) רַבִּי טַרְפוֹן אוֹמֵר, הַיּוֹם קָצָר וְהַמְּלָאכָה מְרֻבָּה, וְהַפּוֹעֲלִים עֲצֵלִים, וְהַשָּׂכָר הַרְבֵּה, וּבַעַל הַבַּיִת דּוֹחֵק:
(15) Rabbi Tarfon said: the day is short, and the work is plentiful, and the laborers are indolent, and the reward is great, and the master of the house is insistent.
(טז) הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, לֹא עָלֶיךָ הַמְּלָאכָה לִגְמֹר, וְלֹא אַתָּה בֶן חוֹרִין לִבָּטֵל מִמֶּנָּה. אִם לָמַדְתָּ תוֹרָה הַרְבֵּה, נוֹתְנִים לְךָ שָׂכָר הַרְבֵּה. וְנֶאֱמָן הוּא בַעַל מְלַאכְתְּךָ שֶׁיְּשַׁלֵּם לְךָ שְׂכַר פְּעֻלָּתֶךָ. וְדַע מַתַּן שְׂכָרָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא:
(16) He [Rabbi Tarfon] used to say: It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it; If you have studied much Torah, you shall be given much reward. Faithful is your employer to pay you the reward of your labor; And know that the grant of reward unto the righteous is in the age to come.
We are not obligated to complete the task...What does the second half of this famous mishna mean? 'Lehibatel mimeno' - we are not free to desist, neglect, ignore the task? Does it mean be a 'batlan' and be lazy (as in the prior mishnah, haPoalim aztelim - the works are lazy) or stop trying? What is the minimum effort required to not be neglecting a task? A remarkable passage from Parshat Vayera offers a way to understand this well known mishna.
Hashem decides to tell Avraham about Hashem's plans to destroy Sodom. A negotiation ensues ('will you save the city on account of 50, 45, 40, 30, 20, 10?), but ultimately does not change the outcome - Avraham wakes up in the morning to see the smoke rising from Sodom. How are we to understand this narrative, which takes up 17 verses? Three possible reasons emerge that teach us about what it means 'lehibatel mimeno':
1) Don't despair
2) Don't disengage
3) Don't underestimate your power
Hashem decides to tell Avraham about Hashem's plans to destroy Sodom. A negotiation ensues ('will you save the city on account of 50, 45, 40, 30, 20, 10?), but ultimately does not change the outcome - Avraham wakes up in the morning to see the smoke rising from Sodom. How are we to understand this narrative, which takes up 17 verses? Three possible reasons emerge that teach us about what it means 'lehibatel mimeno':
1) Don't despair
2) Don't disengage
3) Don't underestimate your power
וַתְּכַחֵ֨שׁ שָׂרָ֧ה ׀ לֵאמֹ֛ר לֹ֥א צָחַ֖קְתִּי כִּ֣י ׀ יָרֵ֑אָה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ׀ לֹ֖א כִּ֥י צָחָֽקְתְּ׃ וַיָּקֻ֤מוּ מִשָּׁם֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים וַיַּשְׁקִ֖פוּ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י סְדֹ֑ם וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם הֹלֵ֥ךְ עִמָּ֖ם לְשַׁלְּחָֽם׃ וַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אָמָ֑ר הַֽמְכַסֶּ֤ה אֲנִי֙ מֵֽאַבְרָהָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֲנִ֥י עֹשֶֽׂה׃ וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם הָי֧וֹ יִֽהְיֶ֛ה לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל וְעָצ֑וּם וְנִ֨בְרְכוּ־ב֔וֹ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃ כִּ֣י יְדַעְתִּ֗יו לְמַ֩עַן֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְצַוֶּ֜ה אֶת־בָּנָ֤יו וְאֶת־בֵּיתוֹ֙ אַחֲרָ֔יו וְשָֽׁמְרוּ֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת צְדָקָ֖ה וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט לְמַ֗עַן הָבִ֤יא יְהֹוָה֙ עַל־אַבְרָהָ֔ם אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֖ר עָלָֽיו׃ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֔ה זַעֲקַ֛ת סְדֹ֥ם וַעֲמֹרָ֖ה כִּי־רָ֑בָּה וְחַ֨טָּאתָ֔ם כִּ֥י כָבְדָ֖ה מְאֹֽד׃ אֵֽרְדָה־נָּ֣א וְאֶרְאֶ֔ה הַכְּצַעֲקָתָ֛הּ הַבָּ֥אָה אֵלַ֖י עָשׂ֣וּ ׀ כָּלָ֑ה וְאִם־לֹ֖א אֵדָֽעָה׃ וַיִּפְנ֤וּ מִשָּׁם֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ סְדֹ֑מָה וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם עוֹדֶ֥נּוּ עֹמֵ֖ד לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ וַיִּגַּ֥שׁ אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַאַ֣ף תִּסְפֶּ֔ה צַדִּ֖יק עִם־רָשָֽׁע׃ אוּלַ֥י יֵ֛שׁ חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים צַדִּיקִ֖ם בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֑יר הַאַ֤ף תִּסְפֶּה֙ וְלֹא־תִשָּׂ֣א לַמָּק֔וֹם לְמַ֛עַן חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים הַצַּדִּיקִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּקִרְבָּֽהּ׃ חָלִ֨לָה לְּךָ֜ מֵעֲשֹׂ֣ת ׀ כַּדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה לְהָמִ֤ית צַדִּיק֙ עִם־רָשָׁ֔ע וְהָיָ֥ה כַצַּדִּ֖יק כָּרָשָׁ֑ע חָלִ֣לָה לָּ֔ךְ הֲשֹׁפֵט֙ כׇּל־הָאָ֔רֶץ לֹ֥א יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֔ה אִם־אֶמְצָ֥א בִסְדֹ֛ם חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים צַדִּיקִ֖ם בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֑יר וְנָשָׂ֥אתִי לְכׇל־הַמָּק֖וֹם בַּעֲבוּרָֽם׃ וַיַּ֥עַן אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הִנֵּה־נָ֤א הוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֔י וְאָנֹכִ֖י עָפָ֥ר וָאֵֽפֶר׃ א֠וּלַ֠י יַחְסְר֞וּן חֲמִשִּׁ֤ים הַצַּדִּיקִם֙ חֲמִשָּׁ֔ה הֲתַשְׁחִ֥ית בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה אֶת־כׇּל־הָעִ֑יר וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אַשְׁחִ֔ית אִם־אֶמְצָ֣א שָׁ֔ם אַרְבָּעִ֖ים וַחֲמִשָּֽׁה׃ וַיֹּ֨סֶף ע֜וֹד לְדַבֵּ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם אַרְבָּעִ֑ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֔ה בַּעֲב֖וּר הָאַרְבָּעִֽים׃ וַ֠יֹּ֠אמֶר אַל־נָ֞א יִ֤חַר לַֽאדֹנָי֙ וַאֲדַבֵּ֔רָה אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם שְׁלֹשִׁ֑ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֔ה אִם־אֶמְצָ֥א שָׁ֖ם שְׁלֹשִֽׁים׃ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּֽה־נָ֤א הוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֔י אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם עֶשְׂרִ֑ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אַשְׁחִ֔ית בַּעֲב֖וּר הָֽעֶשְׂרִֽים׃ וַ֠יֹּ֠אמֶר אַל־נָ֞א יִ֤חַר לַֽאדֹנָי֙ וַאֲדַבְּרָ֣ה אַךְ־הַפַּ֔עַם אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם עֲשָׂרָ֑ה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אַשְׁחִ֔ית בַּעֲב֖וּר הָעֲשָׂרָֽה׃ וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר כִּלָּ֔ה לְדַבֵּ֖ר אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֑ם וְאַבְרָהָ֖ם שָׁ֥ב לִמְקֹמֽוֹ׃ וַ֠יָּבֹ֠אוּ שְׁנֵ֨י הַמַּלְאָכִ֤ים סְדֹ֙מָה֙ בָּעֶ֔רֶב וְל֖וֹט יֹשֵׁ֣ב בְּשַֽׁעַר־סְדֹ֑ם וַיַּרְא־לוֹט֙ וַיָּ֣קׇם לִקְרָאתָ֔ם וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ אַפַּ֖יִם אָֽרְצָה׃
Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was frightened. But He replied, “You did laugh.” The men set out from there and looked down toward Sodom, Abraham walking with them to see them off. Now the LORD had said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, since Abraham is to become a great and populous nation and all the nations of the earth are to bless themselves by him? For I have singled him out, that he may instruct his children and his posterity to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is just and right, in order that the LORD may bring about for Abraham what He has promised him.” Then the LORD said, “The outrage of Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so grave! I will go down to see whether they have acted altogether according to the outcry that has reached Me; if not, I will take note.” The men went on from there to Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the LORD. Abraham came forward and said, “Will You sweep away the innocent along with the guilty? What if there should be fifty innocent within the city; will You then wipe out the place and not forgive it for the sake of the innocent fifty who are in it? Far be it from You to do such a thing, to bring death upon the innocent as well as the guilty, so that innocent and guilty fare alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?” And the LORD answered, “If I find within the city of Sodom fifty innocent ones, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.” Abraham spoke up, saying, “Here I venture to speak to my Lord, I who am but dust and ashes: What if the fifty innocent should lack five? Will You destroy the whole city for want of the five?” And He answered, “I will not destroy if I find forty-five there.” But he spoke to Him again, and said, “What if forty should be found there?” And He answered, “I will not do it, for the sake of the forty.” And he said, “Let not my Lord be angry if I go on: What if thirty should be found there?” And He answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” And he said, “I venture again to speak to my Lord: What if twenty should be found there?” And He answered, “I will not destroy, for the sake of the twenty.” And he said, “Let not my Lord be angry if I speak but this last time: What if ten should be found there?” And He answered, “I will not destroy, for the sake of the ten.” When the LORD had finished speaking to Abraham, He departed; and Abraham returned to his place. The two angels arrived in Sodom in the evening, as Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to greet them and, bowing low with his face to the ground,
First meaning of 'lehibatel': don't despair. We might think there is no point trying if we may not affect the ultimate outcome, but you still must try. Avraham negotiates to save Sodom and ultimately learns he failed, but he still needed to try.
- The Mesilat Yesharim offers that we may feel that our prayers are insignificant ('who am I to pray for Jerusalem etc?') and yet we still do and we must
- Rabbi Shai Held in his book the Heart of Torah suggests that Hashem is teaching Avraham how to advocate for justice so Avraham in turn can teach his children 'la'asot tzedek umishpat'
- Avraham is learning and trying out different ways of approaching G-d, (chalilah lach! vs I am but dust and ashes); Rashi suggests that Vayigash may be language of battle, supplication etc.
So even if it doesn't affect the outcome, Avraham's engagement and speaking out sets the stage for future generations to do so.
- The Mesilat Yesharim offers that we may feel that our prayers are insignificant ('who am I to pray for Jerusalem etc?') and yet we still do and we must
- Rabbi Shai Held in his book the Heart of Torah suggests that Hashem is teaching Avraham how to advocate for justice so Avraham in turn can teach his children 'la'asot tzedek umishpat'
- Avraham is learning and trying out different ways of approaching G-d, (chalilah lach! vs I am but dust and ashes); Rashi suggests that Vayigash may be language of battle, supplication etc.
So even if it doesn't affect the outcome, Avraham's engagement and speaking out sets the stage for future generations to do so.
ואם יאמר אדם מי אני ומה אני ספון שאתפלל על הגלות ועל ירושלים וכו', המפני תפלתי יכנסו הגליות ותצמח הישועה?
If one will say: "who am I, and what importance am I that I should pray on the exile and Jerusalem? Will the exiles be ingathered and the salvation sprout because of my prayers?!
תשובתו בצדו, כאותה ששנינו (סנהדרין ל"ח): לפיכך נברא אדם יחידי כדי שכל אחד יאמר בשבילי נברא העולם, וכבר נחת רוח הוא לפניו יתברך שיהיו בניו מבקשים ומתפללים על זאת, ואף שלא תעשה בקשתם מפני שלא הגיע הזמן או מאיזה טעם שיהיה, הנה הם עשו את שלהם והקב"ה שמח בזה.
The answer to him is near [his question], as we learned: "Thus man was created alone, so that each person should say: 'for my sake the world was created' " (Sanhedrin 37a). Already it brings gratification to G-d, that His children desire and pray for this. And even though their request may not be fulfilled, because the proper time has not yet come or for some other reason, nevertheless, they have done their part and the Holy One, blessed be He, rejoices in this.
הרי כאן שחייבים אנחנו בזה, ואין לנו ליפטר מפני מיעוט כחנו, כי על כיוצא בזה שנינו (אבות פ"ג): לא עליך המלאכה לגמור ואי אתה בן חורין ליבטל הימנה.
Thus we learn from here that we are obligated in this matter, and cannot exempt ourselves due to our lack of power. For on all such matters, we learned: "It is not incumbent upon you to complete the task, but neither are you free to abstain from it" (Avot 2:16).
Rabbi Shai Held, The Heart of Torah, Parashat Vayera
"God wants Abraham to train his descendants to do what is just and right, but Abraham cannot teach what he himself has not yet learned. Abraham needs to learn how to stand up for justice and how to plead for mercy, so God places him in a situation in which he can do just that. Subtly, the text communicates a powerful lesson, one that is learned all too slowly, if at all, by those of us blessed with children: We cannot teach our children values which we ourselves do not embody. If Abraham is to father a people who will stand up for what is good and just, he will first have to do so himself."
"God wants Abraham to train his descendants to do what is just and right, but Abraham cannot teach what he himself has not yet learned. Abraham needs to learn how to stand up for justice and how to plead for mercy, so God places him in a situation in which he can do just that. Subtly, the text communicates a powerful lesson, one that is learned all too slowly, if at all, by those of us blessed with children: We cannot teach our children values which we ourselves do not embody. If Abraham is to father a people who will stand up for what is good and just, he will first have to do so himself."
(א) ויגש אברהם. מָצִינוּ הַגָּשָׁה לַמִּלְחָמָה, וַיִּגַּשׁ יוֹאָב וְגוֹ' (שמואל ב י'), וְהַגָּשָׁה לְפִיוּס וַיִּגַּשׁ אֵלָיו יְהוּדָה, וְהַגָּשָׁה לִתְפִלָּה, וַיִּגַּשׁ אֵלִיָּהוּ הַנָּבִיא (מלכים א י"ח), וּלְכָל אֵלֶּה נִכְנַס אַבְרָהָם לְדַבֵּר קָשׁוֹת וּלְפִיּוּס וְלִתְפִלָּה: (ב) האף תספה. הֲגַם תִּסְפֶּה. וּלְתַרְגּוּם שֶׁל אֻנְקְלוֹס, שֶׁתִּרְגְּמוֹ לְשׁוֹן רֹגֶז, כָּךְ פֵּרוּשׁוֹ, הַאַף יַשִּׂיאֲךָ שֶׁתִּסְפֶּה צַדִּיק עִם רָשָׁע:
(1) ויגש אברהם AND ABRAHAM DREW NEAR — We find the verb ננש “to come near” used in the sense of coming near to wage war — (2 Samuel 10:13) “So Joab … drew near unto the battle”; — of coming near to persuade by entreaty — (44:18) “And Judah came near to him [and said, Oh, my lord]” — and of coming near to pray — (1 Kings 18:36) “And Elijah the prophet came near [and said, O Lord, God of Abraham etc.]” Abraham employed all these methods — to fight, by speaking stern words, and to persuade by entreaty, and to pray (Genesis Rabbah 49:8). (2) האף תספה means wilt Thou also destroy. But according to the Targum of Onkelos which translates it (the word האף) in the sense of anger, the explanation would be as follows: will Your anger urge you to destroy righteous with wicked?
2) Don't disengage:
- Ibn Ezra notes that "betoch ha'ir" - in the city, and "hamakom" appear several times in the negotiation passage between Avraham and Hashem - alluding to the righteous publicly 'revering Hashem', not just privately
- Nehama Leibowitz comments that the righteous cannot disengage and be righteous in their 'dalet amot', as if to say 'it's their problem' and not try to better their city. If the righteous people had been involved and engaged in the city, perhaps it could have been changed or saved.
- Ibn Ezra notes that "betoch ha'ir" - in the city, and "hamakom" appear several times in the negotiation passage between Avraham and Hashem - alluding to the righteous publicly 'revering Hashem', not just privately
- Nehama Leibowitz comments that the righteous cannot disengage and be righteous in their 'dalet amot', as if to say 'it's their problem' and not try to better their city. If the righteous people had been involved and engaged in the city, perhaps it could have been changed or saved.
(א) וטעם בתוך העיר. שהם יראים את השם בפרהסיא וכן שוטטו בחוצות ירושלים:
(1) [WITHIN THE CITY.] That is, who publicly revere My name. Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, And see now, and know, And seek in the broad places thereof, If ye can find a man, If there be any that doeth justly, and seeketh truth; And I will pardon her (Jer. 5:1) is similar.
Nechama Leibowitz - Parashat Vayera - Sodom
"The second principle that emerges from the dialogue between Abraham and the Almighty is the responsibility of the righteous few towards the rest of society, however corrupt, and their capacity to save it from destruction by the sheer force of their own merit and moral impact. Should there exist in Sodom, the symbol of wickedness and corruption, fifty righteous men, should not their merit be capable of saving the whole city? Surely even one light illuminates far more than itself and one spark is sufficient to penetrate the thickest darkness! Surely the "place"; constitutes but one whole and if its heart is strong and healthy, should this not result in saving the rest of the body?
The prophet Jeremiah formulated these same sentiments in a starker and more extreme manner:
Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, And see now and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, If ye can find a man, If there be any that executeth judgement, that seeketh the truth; And I will pardon it. (Jeremiah 5, 1)
But our sages inserted one important proviso limiting the power of the few or the individual to save the many through their merit, finding an allusion to their principle in the Divine answer to Abraham's first plea in our chapter:
And the Lord said:
If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city,
Then I will spare all the place for their sakes.(18, 26)
It is the repetition implied in the employing of both "in Sodom"; and "within the city"; that provides our commentators with the clue. Ibn Ezra briefly but significantly reveals the all important implications of this repetition:
the reason for the words "within the city"; implies that they fear the Lord in public, compare Jeremiah"run ye to and fro throught the streets of Jerusalem.";
In other words, the few can turn the scales and save the place, if the righteous individuals concerned are "within the city,"; playing a prominent part in public life and exerting their influence in its many fields of activity. But if they merely exist, living in retirement and never venturing firth but pursuing their pious conduct unseen and unknown, they will, perhaps, save themselves, but will certainly not possess the spiritual merit capable of protecting the city. The same city which forces the righteous few into retirement so that their scrupulous moral standards should not interfere with the injustice dominating public life, the same city is not entitled to claim salvation by virtue of the handful of righteous men leading a secluded life within it. Sodom could not boast of fifty, forty, thirty, or even ten righteous men, and if they existed, at any rate they were not "within the city."
"The second principle that emerges from the dialogue between Abraham and the Almighty is the responsibility of the righteous few towards the rest of society, however corrupt, and their capacity to save it from destruction by the sheer force of their own merit and moral impact. Should there exist in Sodom, the symbol of wickedness and corruption, fifty righteous men, should not their merit be capable of saving the whole city? Surely even one light illuminates far more than itself and one spark is sufficient to penetrate the thickest darkness! Surely the "place"; constitutes but one whole and if its heart is strong and healthy, should this not result in saving the rest of the body?
The prophet Jeremiah formulated these same sentiments in a starker and more extreme manner:
Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, And see now and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, If ye can find a man, If there be any that executeth judgement, that seeketh the truth; And I will pardon it. (Jeremiah 5, 1)
But our sages inserted one important proviso limiting the power of the few or the individual to save the many through their merit, finding an allusion to their principle in the Divine answer to Abraham's first plea in our chapter:
And the Lord said:
If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city,
Then I will spare all the place for their sakes.(18, 26)
It is the repetition implied in the employing of both "in Sodom"; and "within the city"; that provides our commentators with the clue. Ibn Ezra briefly but significantly reveals the all important implications of this repetition:
the reason for the words "within the city"; implies that they fear the Lord in public, compare Jeremiah"run ye to and fro throught the streets of Jerusalem.";
In other words, the few can turn the scales and save the place, if the righteous individuals concerned are "within the city,"; playing a prominent part in public life and exerting their influence in its many fields of activity. But if they merely exist, living in retirement and never venturing firth but pursuing their pious conduct unseen and unknown, they will, perhaps, save themselves, but will certainly not possess the spiritual merit capable of protecting the city. The same city which forces the righteous few into retirement so that their scrupulous moral standards should not interfere with the injustice dominating public life, the same city is not entitled to claim salvation by virtue of the handful of righteous men leading a secluded life within it. Sodom could not boast of fifty, forty, thirty, or even ten righteous men, and if they existed, at any rate they were not "within the city."
3) Don't underestimate the power of our actions.
Once you overcome despair and disengagement to start doing 'something' - you never know when your actions might be the ones to 'tip the scales'. Avraham didn't know what the 'threshold' number was so he kept going, kept advocating, kept trying.
- The midrash describes the people of Sodom as doing many 'little' things wrong; my kindergartner explained is as each person stealing just one pretzel saying 'they won't miss it' until the child is left with an empty bag of pretzels.
- Rambam imagines our own fate and the fate of the world hanging in the balance and one small act could tip it in the right direction (Mishneh Torah below)
- Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz reminds us that one vote, one donation, one letter to congress could be the one to 'tip the scales' and whose effects will ripple out beyond
Once you overcome despair and disengagement to start doing 'something' - you never know when your actions might be the ones to 'tip the scales'. Avraham didn't know what the 'threshold' number was so he kept going, kept advocating, kept trying.
- The midrash describes the people of Sodom as doing many 'little' things wrong; my kindergartner explained is as each person stealing just one pretzel saying 'they won't miss it' until the child is left with an empty bag of pretzels.
- Rambam imagines our own fate and the fate of the world hanging in the balance and one small act could tip it in the right direction (Mishneh Torah below)
- Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz reminds us that one vote, one donation, one letter to congress could be the one to 'tip the scales' and whose effects will ripple out beyond
אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁתְּקִיעַת שׁוֹפָר בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה גְּזֵרַת הַכָּתוּב רֶמֶז יֵשׁ בּוֹ כְּלוֹמַר עוּרוּ יְשֵׁנִים מִשְּׁנַתְכֶם וְנִרְדָּמִים הָקִיצוּ מִתַּרְדֵּמַתְכֶם וְחַפְּשׂוּ בְּמַעֲשֵׂיכֶם וְחִזְרוּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה וְזִכְרוּ בּוֹרַאֲכֶם. אֵלּוּ הַשּׁוֹכְחִים אֶת הָאֱמֶת בְּהַבְלֵי הַזְּמַן וְשׁוֹגִים כָּל שְׁנָתָם בְּהֶבֶל וָרִיק אֲשֶׁר לֹא יוֹעִיל וְלֹא יַצִּיל, הַבִּיטוּ לְנַפְשׁוֹתֵיכֶם וְהֵיטִיבוּ דַּרְכֵיכֶם וּמַעַלְלֵיכֶם וְיַעֲזֹב כָּל אֶחָד מִכֶּם דַּרְכּוֹ הָרָעָה וּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר לֹא טוֹבָה. לְפִיכָךְ צָרִיךְ כָּל אָדָם שֶׁיִּרְאֶה עַצְמוֹ כָּל הַשָּׁנָה כֻּלָּהּ כְּאִלּוּ חֶצְיוֹ זַכַּאי וְחֶצְיוֹ חַיָּב. וְכֵן כָּל הָעוֹלָם חֶצְיוֹ זַכַּאי וְחֶצְיוֹ חַיָּב. חָטָא חֵטְא אֶחָד הֲרֵי הִכְרִיעַ אֶת עַצְמוֹ וְאֶת כָּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ לְכַף חוֹבָה וְגָרַם לוֹ הַשְׁחָתָה. עָשָׂה מִצְוָה אַחַת הֲרֵי הִכְרִיעַ אֶת עַצְמוֹ וְאֶת כָּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ לְכַף זְכוּת וְגָרַם לוֹ וְלָהֶם תְּשׁוּעָה וְהַצָּלָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי י כה) "וְצַדִּיק יְסוֹד עוֹלָם" זֶה שֶׁצָּדַק הִכְרִיעַ אֶת כָּל הָעוֹלָם לִזְכוּת וְהִצִּילוֹ. וּמִפְּנֵי עִנְיָן זֶה נָהֲגוּ כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַרְבּוֹת בִּצְדָקָה וּבְמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים וְלַעֲסֹק בְּמִצְוֹת מֵרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְעַד יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים יֶתֶר מִכָּל הַשָּׁנָה. וְנָהֲגוּ כֻּלָּם לָקוּם בַּלַּיְלָה בַּעֲשָׂרָה יָמִים אֵלּוּ וּלְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּבָתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת בְּדִבְרֵי תַּחֲנוּנִים וּבְכִבּוּשִׁין עַד שֶׁיֵּאוֹר הַיּוֹם:
Notwithstanding that the blowing of the ram's horn trumpet on Rosh ha-Shanah is a Scriptural statute, its blast is symbolic, as if saying: "Ye that sleep, bestir yourselves from your sleep, and ye slumbering, emerge from your slumber, examine your conduct, turn in repentance, and remember your Creator! They that forget the truth because of the vanities of the times, who err all of their years by pursuing vanity and idleness, which are of neither benefit nor of salvation, care for your souls, improve your ways and your tendencies, let each one of you abandon his evil path and his thought which is not pure! It is, therefore, necessary for every man to behold himself throughout the whole year in a light of being evenly balanced between innocence and guilt, and look upon the entire world as if evenly balanced between innocence and guilt; thus, if he commit one sin, he will overbalance himself and the whole world to the side of guilt, and be a cause of its destruction; but if he perform one duty, behold, he will overbalance himself and the whole world to the side of virtue, and bring about his own and their salvation and escape, even as it is said: "But the righteous is an everlasting foundation" (Prov. 10. 25), it is he, by whose righteousness he overbalanced the whole world to virtue and saved it. And, because of this matter, it became the custom of the whole house of Israel to excel in alms-giving, in good conduct and in the performance of duties during the intervening days of Rosh ha-Shanah and Yom ha-Kippurim above what they do during the whole year. It also became a universal custom to rise early during those ten days, to deliver in the synagogues prayers of supplication and ardor till the dawn of the day.
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz: Pirkei Avot Social Justice Commentary, p. 118 (2:21): "In the aggregate what could one person do? Why donate hard-earned wages? Why sign a petition? What start an advocacy group? Why show up to a rally? Why vote? I'm but one person; what could my role possibly be in an ocean of other interests? But the Rabbis teach that our act may be precisely the one that tips the scales....even the smallest action has the potential to send ripples across the great beyond to affect countleess others, as was others who have yet to be."
That brings us to the lesser-known ending of the mishnah which states that the 'schar - reward' is in the 'atid lavo - in the future to come' - we don't yet know what fruits our efforts will yield, but we cannot despair, cannot disengage and cannot underestimate the power of our actions.
As Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg says, "you are not obligated to do everything but you are obligated to do something." We never know when our actions, however small, will be the ones to tip the scales towards justice, chesed - compassion, and shalom - peace.
As Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg says, "you are not obligated to do everything but you are obligated to do something." We never know when our actions, however small, will be the ones to tip the scales towards justice, chesed - compassion, and shalom - peace.
(טז) הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, לֹא עָלֶיךָ הַמְּלָאכָה לִגְמֹר, וְלֹא אַתָּה בֶן חוֹרִין לִבָּטֵל מִמֶּנָּה. אִם לָמַדְתָּ תוֹרָה הַרְבֵּה, נוֹתְנִים לְךָ שָׂכָר הַרְבֵּה. וְנֶאֱמָן הוּא בַעַל מְלַאכְתְּךָ שֶׁיְּשַׁלֵּם לְךָ שְׂכַר פְּעֻלָּתֶךָ. וְדַע מַתַּן שְׂכָרָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא:
(16) He [Rabbi Tarfon] used to say: It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it; If you have studied much Torah, you shall be given much reward. Faithful is your employer to pay you the reward of your labor; And know that the grant of reward unto the righteous is in the age to come.
@TheRaDR How do we not allow ourselves to be overwhelmed with a sense of responsibility with Tikkun Olam?
Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg
@TheRaDR
You’re not obligated to do everything, but you are obligated to do something. What can you do given yr talents, passions, capacities (how much time, money, etc you have)? Rabbi Tarfon said: you are not required to complete the work, but you can’t give up on it. Pirke Avot 2:16
Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg
@TheRaDR
You’re not obligated to do everything, but you are obligated to do something. What can you do given yr talents, passions, capacities (how much time, money, etc you have)? Rabbi Tarfon said: you are not required to complete the work, but you can’t give up on it. Pirke Avot 2:16