Textual Advice

Recently I have been challenged to defend the texts of Judaism as relevant texts for our contemporary world. That challenge has come from bar mitzvah students, adult students, friends at parties, and my kids. For me, there is no question of relevancy, because I believe the power of our ancient texts are revealed in the conversation about the texts, a conversation that has taken place over thousands of years. The commentaries and more modern interpretations that try to uncover the meaning of a word or a phrase or a whole section of our Torah, allow my mind to make connections to life today. Last week in my 8^th grade class at the religious school, one text hit home for the kids.

 

In Pirke Avot (a section of the Mishnah), Ethics of our Fathers, chapter 5, number 10, it states that all human beings fall into four categories: “There are four kinds of human being. One says, “What is mine is mine and what is yours is yours.” That is the usual kind, although some say that is the Sodom kind (a person unwilling to help another). [The one who says] “What is mine is yours and what is yours is mine” is an ignoramus. [The one who says] “What is mine is yours and what is yours is yours” is a saint. [And the one who says] “What is mine is mine and what is yours is mine]" is a sinner."

 

The teenagers in the class began a discussion that moved from how we relate to family members, to friends and strangers, and they found themselves somewhere on this spectrum of these four kinds of people. They related stories of people they knew who acted certain ways. Some lamented that they were one of them and wished they were the other. All acknowledged that when it came to siblings – the mine/yours scenario shouldn’t count. But what was inspirational was that they really began to look at the way they acted towards their friends and family in a different way. They had never thought about life this way, and yet, when they reflected on their lives they found these categories to be true, and that they slipped in and out of each of these human tendencies throughout their lives.

 

At the end of the class I realized that there is no question the texts of Judaism can be relevant to us, but we just never know where we will find it. What is relevant to you may be different than what’s relevant to me. That’s why Judaism encourages us to study a little bit every day, so that the text that touches us and inspires us can be found. It’s a little bit like the lottery – you can’t win unless you enter – and the odds are better than winning the lottery that you will find something that touches you. Dive in, be open, it can be there for you, too.

 

Rabbi Jonathan Aaron

 

Comments

[David Shadpour]

Thank you for sharing Rabbi. Beautiful words.
-David