GEN1193 Simeon the Just was one of the last survivors of the Great Assembly. He used to say: the world stands on three things: on Torah, Divine worship, and acts of loving-kindness.  Pirkei Avot I:2 … The importance of this teaching for the modern Jew lies in its call for totality and balance. Too often today we meet the person who trumpets forth the size of his charitable contributions and proclaims; “So long as I give charity and exhibit a generous heart, I can safely ignore the elements of Torah and avodah.” We also have the person who maintains that since he goes faithfully to the synagogue every single day, he is absolved from giving to charity. What Simeon the Just would have us remember is that one is required to be a total Jew by making a total commitment to Torah, avodah and g’milath Hasidim. … Judaism, in a sense, resembles a tripod, a structure resting on three legs. Remove any one of the three supports and the structure will collapse. If a person be learned but not observant, if he be charitable but not disposed to worship, then he cannot possibly experience a full religious life. Such defective religiosity is bound to be shaky and is destined to topple.  The purpose of Torah in our daily life is to elevate us to a higher plane. Through Torah study we increase our knowledge, we broaden our mental horizons, we extend the frontiers of our understanding.   Avodah governs our relationship to God.   It makes us constantly aware of the presence of the Almighty and of our dependence upon him. G’milath hasadim regulates our relationship with our fellow man. In this area we are taught the meaning of justice, righteousness and compassion.   In this area we learn how to love our neighbor as ourselves.   When the Jew engages in all three of these activities, he is, in effect, engaging all levels of his being in the service of God.   He is thinking, speaking and doing Judaism.  For in Torah, the mind, the intellectual process of thought is primary. In avodah, speech, expression is the main element. In g’milath Hasidim, it is the deed, the act, that is important.   These three aspects of Judaism were in reality first developed by the three Patriarchs; Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Each, by virtue of his own temperament, individual circumstance, and personal predilection, blazed a distinct path of service to God. Abraham is the great exemplar of Hasidim; he was ever kind, he fed the hungry, and pleaded to save the people of Sodom. Isaac we encounter “meditating in the fields.” [this verse] Indeed, it is Isaac who attains to the highest avodah by becoming himself the offering brought upon the altar. Jacob, we are told, is the ‘man of tents,” Genesis 25:27, who studies for many years in the academies of Shem and Eber. [This is how the Midrash understands the Bible’s description, “dwelling in tents”; e.g. Tanhuma Buber, Tol’doth 2 and Vayyishlah 9.   He is the student of ancient traditions, the student of Torah. Combine the insights of the Patriarchs: fuse the concepts of God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Bring together the particular way of each, and you have a balanced Judaism; you have total Judaism: Torah, avodah, and g’milath hasadim.  It is precisely in this notion of balance that Judaism is distinguished from the other world religions. These other systems of belief seem to have concentrated on only one of the three basic concepts out of all proportion to the others. Christianity, with its emphasis of self-abnegating love, seems, in a certain sense, to have adopted g’milath hasadim.   Islam, with its emphasis on frequent prayer, seems to have adopted avodah. And then Buddhism seems to suffer from over-emphasis upon man’s mystical relationship with the all-embracing One to the point of losing his own individuality. Only in Judaism is the total man engaged and enveloped in a realistic, comprehensive and balanced program. SINAI1 38-40

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GEN1214 See [[GEN1193]] Genesis 24:63 walking SINAI1 38-40

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GEN1213 And everything is prepared for the banquet.   Pirkei Avot III:20  Everything in this world is actually only a preparation for the “banquet” in the world to come. The Talmud has an adage: “The one who has toiled on the day before Sabbath will eat on the Sabbath.” Avodah Zarah 3a.   Our existence here on earth is merely a short interval between two eternities: the oblivion until birth and the eternity that follows our death. We run our course between these two poles. If our path is straight, our actions sincere, our values worthwhile, we will have achieved an eternity of bliss. On the other hand, should our path be crooked, our actions hypocritical and our values derived from the gutter, then we have nothing to look forward to. “Everything is in preparation for the banquet.” Commentary of Rabbenu Yonah Tradition tells us that Jacob once said to his twin brother Esau, “My brother, we are our father’s only two sons, and before us there are two worlds: this world and the world-to-come” – or , if you will, the material and the spiritual realms. “In this world there will be food and drink, business and trade, marriage and children; but in the world-to-come there will be none of these. If you like, you take this world and I will take the Hereafter.” And Esau agreed. Seder Eliyahu Zuta XIX; Genesis Rabbah 25:22 Esau, the man of the field and the hunt, desired only this world, the world of the senses, the chase, the excitement of pursuit and conquest. Jacob, the “quiet man dwelling in tents,” [this verse] chose the world of the spirit, the world of contemplation; he preferred to wrestle with an angel and have a vision of a ladder to Heaven.   Without any doubts, he chouse the world-to-come. He accepted the kind of life after which he would find “everything prepared for the banquet” – for eternal bliss in the Hereafter.   SINAI1 334-5

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GEN1282 Rabbi Elazar of Bertotha said: Give Him of His own, for both you and whatever is yours are [entirely] His. And so also in [his prayers] did David say, “For all things are from Thee, and from [the bounty of] Thy hand we have given Thee” 1 Chronicles 29:14 Pirkei Avot III:8   This is indeed a fundamental concept of the Torah: charity, giving to the poor, is simply returning to the Almighty what the Almighty has given to you. The idea is graphically symbolized in the Divine commandment, “When you take the census of the people Israel, then they shall give (v’nath’nu) each man … half a shekel.” Exodus 30:12   The Hebrew word v’nath’nu (ונתנו) is a palindrome, one that reads exactly the same backwards and forwards. This suggests that in giving to the Almighty there is movement in both directions, backward and forward: Money has been given to you; therefore give some back in return. Again, give charity so that in turn you will be further rewarded and blessed. For, in the words of Rabbi Israel Salanter, the poor man’s material problems are our spiritual opportunities.   Furthermore, the cantillation note (trop) on the word v’nath’nu is called kadmah v’azlah, with means literally, “going forward and going back”: this too suggests that if you come forward with charity, reward aplenty will return to you.   There is no doubt that in the view of the Torah, the person who has been blessed from Heaven with a “surplus” of material wealth beyond his needs, is a steward, a caretaker appointed by Providence to provide for the poor, the needy and the destitute.   Rabbi Elhanan Wasserman of blessed memory once gave me a piece of splendid advice: The Torah tells us (he said) to give ten percent of our income to charity, in accordance with the great example of Jacob [this verse] and the laws of ma’aser, the tithe.   The way to do this is to reckon your income at the end of they ear and deposit ten percent of it in a special account, earmarked for charity. Then the money is no longer yours: it belongs to the needy. Hence forth, when a poor man approaches you, it will be much easier for you to give. You are merely distributing what has already been allocated and “removed” from you.   SINAI1 261-2

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GEN1357 He used to say: Do His will as you would your own, that He may do your will as though it were His. Negate your will before His, that He may negate the will of others before your will. Pirkei Avot II:4   Imagine that it is cold and raining outside, and you are schedule to attend a class in humash [Torah] this evening. You hestitate to go. Perhaps you had better stay home this one time, you think. Suppose, however, that a customer were waiting to see you, from whom you expected a large order. Would the weather stop you? In the case of the class, the Almighty’s will is involved. In the case of business, it is your will. The Mishnah earnestly advises: Do His will with the same devotion and enthusiasm that you have when you carry out your own will.  Yet more than this: If you want to know how strong a will can be and how thoroughly it can be fulfilled you can learn this best from the wicked. When Jacob returned to Canaan, he sent word to his brother Esau: “I lived with Laban…” [this verse] Rashi interprets this with a paraphrase, “With the wicked Laban I lived, and I kept the 613 commandments [of the Torah]; and I did not learn from his evil deeds.” Torah Shelemah on the verse §31 and note, for Midrashic sources Scholars have wondered why Rashi found it necessary to add that Jacob “did not learn from his evil deeds.” Surely, if Jacob continued to observe the 613 commandments, obviously he was not influenced! But perhaps Rashi means to imply something quite different: that Jacob is being self-critical. I have indeed lived with Laban, admits Jacob, and I have observed this man’s complete and thorough dedication to evil. When he decides to steal a horse, he rises like a lion in the middle of the night. Neither cold nor snow nor danger deters him from his self-appointed task. Yet, alas, I who observed all this, continued to perform my commandments with much less devotion and much less enthusiasm. To my sorrow, I did not learn this sense of self-sacrifice from Laban; I did not learn to emulate his devotion. Would that I could apply his zeal, his whole-heartedness to my good deeds. Attributed to R. Israel Ba’al Shem Tov SINAI1 141-2

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GEN1387 Yose ben Y’ezer of Tz’redah and Yose’ ben Yohanan of Jerusalem received the tradition from them [the Sages mentioned above]. Yose ben Yo’ezer of Tz’redah said: Let your house be a meeting place for scholars; sit at their feet in the dust, and drink in their words thirstily.   Pirkei Avot I:4  … A second condition prerequisite for the acquisition of Torah is humility. We must not be ashamed to ask questions and consult those who know more than we do. This means placing yourself in the relationship of student to teacher, disciple to master, taker to giver. You must be ready to “wallow in the dust of their feet” (literal translation) As we already had occasion to mention, in the east the rabbi would sit on a rug on the floor, with the students grouped around. The advice “to wallow in the dust of their feet” implies, therefore, that one should be very close to the teacher. The good student, avid to hear every word and eager to engage in discussion, always sits. Closest. In the Torah we find the word vayye’avek used to mean, “and he wrestled.” [this verse].   The root of he word is avak, “dust.” Presumably, when on wrestles one raises dust clouds. Hence, we can perhaps interpret our text thus: Let your home be a gathering place for the learned, and in time, he-ve-mith’abbek: you will be able to “wrestle” with them intellectually. You will be able to debate the finer points, to question to argue and to disagree. Judaism as a religion does not require blind obedience. The Talmud is full of debates, discussions, subtle exchanges, and vigorous give and take. The Tosafists continually question the interpretations of Rashi and always engage in verbal duel and brilliant riposts. (The Tosafists were a school of French Talmudists that included Rashi’s grandchildren; they wrote glosses on the Talmud, often disagreeing with Rashi). SINAI1 52

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GEN1461 Rabban Gamaliel, the son of Rabbi Judah haNasik said; It is seemly to combine the study of Torah with an occupation, for the wearying labor of both keeps sin forgotten. All Torah study that does not have work accompanying it must in the end come to nothing and bring sin in its wake. Let all who work for the community, the people, work with them for the sake of Heaven, for the merit of their fathers sustains them, and their righteousness will endure forever. And as for your, I [the Almighty] will account you worthy of great reward, as if you had done [everything]. Pirkei Avot II:2   Why are there people who sin? Why do so man others have recourse to psychiatrists? In far too many instances, it is simply because their minds are empty of any sense of purpose and responsibility. Without any stabilizing center of purpose, duty, obligation around which to organize their lives, these unfortunates become distraught. But if you immerse yourself in this two-fold program of Torah and derech eretz, Torah study and productive achievement in the secular realm, you will find so much of a meaningful nature to do, that there will be no time to even think of sin. On the other hand, a human spirit that finds no outlets for its energies in Torah, in religious study and observance, is like a “body of water that is blocked: it turns back upon itself, collecting scum, refuse and silt.” As the Sages say, “He who abandons the words of Torah will have no strength to withstand a day of tribulation.” Talmud Berakoth 63a. When his brothers threw Joseph into the pit, the Torah tells us, “The pit was empty; there was no water in it.” [this verse] If it was empty, obviously there was no water in it! Surely the second part is superfluous? The Talmud therefore interprets it to denote that “water there was not in it, but there were snakes and scorpions.” Shabbat 22a, Hagigah 3a.   A profound thought is suggested to us here. When a pit is empty, it fills up with serpents. When a mind is empty, it becomes a snakepit. Nature abhors a vacuum. If there is one, the least desirable of nature’s creatures rush to occupy it. The stomach cannot feed on its own gastric juices, nor can the mind function on its own psychic phantoms. The human entity must be given a sense of purpose and values from without. The prisoner cannot liberate himself from his dungeon. Talmud Berakoth 5b.   When sound, Heaven-blessed values are dethroned, a petty passion climbs to power. SINAI1 133-4

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EXOD47 Judah ben Tabbai and Simeon ben Shatah received the tradition from them [the above Sages]. Judah ben Tabbai said: [When sitting as a judge] do not act as a lawyer; and when the parties to a lawsuit are standing before you, regard both as wicked, in the wrong; but when they have departed from your presence, regard them both as innocent, as they have submitted to the judgment. Pirkei Avot, Perek I mIshnah 8. The judge should initially adopt a skeptical attitude toward all claims, maintaining his suspicion. The claims of all parties should be considered questionable. Should he rather be soft-minded and impressionable, he will end up by believing everybody and indorsing conflicting claims. ... Once the trial is over, however, and the decision rendered is accepted, then regard them both as righteous. Do not dwell on the fact that one of the litigants attempted to possess something which according to the judgment was not his. Do not retroactively condemn the man because he has been found in the wrong. He might be wrong due to honest error, rather than wicked. The point is that both have now accepted the decision. Both have now placed themselves under the law. Both are righteous. Frequently, of course, the principals in a lawsuit continue to argue even after the decision has been handed down. They do not accept the judgment as a reflection of the truth of the matter. This could well be the meaning of the mishnah's words, "when the two… stand before you": after the judgment is given, they stand and argue. In such instances the litigants forfeit their right to be considered estimable. "Regard them as wicked." Yet another sense lies in this directive to "regard them both as wicked." There is a prima facie impropriety about being involved in a lawsuit to begin with. If both are genuinely pious, they would long ago have reached a compromise. Neither would insist on the letter of the law; they would rather each forgo some of his own rights. When Moses saw two Hebrews quarreling, at once "he said to the wicked one, Why do you smite your fellow?" [this verse]. Now, how did Moses know which of the two was in the wrong? But perhaps the answer is that if a quarrel persists there must be an element of wrongness in both the parties.

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EXOD71 Moses received the Torah at Sinai and handed it down to Joshua... Pirkei Avot, Perek I mIshnah 1. The literal text reads, "Moses received the Torah from Sinai." For if the Mishnah meant "at Sinai," which is the way we usually translate it, the Hebrew form should have been b'Sinai, not miSinai. In its present construction, however, the Mishnah lends itself to the interpretation that Torah in its original Divine form at Sinai was infinite and inexhaustible. Moses received the Torah from Sinai only insofar as his finite humanity permitted him to do so. The word "from" connotes a limitation: could not take all that was there. There is, however, a sense in which Moses was assisted in his historic task by Sinai the mountain! During his first visitation at the burning bush, the Lord told Moses, "And this shall be the sign for you that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain." [this verse]. Now, it is difficult to understand how an event which is to happen in the future can serve as a sign to Moses in his present perplexity. However, what was causing Moses to hesitate was his profound humility. His modest nature shrank from the prospect of receiving a Law, admonishing and leading a people. He felt himself to be unworthy. And so the Lord discloses to Moses that "you will serve God on this mountain": the Torah is destined to be given on Sinai, which is not distinguished for its height. Carmel is more majestic, yet the Lord prefers the lowly and modest. From the Lord's choice of Sinai, Moses learned that only those who are humble in their own eyes are fit vehicles for the Divine word. Because of Sinai Moses received the Torah!

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EXOD79 Everything is foreseen [on high], yet freedom of choice is given; and the world is judged with goodness, and all is according to the majority of deeds. ... Pirkei Avot, Perek III mIshnah 19. Admittedly, it is sometimes extremely difficult to reconcile this principle – "the world is judged for the good" – with the actual facts as we perceive and experience them. There is so much agony and pain in the world, so much grinding poverty and suffering that befalls the innocent and righteous. It requires faith to believe that the principle holds good eternally and everywhere--faith that were we able to see a whole picture, the complete ramifications and consequences of every person's every action, in the past, present and future, we would understand the good involved in every judgment that must be borne. We can truly appreciate how "the world is judged with goodness" only if and when we can perceive "the multitude of deeds" that are involved. When Moses was commanded to liberate his brethren from Egypt, he begged leave to refuse, "for I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue." Scripture continues: "Then the Lord said to him: Who has given man a mouth? Who makes him mute, or death, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?" [this and following verses]. Could the Supreme Intelligence that has created the continuing miracle of life, consciousness and articulation not obviate such defects as deafness and blindness? If a physical handicap is an "act of God," do not imply that it is a defect, that the Almighty has produced something imperfect and defective. If for the purposes of a person's life, for the tasks he is destined to do, the goals he is destined to achieve, he requires a physical handicap, he is given it. If the Almighty sends a Moses, with a speech defect, to Egypt, then He wants, needs an agent with a speech defect--for reasons known to Him alone. In His infinite wisdom and infinite power, the Almighty has designed the world as it is because it thus best suits His purposes and the purposes of His world. The same holds true for every individual, in accordance with the "multitude of deeds" involved in each case. Were we in a position to see the "multitude of deeds" we would realize His infinite goodness and kindness.

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