EXOD910 … beyond your learning, act. Pirkei Avot, Perek VI mishnah 5. In the first perek (mishnah 17), , "Not interpretation is the main thing, but doing." And the Talmud tells: When R. Tarfon and the elders were met in session… in Lydda, this question was asked before them, "Is learning greater, or proper action?"… Ultimately all responded, "Learning is greater, because it leads to proper action" (T.B. Kiddushin 40b). Without that basic tenet, we might be puzzled at this Talmudic passage: "Let a man never say, I will learn so that I will be called a wise man; I will study, that I may be called a rabbi; I will study further that I may become an elder and hold a chair in the Academy. Rather, study out of love…" (T.B. Nedarim 62a) If learning were an end in itself, why not seek honor and recognition for it? But in the Divine wisdom that informs our faith, study must never be an end in itself; it must lead on to action; the mitzvoth must be done. Otherwise, learning becomes a stagnant dead end: "Whoever studies Torah with no intention of acting accordingly, it was better that he had never been born, had never emerged into the world" (T.J. Berakoth i 2, Shabbath i 2; Midrash Rabbah, Leviticus xxxv 6). As Kallah Rabbathi puts it, do not say, "Here am I studying; then where is my greatness?" Go on beyond studying. The Torah must unfold in our lives in concrete deeds, not in a thirty-volume dissertation on ethics and philosophy. Help the poor, visit the sick, keep the Sabbath properly, observe kashruth precisely, etc. So will you go beyond your studies, to a more advanced level. Moreover, let your deeds run ahead of your understanding. Do not say, "I have not yet learned everything about this particular mitzvah; I am not ready to observe it." In obedience to the Torah we are expected to do more, fulfill more than we can comprehend. This was the clear, natural response of the pristine soul of our people as they stood at Sinai, when they replied as one, "All that Lord has spoken, we will do, and we will listen" [this verse]: they were ready to obey at once; their understanding would have to catch up later. This remains the way of the pious Jew in serving his Maker.

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EXOD934 When we give directly to a needy person, it is well to be discreet and inconspicuous. If the needy one does not meet you or learn your identity, so much the better. But amid a group making contributions or pledges, put modesty aside, for what you do influences others. In fact, herein lies the power and effectiveness of the public appeal: everyone becomes somewhat subject to public scrutiny. The cause is made explicit; its urgency is explained. And as others respond, you must ponder your heart and your conscience, aware that what you do or fail to do will be significant.

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EXOD1047 See [EXOD891]] Exodus 23:19 boil SINAI3 42

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LEV65 Ten miracles were wrought for our forefathers in the sanctuary:… [5] the rains never put out the fire of the wood-pile [on the altar, under the open sky] Pirkei Avot, Perek V, mishnah 7. The altar for sacrifices was in an open space, exposed to the elements. Yet in the heaviest rains the fire always burned. If we might personify them, we could call fire and water natural mortal enemies: water poured on fire will douse it; if there is not enough water to put out a blaze, the flames will dry up the liquid rapidly. Yet here, for a higher purpose, these opposites were made to cooperate. The fire on the altar was needed that the offerings might be burnt there, in accordance with Scripture's revelation of the Divine will. In fact, it commanded, "a constant fire shall be kept burning up on the altar" [this verse]. The cohanim could ensure only a steady supply of wood, fed to the flames as necessary; rain was beyond their control. But Heaven intervened for its own command. To serve the higher goal of the Creator of all, fire and water rose above their natures and made a truce, as it were.… What natural elements did, human elements must also do. Clashing personalities, conflicting interests, drives and pulls in opposite directions -- in the communal life of Jewry these have no place. All must be subdued to the sacred will of Heaven, as we discern it through the Torah and its authentic teachers. Skulduggery of power and politics, the defeat of one group by another for the sheer joy of flexing and showing political muscle, the battle of wills as the greater pigheadedness seeks to triumph--all this is cold water to douse the fires of faith burning in the altars of the heart.

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LEV97 Seven things are [typical] in a clod, and seven in a wise man: … [2] he does not break into the speech of his fellow man; Pirkei Avot, Perek V, mishnah 9. … it is only common courtesy to let someone complete his thought before we respond. And eagerness to interrupt, straining at the leash, usually comes from an overpowering conviction that we know exactly what the other intends to say before he has said it, and already we perceive his fallacy. Such a conviction often turns out wrong. But right or wrong, anyone speaking should be given the right to express himself freely as he sees fit, without interruption, until he is done. Avoth d'R. Nathan (37) gives two illustrative examples from Scripture. When the mishcan was dedicated, and Aaron served his first day in it, we read of Moses: "he was angry with El'azar and Ithamar, the remaining sons of Aaron, saying…" The reason for his anger, in his words, fills the next two verses; only when he has done speaking does Aaron reply that their action, which has so displeased Moses, was taken because of the tragedy which befell them that very day. [Leviticus 10:16-20] Aaron did not interrupt at once. The other example concerns Abraham the Patriarch. When the Almighty was about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, He told Abraham, and this man of piety and loving-kindness began to plead. First he asked that the cities be spared if fifty righteous man could be found there; when that prayer was granted, he asked the same grace should only forty-five tzaddikim be found. That granted, he lowered the number to forty, then thirty, then twenty, and finally ten. Each plea was accepted favorably in turn [Genesis 18:17-33] The Lord knew that were there even four or five virtuous people in Sodom, it would be saved from destruction. Seek them there, however, and you could not find them. Nevertheless, the Holy, Blessed One waited for Abraham to finish, and only then did He send him off, as it is stated [at the end]: "the Lord went His way when He had finished speaking to Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place." As it were, He as much as told him, "Now I am free [to act]." The lesson, continues Avoth d'R. Nathan (B40), is clear: The world and all that fills it is the Holy, Blessed One's; yet He did not wish to break into our father Abraham's words. How much more certainly should a man--dust, [food for] warm and maggot – – not break into the words of his fellow-man. It would be well to remember, though, that the courtesy should not be entirely one-sided. If a person speaking is to be permitted to conclude, let him forbear to abuse his privilege. He should not ramble but learn to express himself succinctly and concisely. The story is told of an "august personage" who rose to address a rabbinic meeting. After an hour and a half he was still talking, refusing to relinquish his precious opportunity. Then he remarked, "I once heard a great scholars say …" Suddenly a listener called out, "That cannot be!" There was a stunned silence. Sputtering with rage, the speaker shouted to his heckler, "How do you challenge me when I did not even tell what this great man said?" Replied the other, "You could never have heard any scholar say anything. You never give anyone else a chance to speak at all!"

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LEV436 Greater is Torah than the cohen's realm and than royalty: for royalty is acquired with thirty attainments, and the cohen's realm with twenty-four, while the Torah is acquired by forty-eight things. And they are: [38] judges him favorably Pirkei Avot, Perek VI, mishnah 6. In its literal meaning, the Hebrew refers to the image of the scales of justice, with its two pans evenly balanced, one on either side. When someone is to be judged for something he has done, we imagine that every possible accusation against him is put on one pan, and every element in his favor on the other pan; then we see which pan goes lower, indicating it is heavier – – and accordingly we declare the person innocent or guilty, good or bad. Now suppose you have seen a neighbor doing something which, from one point of view is a misdeed, but in another respect may be a good act. In the figurative scales of justice that measure the deed, says our text, the scholar of Torah will see that pan bending lower which declares his neighbor innocent and worthy. "For him he makes the pan of merit weigh the more." He gives his fellow, fully and readily, the benefit of the doubt (in keeping with the teaching of R. Joshua b. P'rahyah in the first perek, mishnah 6). In fact, Scripture admonishes, "with righteousness shall you judge your neighbor"--which the Sages understand in this very sense. [this verse, Midrash Sifra ad loc. T.B. Shebu'oth 30a).

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LEV584 He used to say: If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when? Pirkei Avot, Perek I, mishnah 14. … Hillel may be speaking of the need to correct oneself and be self-critical. There are some things that even your best friend will not tell you. In fact, because he is a friend he may not correct you for fear of losing your friendship. Hence, "If I am not for myself, if I do not take my self in hand and improve my ways, who will be for me?" On the other hand, "if I am only for myself," if I too fall prey to the conspiracy of silence and do not correct others, then I am not fulfilling my obligation. Our Torah tells us, "You shall surely rebuke your fellow" [this verse]. If he is truly a friend, he will appreciate it as something intended to benefit him.

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LEV675 Scripture bids us, "You shall love your fellow-man as yourself" [this verse]. Self-love, a person's concern, acceptance, and affection for himself, needs no justification, excuses, or reasons. It is self-evident, axiomatic: I love myself because I am myself. So should we accept a friend without questions or reasons, with concern for his welfare as for our own.

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LEV774 Seven things are [typical] in a clod, and seven in a wise man: [1] he does not speak before one who is greater than he in wisdom; Pirkei Avot, Perek V, mishnah 9. There is yet another version, in the standard additions of Talmud that Rashi and Mahzor Vitry follow, reading בחכמה ובמנין: "A wise man does not speak before one who is greater than he in wisdom or in number." Rashi explains: in number of years; in other words, it is seemly to show the same courteous difference to someone merely older, even if not particularly wiser--in keeping with Scripture's dictum, "Before an aged man shall you rise" [this verse]. With the passing of years a person is likely to have acquired wisdom out of his experiences, and he deserves respect on that score. This word ובמנין is also found in Avoth d’R. Nathan (A37), and clearly with the very same meaning, for it then gives Moses as an illustrative example of the wise man: “... it is stated: And Aaron spoke all these words which the Lord had spoken to Moses, and he did the signs in the sight of the people. (Exodus 4:30). Now, who was really the proper person to speak, Moses or Aaron?-- surely Moses, for he heard the instruction directly from the Almighty, while Aaron heard it from Moses. Nevertheless, Moses reasoned: Can I then speak where my older brother is present? He therefore bade Aaron speak.” Another meeting for ובמנין, says Rashi, is “greater in number of disciples.” Mahzor Vitry elaborates: In Talmudic times, after a thorough discussion and debate in the academy of Torah over an uncertain point of law, a vote would be taken, and the majority decision accepted. Then if a wise scholar finds that he differs with one who has more disciples than he, he will prudently remain silent. In any case a majority will side with the other.

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LEV1022 True, Israel of old had its rich and its poor. But the Torah made ample provision for the poor, and more important--no group could ever gain permanent control of enough land, and with it wealth and control, to make the country a nightmare of contrast between the fabulously rich and powerful on the one hand, and the miserable, illiterate starving peasant worker on the other. The Almighty's words are clear: "the land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for Mine is the land; for you are strangers and sojourners [temporary dwellers] with Me" [this verse]. Israel could never have a chasm so stark and unbridgeable between landed aristocracy and starving poor that it would need a Lenin or Stalin to seize the land, or a Castro to take from the rich and give to the poor.

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