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Chapter 2, Mishna 21
Our Problems, G-d's Problems
"He (Rabbi Tarfon) used to say, it is not upon you to complete the task,
but you are not free to idle from it. If you have learned much Torah, you
will be given much reward. And faithful is your Employer that He will
reward you for your labor. And know that the reward of the righteous will
be in the World to Come."
This mishna closely resembles the previous - also authored by R. Tarfon.
Last week we learned: "The day is short, the work is great, the workers are
lazy, the reward is great, and the Master of the house presses." We were
given a sense of the urgency of life. Here too, R. Tarfon discusses the
enormity of the tasks to be performed and the magnitude of Divine reward.
Yet our mishna introduces a number of new ideas, and as we will see, a much
broader and more profound image of life will emerge.
This week R. Tarfon tells us that it is not upon us to complete the task.
He also states that G-d is "faithful" to reward us -- and that that reward
may come only in the World to Come. I believe last week R. Tarfon was
offering us a personal or individualistic outlook on life. We must see
life as an ongoing procession of challenges and opportunities. There is
much work to be done and much reward to be earned. The stakes are very
high. Our lives should be one of bravely and eagerly meeting the many
challenges before us.
Here R. Tarfon appears to view life on a higher plane - not on the personal
level but from a broader perspective. It is true that we must work hard and
accomplish mightily. There are very few of us who could not change the
world for the better if we had only the vision and the drive. Yet we must
not feel it all rests on our shoulders: the task is not ours to complete.
We must make the effort, but whether or not our efforts will be successful
is in the hands of G-d. We do our part -- we are not free to idle -- yet
we rest assured that G-d is the ultimate arbiter of what is accomplished
in this world and what is not. And if we are not successful, it is beyond
our control, and most importantly: it is not our worry.
For this reason, our mishna seems almost to de-emphasize reward - stating
that we must be patient about it and not necessarily expect it in this
world. Viewing the world from our own perspective, we might have expected
that if we work so hard, we will enjoy the fruits of our labor. We would
expect our deeds to make the world a visibly better place, and that the
rewards which are our due be handed to us on a silver platter. R. Tarfon,
however, from the grander perspective of this mishna, warns us otherwise.
We do our part, but we must accept that from our limited perspective we
may not so quickly see the results. The gears of this world churn
exceedingly slow. G-d has His plan and the world will certainly reach its
zenith, but the march towards that goal may not be perceptible to us. Many
lifetimes may go by before we see the world move ahead. Many world events
from our perspective may seem to be moving the world backwards rather than
forwards. For we must simply accept that just as our own tasks are beyond
our ability to control and complete, the results of our labor may be
beyond our ability to perceive. Every good deed brings the world forward --
how precisely we may never know. And similarly, all our actions are
meaningful and will ultimately bring us reward -- regardless of how dark
and senseless the world seems to be.
We are thus this week given a much broader and healthier perspective on
life. We must achieve, yet our expectations must be more realistic. We must
face our tasks realizing that our own perspective is limited. We try our
best, but we simply have to trust -- and remain patient.
It is worth emphasizing the significance of this mishna's approach. Last
week's mishna painted an almost frightening image of life -- so much to do,
so little time, a pressing G-d. It seemed to condemn man to a life of
pressure and stress -- things most of us have far too much of in our lives
already. True we are promised "the reward is great," but the challenges and
pressures are enormous. How can we not feel a sense of dread and
inadequacy? More important, is this really the image R. Tarfon wants us to
carry with us? Are we *supposed* to go about life stressed out?
Here, however, R. Tarfon consoles us that the job is not ours to complete.
I believe the meaning is not simply: "Don't worry if you fail. So long as
you tried G-d will reward you anyway." The meaning is in fact far more
profound.
When Moses and Aaron were first sent by G-d to Pharaoh to ask for the Jews'
release, their first efforts at what we'd today call "shuttle diplomacy"
were an abysmal failure. Rather than consenting in the slightest, Pharaoh
concluded that the Hebrew slaves must have had too much spare time and were
therefore cooking up such wild schemes. He therefore commanded that the
bondage become even more intense. (See Exodus Chapter 5.) (Why G-d willed
it that matters would get worse before getting better is a valid separate
issue, beyond the scope of our current discussion. Suffice it to say that
redemptions always have -- and always will -- work that way.)
Needless to say the morale of the people, initially quite receptive to
Moses' first words of prophecy, plummeted. They wanted nothing other than
to be left alone to serve Pharaoh. Don't rock the boat. Don't rouse up the
anti-Semites in the EU. And Moses himself returned to G-d and complained:
"L-rd, why have You done bad to this nation? Why have You sent me? Since I
have come to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done bad to this nation,
and You have certainly not saved Your nation" (v. 22-23).
G-d responded by heaving a heavenly sigh, as the Sages put it, "Woe to
those who are lost and are no longer found" (Sanhedrin 111a). Even Moses
lacked the pure, simple -- and profound -- faith of our forefathers
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. G-d made many promises to them -- promises He
did not fulfill in their lifetimes, and not once did any of them complain.
He promised them the Land of Israel but each of them had to buy land
and/or squabble over claims. He promised Abraham that Isaac would be his
primary heir and then commanded him to slaughter him, and Abraham did not
utter a word of protest. Moses, however, as soon as the going got rough,
spoke out.
G-d's response in essence was that we do not have to worry about how He
will do His job. G-d has a plan for this world, and we are instrumental in
bringing that plan to fulfillment. But we -- even Moses -- should not
expect to understand G-d's mysterious ways. Our job is not to "complete
the task" - to take control of the situation and see to it that G-d brings
the world to fruition. It is simply -- and this is not so simple -- to
fulfill G-d's commandments and let Him do the rest. If we try to play god,
if we take it upon ourselves to save the world -- to "complete the task" --
then everything becomes permitted. The grand and glorious ends of
bringing the world to its fruition would easily outweigh any injustices
and atrocities committed along the way. It has been said that the greatest
crimes against humanity have been perpetrated in the name of religion (the
Crusades being but one shining example, the WTC attack being another. But
the list is in fact endless. Recall the "religiously-motivated"
assassination of Yitzchak Rabin.) We have a crucial role -- a pivotal
role -- in world history. But it is only a role; G-d is the director.
Bottom line, we must follow the script handed to us - the commandments of
the Torah. G-d alone can do the rest.
Traditional Judaism is continuously confronted with this type of issue --
how can we spread the faith and maintain the allegiance of the masses?
Perhaps we should modernize our practices and have them conform to
contemporary attitudes of ethics and political correctness? Maybe in order
to increase synagogue attendance we should compromise here and there,
bringing ourselves more in tune with the times? Our job is to save the
world -- and this appears to be the only way.
To this our mishna responds: Our job is not to complete the task or to save
the world. Says G-d, "You just do your job - fulfill the mitzvos
(commandments) how and when I said. Will they bring the world to its
fruition? Yes. How will that happen? That's My problem." It's not our job
to worry about G-d's problems. (I mean, the Wizards can't even get a
playoff spot! G-d has *real* problems to worry about! He can certainly
save the world while He's at it!) To worry about G-d's honor and to keep
His mitzvos - yes. To be aware of the significance, the magnitude of our
deeds -yes. To understand *how* our actions and our suffering are a
fulfillment of G-d's purpose in the world - maybe, if we're lucky. But it
simply does not hinge upon that. "Know that the payment of the reward of
the righteous is in the next world." This world is to do and perhaps to be
unwitting pawns in G-d's master plan. In the next world it will all make
sense.
To some extent, the above is based on a lecture I heard from my teacher, R.
Yaakov Weinberg, of blessed memory.
With this and with G-d's help, we have completed the second chapter.
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Men and Women in Judaism:
Understanding Our Purpose;
Understanding Our Role
Part 3
Adapted from a lecture by Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller
Our previous class explored the connection between internal power in
women, and the creation of Eve from Adam's rib. To summarize, in the same
way the rib is a source of hidden strength for the entire body, the Jewish
woman supports the Jewish nation from a seat of power that may be
considered more "behind the scenes" than out front. While contemporary
society tends to value the opposite type of power - that is, power of a
more public type -Judaism assigns the same value to both internal and
external power, and connects each of them to women and men, respectively.
This gender-based type of assignment reflects ineradicable differences
between the sexes, and is intended to bring out the unique potential of
man and woman as both individuals and as a team.
Our current class will explore the nature of feminine power and influence,
as well as several aspects of how male/female role differentiation plays
out in Jewish life and in Jewish law.
Jewish law can be broken down into two categories - positive commandments,
which entail things to which we are obliged (such as prayer and charity),
and negative commandments, which involve restraint or abstention from
certain forbidden activities ("don't steal, don't kill," and the like).
Both men and women are bound to observance of the negative commandments in
exactly the same way.
The positive commandments are where men and women have different
obligations. Some of the positive commandments must be performed at a
specific time, and this group is referred to as "time-bound". Judaism
considers the "time-bound" framework necessary for a man's spiritual
growth. Thus, men alone must observe these commandments. On the other
hand, Jewish women are not obligated to time-bound commandments, because
Torah does not see these laws as important for their spiritual
development. A woman has her own inner time clock, established at birth,
and this is one reason she does not need to use time-bound parameters in
her quest for personal growth. Thus, her own internal sense of time is
considered one of the most effective devices in her quest for personal
growth.
A few examples of the time-bound obligations from which women are exempt
include the commandment to wear tefillin and to pray three times a day.
(It is worth noting that "exempt" does not mean, "forbidden." A woman may
choose to take on certain commandments to which she is not legally
obliged). Women are in fact obligated to pray, but not three times per day
in a minyan, as are men. A woman is to pray once a day, at a time of her
choice.
In contrast to the laws of prayer which obligate men more than women,
Jewish law obligates women further than men in the highly misunderstood
area of "modesty" or, "tsniut." This fundamental aspect of traditional
Jewish life expresses itself in dress, in the physical separation of men
and women in synagogue, in places of study and at social gatherings. While
modesty has a questionable reputation in contemporary society, Judaism
views it as a virtue and as a critical aspect of a Jew's relationship with
God. Modesty according to Torah is based on an inner connection to,
rather than an outward show of who one is and what one does. Physical
modesty, separation between the sexes and dress provide an environment in
which the Jew is directed more towards the internal than the external.
People often ask why men in Judaism do not have the same modesty laws as
women. In the real world, the fact is that percentage-wise, men exploit
women more than women exploit men. This is an expression of the inherent
external focus of men and internal focus of women. An example from today's
world would be the tremendous budgets that advertising agencies have for
researching which types of ads appeal to men versus women. If you want to
sell a man a car, add a beautiful young woman to the ad. Ad agencies put
thousands of dollars into campaigns of this sort, precisely because this
approach works.
On the other hand, one of the most efficient ways to sell a product to
women is to include a role model. The role model woman will differ
according to the product. A computer ad in Ms. Magazine, for instance,
will feature an important looking executive. The feminine message is, "I
want to be her," whereas the masculine car ad would provoke a man to
feel, "I want to have her" - two completely different approaches, which
reflect the different fundamental natures of men and women.
The Torah acknowledges these G-d given differences. They are the origin of
the separate laws that Jewish men and women follow in their quest for
spiritual growth.
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http://www.jewishrenaissance.org/", a learning institute for women located
in New York City.
Please note that the current series of classes is an updated version of the
previous Women in Judaism series. These past classes are available on
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class will be replaced with the new version as it is released.
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Note: It should be stressed that the statements in a summary must not be
interpreted as halachic rulings no matter how definitively they are worded.
When such rulings are needed a qualified rabbi must be consulted.
76. Creditor and Debtor - Malveh ve-Loveh
We are commanded to lend to a poor Jew and it is forbidden to harass him
regarding repayment, as it says "If you lend money to My people, to the
poor among you, you shall not be demanding to him",1 and it says "[He
shall not harass his friend...] you may harass the stranger... [you shall
not harden your heart or close your hand to your poor brother; you shall
open your hand to him] and you shall give him a pledge [according to his
needs]".2,a
A debtor must not evade paying his debts, as it says "Do not say to your
friend `Go and come back'".3 All his property is liable for the debt; if
the loan was made on a note, the creditor can collect, if necessary, even
from real estate that the debtor sells after the loan. If he is bankrupt
he has no further liability; but the post-Talmudic sages decreed that he
must take an oath that he has nothing but necessary household goods.b
It is forbidden to take collateral for a loan forcibly, as it says "[If
you have any demand against your friend you shall not come into his house
to take collateral;] you shall stand outside [and the man against whom you
have a demand shall bring the collateral out to you]".4 If the debtor is
poor and the collateral was not taken at the time of the loan we are
commanded to return it to him whenever he needs it and we are forbidden to
keep it from him, as it says "[And if he is a poor man] you shall not
sleep with his collateral; you shall return the collateral to him by
sunset",5 and it says "[If you take your friend's garment as collateral]
you shall return it to him by sunset".6 It is forbidden to take as
collateral utensils that are used to prepare food, as it says "[He shall
not take a mill as collateral] for he is taking life as collateral".7 It
is forbidden to take collateral from a widow, as it says "You shall not
take the garment of a widow as collateral".8,c
It is forbidden to lend money to a Jew at interest, as it says "[And if
your brother becomes poor...] you shall not take interest or increase from
him... you shall not give him your money at interest and you shall not
give him your food at increase".9 It is forbidden to borrow money at
interest, as it says "You shall not take from [or: give to] your brother
interest [of money, interest of food, interest of anything taken for
interest]".l0 It is forbidden to participate in a loan that involves
interest (as guarantor, scribe or witness), as it says "[If you lend money
to My people...] you shall not put interest on him".1 It is permitted to
lend to or borrow from a non-Jew at interest, as it says "You shall take
interest from the stranger [but from your brother you shall not take
interest]"11; but the sages forbade doing this except as necessary to
support oneself.d
Sources:
1. Ex. 22:24 a. 1:1-2
2. Deut. 15:2-3,7-8 b. 1:3; 2:1-2; 11:4; 18:1-2
3. Proverbs 3:28 c. 3:1-2,4-5
4. Deut. 24:10-11 d. 4:2; 5:1-2
5. Deut. 24:12-13
6. Ex. 22:25
7. Deut. 24:6
8. Deut. 24:17
9. Lev. 25:35-37
10. Deut. 23:20
11. Deut. 23:21
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Halacha-Overview, Copyright © 2004 by Rabbi Dr. Azriel Rosenfeld and
Torah.org. The author is Director of the Center for Automation Research
at the University of Maryland in College Park.
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no subject
Date: 2004-03-24 10:25 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2004-03-24 11:18 am (UTC)From:There was a woman explaining what it had meant to her to go along and tell this kid exactly what his reapeat vandalism of her car had done to her, what the consequences of his actions had been. He hadn't thought of it at all. And there was a guy who went berserk in a pub and left a woman badly scarred. He got to see what it had done to her, and he says that he's never, ever going to commit a criminal act ever again.
Me, I think it's a good idea for some things. But I'm not so convinced in cases of sexual abuse and domestic violence...
no subject
Date: 2004-03-24 01:01 pm (UTC)From:The particular example I'm thinking of involved a rehabilitation programme for rapists involving some contact with a woman who'd been raped (not the specific victim but another volunteer). I remember her getting very hurt and angry as she disclosed her experience to one of the men - she said he was being trained by the therapists to repeat the right words of restitution without having a clue what it really meant or being sincere. She could see that the therapists believed in what they were doing and that the prisoner would probably have his sentence reduced as a result of going through the programme, and that caused her a lot of anguish.
Is it possible for restorative justice to work where the person committing the offence thoroughly intended to cause damage? Surely then they'd only be receiving confirmation that they had achieved what they set out to do?