B"H
Sivan 2, 5772 * May 23, 2012
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E T H I C S O F O U R F A T H E R S
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To Be or To Be Not: Gold and Tachash Skins
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All that G-d created in His world, He did not create but for His glory.
- Ethics Of The Fathers, 6:11
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"I was created to serve my Creator." With these words, the Talmud sums up the purpose of life. But there is also another version of this talmudic passage, which reads. "I was not created, but to serve my Creator." A similar "double negative" is employed by our mishnah: "All that G-d created in His world, He did not create but for His glory."
The difference is significant. The statement, "I was created to serve my Creator," recognizes man as an existence in his own right ("I was created"), though one whose ultimate raison d'etre is defined by a reality greater than himself. The second version, however, attributes no legitimacy whatsoever to man as an entity distinct from his role: "I was not created, but to serve my Creator"--therein, and only therein, lies the fact of his being.
One of Torah's basic rule is: "These and these are both the words of the Living G-d." When the Torah mentions two opinions or interpretations it is because both are valid and relevant. Differing versions and manners of articulation of the same statement also complement one another, each providing another perspective to the concept they express.
The same applies to two descriptions of man's identity and purpose: both are integral to our lives. There is an aspect to our mission in life that involves the total abnegation of self. But our service of the Creator also includes an element that allows for--indeed demands--the retaining of an individual identity, an "I" which serves as opposed to an egoless service.
Object and Objective
"G-d makes the spiritual physical; the Jew makes the physical spiritual" -- Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov
The universe originated as a concept in the "mind" of G-d.
In the beginning, there arose within Him a vision of a home in a "foreign" land. He envisioned a world inhospitable to His presence--a world that conceals His absolute truth, a world in which chance and caprice obscure the purpose He invests in its every entity and event. He envisioned a being, man, who would develop this alien environment to house and serve Him. A being with the capacity to transcend the concealment--to recognize the Divine essence of every created thing, to transform the material world into an abode for the manifest presence of its Creator.
In the words of our sages, "G-d desired a dwelling in the lowly realms."
The birth of this concept was itself an act of creation: G-d's creation of the "why" of the universe, of its purpose and utility. It is out of this "spiritual" reality that G-d proceeded to create the physical universe--to embody His concept of reality in the myriads of entities and phenomena that make up our universe.
The task of man, G-d's "partner in creation," is to reverse the process. Confronted with a concrete and corporeal world, he seeks its soul--its inner essence. He seeks to uncover its significance, to realize its quintessential utility. He labors to transform the raw material of physicality into a home for G-d, to re-create from it the primordial Divine concept of creation. Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov put it this way: G-d makes what is spiritual into a physical world, while we transform this physical world into a spiritual reality.
So the very act of serving G-d is an act of negation. The making of a "home for G-d" means divesting the world of its physical "somethingness." It means redefining reality in terms of its Divine essence and function rather than its physical husk.
The same applies to man himself. Man, too, is part of creation. He is thus both the developer and the developed object: his mind, his heart, his energies and talents--of these, too, his goal is to remake substance into spirit, to shift the focus from object to objective. To make his role as a servant of the Almighty supplant his physical identity--"I was not created, but to serve my Creator."
From Concept to Blueprint
How do we develop our self and our environment into a Divine abode?
A person desires a home. Initially, its dimensions and qualities are undefined: it is its quintessential homeness that he conceives of and desires. Then, the image of his home begins to form in his mind's eye. Putting pen to paper, he sketches its floor plan, its furnishings, the landscaping of its grounds; he notes the type and color of its materials, the architectural details of its facade, the precise design of its fixtures. But the blueprint contains nothing "new." Everything in it, down to the squiggle on the base of its door handles, is an outgrowth of his original concept of "home."
Blueprint in hand, the aspiring homeowner will now procure the necessary materials. He will entrust the blueprint and materials to a contractor, whose job is to transform unhomey things such as logs and stones into the inviting sanctum he has envisioned.
The Torah is G-d's "blueprint" of home, His detailed description
of what He wants His "contractor" (man) to create out of the materials He provides (the physical creation).
Each of the Divine commandments (mitzvos) of the Torah instructs us to take a specific object or resource and fashion it into an instrument of the Divine will: a pair of tefillin, a sukkah, a prayer book, a check made out for charity. Each time we do a mitzvah, we forge another element of an "inhospitable" world into something that is receptive to and expressive of the Divine truth. With each such act, we make the Almighty that much less "inhibited" by the concealments and distortions of the physical universe, that much more "at home" in His creation.
Our development of the resources of creation as a Divine "dwelling" falls under two general categories:
A. Elements that are themselves made into "articles of holiness." These include the parchment and ink that are formed into a Torah scroll, the citron and palm branch (etrog and lulov) taken on Sukkot and the annual 26 hours of time that are sanctified as Yom Kippur. Their very substance has been sanctified and elevated as objects of G-d's will.
B. Elements that retain their material nature while supporting and enabling our service of the Almighty. For example: food is consumed and converted into energy, which, in turn, fuels the mind's toil in study, the heart's fervor in prayer and the body's efforts on behalf of a fellow in need.
Concerning the "holy" areas of a person's life, it can truly be said that the recognition that "I was not created, but to serve my Creator" has been effected. What is a Torah scroll, a pair of tefillin, a lulov and etrog? The very appearance and design of these objects now attest to their true function and essence. The fact that they exist solely to serve G-d becomes readily perceived, completely divesting them of any other function and identity.
The same is true of a person who is engaged in the performance of
a mitzvah. The hand that distributes charity, the mind that studies G-d's Torah, the heart and lips that pray---these are all actively and demonstratively realizing their quintessential function: to serve their Creator.
But G-d wanted more. He wanted "a dwelling in the lowly realms."
What is a "dwelling in a lowly realm"? The basic meaning of these words is that what was previously "lowly" and unconducive to G-dliness has now been remade as a "dwelling" for the Almighty. But the deeper significance of our sages' words is that the "lowly realm" of the material as it is, in all its ordinariness and mundanity, is made to house the Divine presence.
This is where the second category comes in. Though these elements actively serve the Divine will, they remain ordinary food and drink, clothes, structures, etc. The same is true on the individual level. For the person who lives to serve his Creator, the pursuits of material life--earning a living, eating, sleeping, recreating--exist only to support this end; nevertheless, they remain "lowly" and material pursuits. First perceived is our existence and our needs ("I was Created") and only then their utility ("to serve my Creator").
But it is in this domain of our lives, where our physical self remains a "reality" distinct from its exalted purpose, that the ultimate "dwelling in the lowly" is constructed.
Blueprint To Model
"G-d spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the children of Israel that they bring Me an offering ... Gold, silver and copper. Blue, purple and scarlet-dyed wool, fine linen and goat's hair. Ram's skins dyed red, tachash skins and acacia wood. Oil ... spices ... shoham gems ... gems for setting ... And they shall make for Me a Sanctuary, and I shall dwell within them." -- Exodus 25:1-8
"The verse does not say, "Make for Me a Sanctuary, and I shall dwell within it," but "within them"--within each and every one of them." -- Shaloh
A significant part of the Book of Exodus is devoted to the construction of the Mishkan, the portable Sanctuary built by the Jewish people in the Sinai desert. The Mishkan was more than an interim house of worship for a wandering nation; it was the original model and prototype for our development of the material world into a "dwelling for G-d."
The division of our lives into two domains parallels a similar distinction within the components of the Sanctuary. Here, too, are substances that possess the existent identity of "I was created," as well as an element of the totally self-negating "I was not ... but."
Our sages stated: "The world was not considered worthy to make use of gold. So why was it created? For the Mishkan." Gold exists also outside of the Sanctuary, and Torah sanctions its use to beautify one's personal life; but the recognition that, its true, ultimate function is to house the Divine presence, drives home the lesson that also our "personal" gold is enlisted, directly or indirectly, to serve this end.
But another of the fifteen materials to comprise the Mishkan provides the model for the even more "selfless" dimension of our lives. The outer covering of the Sanctuary's roof was made of the hide of a tachash, an animal that "existed only in the days of Moses ... it was provided to Moses, who used it for the Mishkan; then it disappeared." Here we have the prototype for the "I was not created ... but" identity: a being utterly devoid of a "self" that is distinct of the end it serves.
And so it is in the "dwelling" that is "within each and every individual." Each and every one of us is empowered to "make spiritual the physical"--to sanctify certain aspects of life so that they are utterly and exclusively identified with their Divine purpose and essence.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Introductory reading to Ethics of the Fathers:
All Israel has a share in the World to Come, as is stated: ``And your people are all righteous; they shall inherit the land forever. They are the shoot of My planting, the work of My hands, in which I take pride.''
(Sanhedrin, 11:1)
Chapter Six
1. The sages expounded in the language of the Mishnah (blessed is He who chose them and their learning):
Rabbi Meir would say: Whoever studies Torah for Torah's sake alone, merits many things; not only that, but [the creation of] the entire world is worthwhile for him alone. He is called friend, beloved, lover of G-d, lover of humanity, rejoicer of G-d, rejoicer of humanity. The Torah enclothes him with humility and awe; makes him fit to be righteous, a chassid, correct and faithful; distances him from sin and brings him close to merit. From him, people enjoy counsel and wisdom, understanding and power, as is stated, ``Mine are counsel and wisdom, I am understanding, mine is power.'' The Torah grants him sovereignty, dominion, and jurisprudence. The Torah's secrets are revealed to him, and he becomes as an ever-increasing wellspring and as an unceasing river. He becomes modest, patient and forgiving of insults. The Torah uplifts him and makes him greater than all creations.
2. Said Rabbi Joshua the son of Levi: Every day, an echo resounds from Mount Horeb, proclaiming and saying: ``Woe is to the creatures who insult the Torah.'' For one who does not occupy himself in Torah is considered an outcast, as is stated ``A golden nose-ring in the snout of a swine, a beautiful woman bereft of reason.'' And it says: ``And the tablets are the work of G-d, and the writing is G-d's writing, engraved on the tablets'' ; read not ``engraved'' (charut) but ``liberty'' (chairut)---for there is no free individual, except for he who occupies himself with the study of Torah. And whoever occupies himself with the study of Torah is elevated, as is stated, ``And from the gift to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to The Heights.''
3. One who learns from his fellow a single chapter, or a single law, or a single verse, or a single word, or even a single letter, he must treat him with respect. For so we find with David, king of Israel, who did not learn anything from Achitofel except for two things alone, yet he called him his ``master,'' his ``guide'' and his ``intimate,'' as is stated, ``And you are a man of my worth, my guide and intimate friend.'' Surely we can infer a fortiori: if David, king of Israel, who learned nothing from Achitofel except for two things alone, nevertheless referred to him as his master, guide and intimate, it certainly goes without saying that one who learns from his fellow a single chapter, a law, a verse, a saying, or even a single letter, is obligated to revere him. And there is no reverence but Torah, as is stated ``The sages shall inherit honor'' ``and the integral shall inherit good'' ; and there is no good but Torah, as is stated, ``I have given you a good purchase; My Torah, do not forsake it.''
4. Such is the way of Torah: Bread with salt you shall eat, water in small measure you shall drink, and upon the ground you shall sleep; live a life of deprivation and toil in Torah. If so you do, ``fortunate are you, and good is to you'' : fortunate are you in this world, and it is good to you in the World To Come.
5. Do not seek greatness for yourself, and do not lust for honor. More than you study, do. Desire not the table of kings, for your table is greater than theirs, and your crown is greater than theirs, and faithful is your Employer to pay you the rewards of your work.
6. Torah is greater than the priesthood or sovereignty, for sovereignty is acquired with thirty virtues, the priesthood with twenty-four, and Torah is acquired with forty-eight qualities. These are: study, listening, verbalizing, comprehension of the heart, awe, fear, humility, joy, purity, serving the sages, companionship with one's contemporaries, debating with one's students, tranquility, study of the scriptures, study of the Mishnah, minimizing engagement in business, minimizing socialization, minimizing pleasure, minimizing sleep, minimizing talk, minimizing gaiety, slowness to anger, good heartedness, faith in the sages, acceptance of suffering, knowing one's place, satisfaction with one's lot, qualifying one's words, not taking credit for oneself, likableness, love of G-d, love of humanity, love of charity, love of justice, love of rebuke, fleeing from honor, lack of arrogance in learning, reluctance to hand down rulings, participating in the burden of one's fellow, judging him to the side of merit, correcting him, bringing him to a peaceful resolution [of his disputes], deliberation in study, asking and answering, listening and illuminating, learning in order to teach, learning in order to observe, wising one's teacher, exactness in conveying a teaching, and saying something in the name of its speaker. Thus we have learned: One who says something in the name of its speaker brings redemption to the world, as is stated, ``And Esther told the king in the name of Mordechai.''
7. Great is Torah, for it gives life to its observers in this world, and in the World To Come. As is stated: ``For they are life to he who finds them, and a healing to all his flesh.'' And it says: ``It shall be health to your navel, and marrow to your bones.'' And it says: ``She is a tree of life for those who hold fast to her, and happy are those who support her.'' And it says: ``For they shall be a garland of grace for your head, and necklaces about your neck.'' And it says: ``She shall give to your head a garland of grace, a crown of glory she shall grant you.'' And it says: ``With me, your days shall be increased, and years of life shall be added to you.'' And it says: ``Long days in her right hand; in her left, wealth and honor.'' And it says: ``For long days, years of life and peace, they shall add to you.''
8. Rabbi Shimon the son of Judah would say in the name of Rabbi Shimon the son of Yochai: Beauty, strength, wealth, honor, wisdom, sageness, old age and children are becoming to the righteous and becoming to the world. As is stated: ``Old age is a crown of beauty, to be found in the ways of righteousness.'' And it says: ``The beauty of youths is their strength, and the glory of sages is their age.'' And it says: ``The crown of sages are their grandchildren, and the beauty of children their fathers.'' And it says: ``And the moon shall be abashed and the sun shamed, for the L-rd of hosts has reigned in Zion, and before his elders is glory.''
Rabbi Shimon the son of Menasia would say: these seven qualities enumerated by the sages for the righteous were all realized in Rabbi [Judah HaNassi] and his sons.
9. Said Rabbi Yossei the son of Kisma: Once, I was traveling and I encountered a man. He greeted me and I returned his greetings. Said he to me: ``Rabbi, where are you from?'' Said I to him: ``From a great city of sages and scholars, am I.'' Said he to me: ``Rabbi, would you like to dwell with us in our place? I will give you a million dinars of gold, precious stones and pearls.'' Said I to him: ``If you were to give me all the silver, gold, precious stones and pearls in the world, I would not dwell anywhere but in a place of Torah. Indeed, so is written in the book of psalms by David the king of Israel: `I prefer the Torah of Your mouth over thousands in gold and silver.' Furthermore, when a person passes from this world neither silver, nor gold, nor precious stones, nor pearls accompany him, only Torah and good deeds, as is stated, `When you go it will direct you, when you lie down it will watch over you, and when you awaken it shall be your speech.' `When you go it will direct you'---in this world; `when you lie down it will watch over you'---in the grave; `and when you awaken it shall be our speech'---in the World To Come. Also it says: `Mine is the silver and Mine is the gold, so says the L-rd of Hosts.' ''
10. G-d acquired five acquisitions in his world. These are: one acquisition is the Torah, one acquisition are the heavens and the earth, one acquisition is Abraham, one acquisition is the people of Israel, and one acquisition is the Holy Temple. The Torah, as it is written, ``G-d acquired me as the beginning of His way, before His works of yore.'' The heavens and the earth, as it is written, ``So says G-d: The heavens are My throne and the earth is My footstool; what house, then, can you build for Me, and where is My place of rest?'' ; and it says, ``How many are your works, O G-d, You have made them all with wisdom; the earth is filled with Your acquisitions.'' Abraham, as it is written, ``And he blessed him, and said: Blessed be Abram to G-d Most High, acquirer of heavens and earth.'' Israel, as it is written, ``Till Your nation, O G-d, shall pass, till this nation You have acquired shall pass'' ; and it says ``To the holy who are upon earth, the noble ones, in whom is all My delight.'' The Holy Temple, as it is written, ``The base for Your dwelling that you, G-d, have achieved; the Sanctuary, O L-rd, that Your hands have established'' ; and it says ``And He brought them to His holy domain, this mount His right hand has acquired.''
11. Everything that G-d created in His world, He did not create but for His glory. As is stated: ``All that is called by My name and for My glory, I created it, formed it, also I made it.'' And it says: ``G-d shall reign forever and ever.''
Studied at the conclusion of each lesson of the Ethics:
Rabbi Chananiah the son of Akashiah would say: G-d desired to merit the people of Israel; therefore, He gave them Torah and mitzvot in abundance. As is stated, ``G-d desired, for sake of his righteousness, that Torah be magnified and made glorious.''
(Makot, 3:16)
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