What's mine is yours...the best - October 22, 2010

Shabbat Shalom!

“If rulers are supposed to be just and fair, why are there so many wars?”

This was the question asked by our 6th-7th grade class as we discussed the meaning of the word Melech (ruler) that appears in most blessings. I immediately quoted for the students a quote from Pirkei Avot, the Sayings of the Rabbis (Chapter 5, Mishnah 10):

People come in four basic types. One says:

What’s mine is mine and what’s yours is yours: this is the average type. (But some say: This is the way of Sodom).

What’s mine is yours and what’s yours is mine: simple-minded.

What’s mine is yours and what’s yours is yours: the best (pious/saintly).

What’s mine is mine and what’s yours is mine: the worst (wicked).

In our class discussion, we focused mainly on the last line, which implies an attitude that has led to many wars: a dispute over possession of land or rights. When we discussed the first line, it was necessary to tell the story of Sodom and Gomorrah that is part of this week’s Torah reading, whereby the people of those cities brought about their own destruction. While some commentators have defined the sinfulness of Sodom and Gomorrah as a certain type of coercion, many later biblical references and other commentaries claim that their sin was that they lacked hospitality or a sense of mutual responsibility and communal concern. No one stood up for anyone else’s rights, nor did the people welcome visitors with any warmth or generosity. There were no ties that held everyone together. The “antidote” to that attitude is contained in the third line, “what’s mine is yours and what’s yours is yours,” which reflects and encourages sharing what we have with other people, an approach that is represented when we practice tzedakah, righteous giving, or gemilut chasadim, performing acts of kindness, giving of our resources, energy and spirit in a selfless way.

This passage from Pirkei Avot sheds light not only upon wars and our participation in the community, but also upon the political process. There is always a tension between rights and responsibility. Citizens tend to adopt differing interpretations of a phrase like “We the People” based on their particular perspective. Perhaps our goal should be to do what we can to be sure that our society always seeks to move beyond the “average” type to the “best,” enabling every citizen to share what they have (including their ideas) for the good of their community and nation. Such an approach just might lead us to the progress and peace for which we yearn every day.

L’shalom,
Rabbi Larry