Ben Zoma said,
“Who is wise?
The one who learns from all people…
“Who is wise?
The one who learns from all people…
“Who is mighty?
The one who subdues the evil inclination…
The one who subdues the evil inclination…
“Who is rich?
The one who rejoices in his portion…
“Who is honored?
The one who rejoices in his portion…
“Who is honored?
The one who honors other human beings….”
- Pirke Avot 4:1
- Pirke Avot 4:1
Questions to consider:
1. Do you agree with Ben Zoma? Do you disagree with him? (Answer both questions!)
2. If you were asked to
compose your own responses to Ben Zoma's three questions (Who is mighty?
Who is rich? Who is honored?) what would they be and why?
I agree with Ben Zoma. His interpretations are an interesting, different way of looking at each of these terms, and showing that they are all subjective. His answer to, "Who is rich?" for example, shows that no matter a person's actual wealth, the one who will feel most rich and grateful is the one who appreciates what he has. I only disagree in that there are other, technical definitions. These definitions definitely make us think more than those in a dictionary, though.
ReplyDeleteAli I agree! The only one I question is the last one which said that those who honor others will be honored. While this may be true in regards to G-d honoring such people, I don't believe it always holds true with humans. While many times we do, we don't always honor people who honor those around them.
ReplyDeleteOk guys, The quote and such are really great if we lived in an idealistic world but in today's crazy society aren't the famous put on pedestals even when they possess no talents and the very rich totally catered to even if they are as dumb and narrow minded as a toad?
ReplyDeleteWhat struck me so interesting about this was the measures are all internal. It isn't what others think about who is wise, mighty, rich or honored but what one does within oneself. For example, it isn't compared to other people are you rich but compared to yourself you are rich if you rejoice with what you have.
ReplyDeletePS. The Meisel dinner table must have a lot of interesting debates!!
Since Carole was good enough to break into the Meisel conversation (and an interesting one it is), I too can join in. First, a comment on Jake's post - not because I feel that a reply is needed, but simply because Jake and I were discussing how this process would be better if more of us responded to what others were saying. Of course, I promised Jake that I would start my comment with "You blithering idiot" but it turns out that he is not and so, I won't.
ReplyDeleteJake: You agreed with the statements other than questioning the one stating "Who is honored? The one who honors other human beings. Since I think that Ben Zoma was providing a prescription for a positive life (both for the individual and the community), I am not concerned (at least as far as Ben Zoma's statement) with whether the statements have been applied in our world or by others. Rather, I take this as rules which we should strive to incorporate into out lives.
Ellen: My statement to Jake goes multi-fold to you. Ben Zoma's statements/prescriptions/rules are needed precisely because we do not live according to the precepts . . . they do not describe our world as it is but our world as we wish it were. The 10 commandments would not be needed if people already did not kill, steal, etc. Ben Zoma gives us direction and not reflection.
Ali: While the determination of whether we have satisfied Ben Zoma's rules may be subjective, the question is (in part) who is making the determination. I think that the first step is for each of us to ask ourselves these questions on a daily basis or as often as possible, and then ask ourselves whether an unrelated third party would reach the same conclusion.
Carole: I think that your statement is the closest to what I am saying (above) but that these are more than internal and require more than our own analysis of our way of life. I think that it is fair to think about these factors when we look at the lives of others, while at the same time realizing that we do not have all of the facts for the internal workings of each person are hidden.