The SA/TO & Rel/Ed
Connection
Parshat Tetzaveh:
With justice a King establishes the land; a fraudulent person tears it down. (Proverbs 29:7)
A fraudulent person (ish t’rumot) tears it down. If a person makes
himself like t’rumah and sets himself apart in the corner of his house
and says, ‘What do I care about the burdens of the community? What
stake do I have in their disputes? Why should I listen to their voices?
My soul is at peace.’ -- that person destroys the world.
Terumah is the part of the harvest that is set apart for donations to support
the priests. This midrash explains ish t’rumot, a fraudulent person,
as “someone who always sets himself apart.”
A story about Rabbi Assi: “When he was about to die, his nephew came
to visit and found him crying. “Why are you crying?” he asked
Rabbi Assi. ‘Is it because you feel you have fallen short in Torah?
But is there any Torah that you have not studied yourself and taught to
others?! Behold, all of your students are right here before you.
‘Is it because you feel you are lacking in acts of kindness? But
is there any act of kindness that you failed to perform?! And [you were
humble as well]. Despite your great stature, you did not involve yourself
in disputes, and you never allowed yourself to be appointed [to a position
of influence] over communal affairs.’
Rabbi Assi responded, ‘It is exactly on account of that [last point]
that I am crying. I am afraid that I may be asked to account for the fact
that I was capable of arbitrating disputes among the Jewish people, [yet
I did not].” [Midrash Tanhuma, Mishpatim #2]
Question:
The word “volunteer” derives from the Latin root
for “will.” Volunteering is something we want to do, something
we choose freely as a way to spend our time. According to this midrash,
Rabbi Assi seems to be regretting a choice he made regarding about whether
or not to involve himself in public service. In what ways is volunteering
a choice we make, and in what ways is it something else?
B'ahava,
Justin Turnofsky,
2005 SA/TO Int'l General Board
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