YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Jewish Laws and Thoughts
- Personality Development
- Pathways in Personality Development
The waving of the sacrifices is an example of such a nonessential "remnant." This act is not crucial to the fulfillment of the commandment, and a person discharges his obligation even without waving the sacrifice. In this regard the Sages teach, "The dispensable ingredients of a precept [when performed] ward off punishment."
Just as a pious person is careful to fulfill with perfection those commandments which relate to serving God, so does he strive perform with perfection those commandments which affect the way he relates to his fellow man, trying to help whoever he can in any manner he can. This is what the sages call "bearing the burden with one's fellow."
Pathways in Personality Development (52)
Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed
31 - 31. The Service of the Pious
32 - 32. The Root of the Trait of Piety
33 - 33. More on the Trait of Piety
Load More
The ancient Jewish pietists were even careful to bury their thorns and glass three handbreadths deep in the earth in order not to hinder the plow. In doing this they were going beyond they letter of the law in order to avoid causing damage to others.
To a certain degree, preventing possible danger or damage to others constitutes a greater measure of piety than performing kindness toward others, because if you do a favor for somebody he becomes thankful and feels indebted to you. This is not true in a case where one prevents his fellow from suffering loss, for a person is less inclined to feel as if you have done him a favor when you do not give him something of your own.
This is all the more true when a person does not even know that you have spared him some potential damage. Such an act is true kindness, for no thanks is ever expressed. This is true piety. Therefore the sages say, "A person who wishes to be pious should uphold the laws of damages."
This does not mean that a person should merely refrain from harming others, for while a person who does not cause damage to others is not evil, he is nonetheless not pious. Rather, what this means is that a person should fulfill the laws of damages wherever he sees something that is likely to cause damage to others. He must remove any sort of health hazard or obstacle which endangers others, and thus prevent potential damage.
The students of R' Zakkai asked their master: "Through what merit did you live to such a ripe old age?" He replied, "Never in my life did I call a person by a nickname." By this he meant even a nickname that was not derogatory. "And never in my life did I miss making Kiddush on Sabbath. Once my aging mother sold her head cover in order to bring me wine for Kiddush."
This is an example of piety which goes beyond the letter of the law. R' Zakkai, because he did not have any means to buy wine, was in fact exempt from making Kiddush. Nonetheless, he did so out of piety. These are examples of pious conduct between man and his fellow man and between man and the Creator, and with God's help we shall discuss these matters in greater detail next time.
---
Some of the translated Talmudic sources in the above article were taken from or based upon Davka's Soncino Judaic Classics Library (CD-Rom) or Feldheim's "Path of the Just."
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
