שִׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק הָיָה... אוֹמֵר, עַל שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים הָעוֹלָם עוֹמֵד, עַל הַתּוֹרָה וְעַל הָעֲבוֹדָה וְעַל גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים:
Shimon HaTzaddik would say, The world stands upon three things: the Torah, the service, and the practice of acts of hessed.
Look at the possible definitions of Torah according to the BDB Lexicon: teaching, law, custom.
What do you think Torah means here?
Here are some possible meanings of Avodah: temple service, prayer, serving community, the world.
What do you think Avodah means here?
What does hessed mean to you? Give an example of an act of hessed.
רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר, עַל שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים הָעוֹלָם עוֹמֵד, עַל הַדִּין וְעַל הָאֱמֶת וְעַל הַשָּׁלוֹם,...
Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel (Rashbag) used to say: on three things does the world stand: On justice, on truth and on peace...
According to Rashbag, upon which 3 things does the world stand?
How are Rashbag's 3 things similar or different from Shimon's 3 things in the mishnah above?
Which of these 2 mishnayot speaks to you and the topic of protests more? Why?
To take this teaching in a broader sense:
Sometimes a protest aims to change a particular policy. Sometimes protests don't achieve that- at times it's known from the beginning that a policy won't be changed.
Why do people protest anyway?
What is achieved?
יְהִי בֵיתְךָ פָתוּחַ לִרְוָחָה, וְיִהְיוּ עֲנִיִּים בְּנֵי בֵיתֶךָ,
Let thy house be wide open, and let the poor be members of thy household.
How might protests be influenced by this teaching?
עֲשֵׂה לְךָ רַב, וּקְנֵה לְךָ חָבֵר, וֶהֱוֵי דָן אֶת כָּל הָאָדָם לְכַף זְכוּת:
appoint for yourself a teacher, and acquire for thyself a companion and judge all men with the scale weighted in his favor.
וֶהֱוֵי דָן אֶת כָּל הָאָדָם לְכַף זְכוּת:
judge all people with the scale weighted in their favor.
What does it mean for the scaled to be weighted in someone's favor?
Does the state generally practice this teaching?
Can you think of a social/political movement that might be informed by the idea in this mishnah?
הִלֵּל אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן, אוֹהֵב שָׁלוֹם וְרוֹדֵף שָׁלוֹם, אוֹהֵב אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת וּמְקָרְבָן לַתּוֹרָה:
Hillel used to say: be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving mankind and drawing them close to the Torah.
What do you think it means to pursue peace?
Can you think of social/political movements that might be informed by this idea?
[הִלֵּל] הָיָה אוֹמֵר, אִם אֵין אֲנִי לִי, מִי לִי. וּכְשֶׁאֲנִי לְעַצְמִי, מָה אֲנִי. וְאִם לֹא עַכְשָׁיו, אֵימָתָי:
[Hillel] used to say: If I am not for myself, who is for me? But if I am for my own self [only], what am I? And if not now, when?
Hillel is making 3 statements in this Mishnah (through rhetorical questions). Write each one in your own words:
1.
2.
3.
How would you apply these principles to protests?
וּבְמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין אֲנָשִׁים, הִשְׁתַּדֵּל לִהְיוֹת אִישׁ:
In a place where there are no menschen, strive to be a mensch.
Describe a mensch.
Bring an example from your own life, history, or TV, in which you or someone practiced the idea in this mishnah.
How might this line be relevant to social/political activism?
רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, יְהִי כְבוֹד חֲבֵרְךָ חָבִיב עָלֶיךָ כְּשֶׁלָּךְ, וְאַל תְּהִי נוֹחַ לִכְעֹס.
Rabbi Eliezer said: Let the honor of your friend be as dear to you as your own
How do you understand this mishnah? How might it be relevant to social/political activism?
הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, לֹא עָלֶיךָ הַמְּלָאכָה לִגְמֹר, וְלֹא אַתָּה בֶן חוֹרִין לִבָּטֵל מִמֶּנָּה.
He [Rabbi Tarfon] used to say: It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it
Write this mishnah in your own words.
How might this mishnah be relevant to social/political activism?
הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, חָבִיב אָדָם שֶׁנִּבְרָא בְצֶלֶם.
He used to say: Beloved is humankind for it was created in the image [of God].
Which protests would this teaching be relevant for?
Read the following 3 mishnayot together. Which lines speak to you the most?
How can these lines be applied to political/social activism?
בֶּן זוֹמָא אוֹמֵר, אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם, הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם
אֵיזֶהוּ גִבּוֹר, הַכּוֹבֵשׁ אֶת יִצְרוֹ,
אֵיזֶהוּ מְכֻבָּד, הַמְכַבֵּד אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת,
Ben Zoma said: Who is wise? She who learns from everyone
Who is strong? He who overcomes his inclination (desires, impulses)
Who are they that are honored? They who honor their fellow human beings
יְהוּדָה בֶן תֵּימָא אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי עַז כַּנָּמֵר, וְקַל כַּנֶּשֶׁר, וְרָץ כַּצְּבִי, וְגִבּוֹר כָּאֲרִי, לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹן אָבִיךָ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמָיִם.
Judah ben Tema said: Be strong as a leopard, and swift as an eagle, and fleet as a gazelle, and brave as a lion, to do the will of your Father who is in heaven.
בֶּן הֵא הֵא אוֹמֵר, לְפוּם צַעֲרָא אַגְרָא:
Ben Hei Hei said: According to the labor/pain is the reward.