What does the world stand upon?
(יח) רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר, עַל שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים הָעוֹלָם עוֹמֵד, עַל הַדִּין וְעַל הָאֱמֶת וְעַל הַשָּׁלוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (זכריה ח) אֱמֶת וּמִשְׁפַּט שָׁלוֹם שִׁפְטוּ בְּשַׁעֲרֵיכֶם:
(18) Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel used to say: on three things does the world stand: On justice, on truth and on peace, as it is said: “truth and the judgment of peace you shall judge in your gates” (Zechariah 8:16).
מסכתות קטנות מסכת דרך ארץ פרק שלום
תמן תנינא רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אומר על שלשה דברים העולם עומד על הדין ועל האמת ועל השלום. אמר ר' מונא ושלשתן דבר אחד הם נעשההדין נעשה אמת נעשה שלום, ושלשתן בפסוק אחד נאמרו, שנאמר אמת ומשפט שלום שפטו בשעריכם, כל מקום שיש משפט יש שלום, וכל מקוםשיש שלום יש משפט.
Masechet Derekh Eretz, Chapter on Peace*
There it was taught:
Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says that the world stands on three things: On justice, on truth, and on peace. Rabbi Muna said: Those three are really one thing! If justice is served, truth is served, and peace will be made. [The proof is that] all three are mentioned in one verse, where it is written, "You shall judge truth and a judgment of peace in your dwellings." (Zech 8:16). In any place that there is peace, there will be justice.
*A copy of the "Perek Ha-Shalom" section of Derekh Eretz Zuta was commissioned to commemorate the signing of the Egypt–Israel peace treaty. Menachem Begin presented copies of it to Jimmy Carter and Anwar Sadat at El Arish, May 27, 1979.
Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Prophets
Above all, the prophets reminded us of the moral state of a people: Few are guilty, but all are responsible.
- As I enter these ten days of turning, these are truths that are important for me to tell myself...
- As I enter these ten days of turning, these are truths that are important for me to consider telling another (who?what?)...
- As I enter these ten days of turning,these are truths that I must say to G-d/Creation/Universe/Higher Power/Spirit of Life (etc.)...
(טז) הוא היה אומר, לא עליך המלאכה לגמור, ולא אתה בן חורין לבטל ממנה.
(16) He used to say: It is not up to you to finish the work, but you are not free to abandon it.