A Soulful Journey

  “Everything in is the hands of heaven... Save the fear of heaven.”      - Berachot 3b   They say that everything is foreseen (Hillel).  God knows all.  He knows what has happened, see what is happening and is aware of what is about to happen.  

“A controversy for the sake of Heaven will have lasting value, whereas a controversy not for the sake of heaven will not endure. What is an example of a controversy for the sake of Heaven? The debates of Hillel and Shammai. What is an example of a controversy not for the sake of Heaven? The rebellion of Korach and his associates.” - Avot 5:17

Rabbi Amiel used to say, If a heathen were ever to approach me and ask me to teach him the whole Torah while standing on one foot, I would say to him, "The Lord wages war from generation to generation against the unjust.  This is the essence of Torah.  The rest is commentary.  Go study."  -Seymour Siegel quoting Hayim Rambani Contrast that statement with Hillel's comment, " That which is hateful to you, do not do unto others."

"And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore." -Micah 4:3  Hillel says: “Be among the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace…” -Ethics of the Fathers 1:12. "Great is peace since all other blessings are included in it." Vayikrah Rabbah 9) The only reason that the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world was so that there would be peace among humankind. -Midrash, Bamidbar Rabbah 12A.

Hillel and Shammai disagreed as to how to live the good life.   Shammai would set aside a calf for the Sabbath meal as early as Monday.   If, on Tuesday, he found a choicer animal he would set that one aside.   And so on through the week, he would miss the beauty of daily living in frustrating preparation for the Sabbath.   Hillel, on the other hand, would take each morsel of food as it came into his hands and enjoy it in its own time.   Each day was precious to him; each moment a joy.   He did   not postpone living.   He would say: “Thank God” each day!   Thus our rabbis stated: “He who has food and says, 'What will I eat tomorrow?' is lacking in faith.”    The true person of faith says simply, 'This is the day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad thereon'.” (Psalms 118:24)   - Rabbi Gilbert Rosenthal

"That which you hate to have done to you, you must not do to others."  - Hillel If it hurts you, it will hurt someone else.

"Although the schools of Hillel and Shammai differed on many points of Law...they did not shrink from marrying one another."   -yevamot 14b Devoted to Torah the students of both schools would not let differing opinions cause them to hate one another.   "It is a Tree of Life," and it is also a tree of hope and forgiveness.

"Hillel used to say...do not say 'When I have enough free time, I will learn Torah;' for perhaps you will never have enough free time."   -Pirke Avot 2:4

Hillel used to say, "One who does not increase, decreases."         - Pirkay Avot 1:13

In the Talmud the story is told of  a man would took a wager that he could anger Hillel, who was known as an extraordinarily patient man.  If he succeeded in making Hillel upset he would get ten gold dinars.  If not, he would have to pay. On the eve of Shabbat as Hillel was immersed in the ritual bath, the man approached the venerable teacher and hollered, "Hillel!  Hillel!  Come out here.  I have a question.  Why do Babylonians have such round heads?" Hillel reflected for a moment and then replied, "That is an interesting question.  They have round heads for a simple reason.  It is because Babylonians have no skilled midwives." Hillel returned to the bathhouse. "Hillel!  Hillel!" the man yelled once again.  "I have a question.  Why are the inhabitants of Palmyra so bleary-eyed?" "Hmm," said Hillel.  "That is a difficult question.  I suspect it may be because they they live in wind-swept, sandy regions." Five mi...

Once when Hillel left his disciples, they said to him, "Where are you going?"  He replied, "To do a pious deed."  They asked, "What may that be?"  He answered, "To take a bath."  They asked, " That is a pious deed?"  He responded, "Yes, for if the man who is appointed to tend and wash the images of kings which are set up in theatres and circuses, received his pay for so doing, and is even raised up to be regarded as among the great ones of the kingdom, how much more is it obligatory on me to tend and wash my body, since I have been created in the image of God?"  -Leviticus Rabbah, 34:3 Everything we can do can be Godly , especially since we are cast from His image.   This is the path of holiness.

“When we demand justice, it is not always justice on our behalf against other people.   Nobody, I imagine, would ever ask for justice to be done upon him for everything he ever did wrong. “We do not want justice – we want revenge; and that is why when justice is done upon us, we cry out that God is vindictive.”    - Dorothy L. Sayers Isn't Hillel's rule "What is hurtful to you, do not do to others?"

“As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master.” –Abraham Lincoln Or in the words of Hillel, “What is hurtful to you do not do to others.”

Rav Dimi said that he believed Hillel and Shammai were brothers.  In their lives Hillel was the scholar while Shammai was a businessman.   Rav Dimi also stated that Jacob's sons, Issachar studied at yeshiva and Zevulun went to sea to become a merchant. Both were partners in the world and the next. - Yalkut Shimoni 160 Affording others to travel their own path, knowing they are individuals who do not share our interests while still maintaining love with them is what God wants and expects of us.