CREATING THE KINDEST SOCIETY
Vayeira
Parshas Vayeira tells us about the sinfulness and evil of the cities of Sedom and Amora, “The outrage of Sedom and Amora is so great, and their sin so grave!”. Elsewhere, the Torah relates “the inhabitants of Sedom were very wicked sinners against Hashem”.
The Midrash brings horrific examples of the corruption . Their sins were particularly in relation to man and his fellow man; hospitality etc. Hashem considered their behaviour so evil and unconscionable, that they had to be completely destroyed.
In Halacha, there is a concept of Middas Sedom - behaviour and attitudes that are like the people of Sedom.
One of the examples of this behaviour applies in the case of זה נהנה וזה לא חסר - where something can benefit someone else, without causing a loss to oneself. If one refuses to give the other this benefit, it is considered Middas Sedom.
An example might be of someone who has extra room in their garbage bin, but refuses to let their neighbour use it.
The rationale behind this law is that the Torah wants us to create a just society, where people are kind and generous to one another.
The fact that this is described as Middas Sedom implies that not only did they behave this way, but that this is the defining trait of their evil nature.
Pirkei Avos (5:10), discusses the four different characters in human beings and their attidues;
One that says “mine is mine, and yours is yours”, this is the average type. And some say that this is Middas Sedom. “Mine is yours and yours is mine”: is an unlearned person. “Mine is yours and yours is yours” is a pious person. “Mine is mine, and yours is mine” is a wicked person.
In the first case, where one says “mine is mine and yours is yours” שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלִּי וְשֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁלָּךְ, the view that this is the average attitude is self-understood as this is how most people think. But how can this be considered as Middas Sedom?
If I say that “mine is yours”, that would mean that I am lose out or giving up on “mine”. Middas Sedom, as discussed above, only applies if I don’t give to others when there is no loss to myself.
Most of the commentaries explain that the Mishna does not literally mean that this is Middas Sedom. Rather, if one is not generous and forgoing on personal loss to do a favour, one will eventually come to behave like the people of Sedom, refusing to extend a kindness, even when there is no loss to oneself.
The Maharal explains that the person says “what’s yours is yours” in order to protect “what’s mine is mine”. If the poor know that their attitude is “what’s yours is yours”, they will not try to ask for anything, thereby ensuring “what’s mine is mine”. This way, they ensure that they will never be asked for anything, even if there is no personal loss.
Chaza”l teach that someone who wants to be a Chossid, should occupy themselves with the words of Pirkei Avos. A Chossid refers to one who goes beyond the letter-of-the-law. Unlike Halacha which reflects the letter-of-the-law, Pirkei Avos teaches one how to be a Chossid and go above and beyond.
In a strict letter-of-the-law sense, Middas Sedom only applies when there is no personal loss or inconvenience involved. Where one would be inconvenienced or incur a loss, they technically have not done anything wrong by not doing the favour.
Pirkei Avos calls on us to go beyond the letter-of-the-law. I may not be obligated to put myself out and do the kindness, but I should anyway. I may not be doing the wrong thing, but am I doing the wrong thing?
By the standard of Middas Chassidus, the letter-of-the-law is actually Middas Sedom!
The extreme selfishness of Middas Sedom was punished with the ultimate destruction. May our extreme kindness be repaid with the ultimate reward.
The Midrash brings horrific examples of the corruption . Their sins were particularly in relation to man and his fellow man; hospitality etc. Hashem considered their behaviour so evil and unconscionable, that they had to be completely destroyed.
In Halacha, there is a concept of Middas Sedom - behaviour and attitudes that are like the people of Sedom.
One of the examples of this behaviour applies in the case of זה נהנה וזה לא חסר - where something can benefit someone else, without causing a loss to oneself. If one refuses to give the other this benefit, it is considered Middas Sedom.
An example might be of someone who has extra room in their garbage bin, but refuses to let their neighbour use it.
The rationale behind this law is that the Torah wants us to create a just society, where people are kind and generous to one another.
The fact that this is described as Middas Sedom implies that not only did they behave this way, but that this is the defining trait of their evil nature.
Pirkei Avos (5:10), discusses the four different characters in human beings and their attidues;
One that says “mine is mine, and yours is yours”, this is the average type. And some say that this is Middas Sedom. “Mine is yours and yours is mine”: is an unlearned person. “Mine is yours and yours is yours” is a pious person. “Mine is mine, and yours is mine” is a wicked person.
In the first case, where one says “mine is mine and yours is yours” שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלִּי וְשֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁלָּךְ, the view that this is the average attitude is self-understood as this is how most people think. But how can this be considered as Middas Sedom?
If I say that “mine is yours”, that would mean that I am lose out or giving up on “mine”. Middas Sedom, as discussed above, only applies if I don’t give to others when there is no loss to myself.
Most of the commentaries explain that the Mishna does not literally mean that this is Middas Sedom. Rather, if one is not generous and forgoing on personal loss to do a favour, one will eventually come to behave like the people of Sedom, refusing to extend a kindness, even when there is no loss to oneself.
The Maharal explains that the person says “what’s yours is yours” in order to protect “what’s mine is mine”. If the poor know that their attitude is “what’s yours is yours”, they will not try to ask for anything, thereby ensuring “what’s mine is mine”. This way, they ensure that they will never be asked for anything, even if there is no personal loss.
Chaza”l teach that someone who wants to be a Chossid, should occupy themselves with the words of Pirkei Avos. A Chossid refers to one who goes beyond the letter-of-the-law. Unlike Halacha which reflects the letter-of-the-law, Pirkei Avos teaches one how to be a Chossid and go above and beyond.
In a strict letter-of-the-law sense, Middas Sedom only applies when there is no personal loss or inconvenience involved. Where one would be inconvenienced or incur a loss, they technically have not done anything wrong by not doing the favour.
Pirkei Avos calls on us to go beyond the letter-of-the-law. I may not be obligated to put myself out and do the kindness, but I should anyway. I may not be doing the wrong thing, but am I doing the wrong thing?
By the standard of Middas Chassidus, the letter-of-the-law is actually Middas Sedom!
The extreme selfishness of Middas Sedom was punished with the ultimate destruction. May our extreme kindness be repaid with the ultimate reward.