A few weeks ago, I asked some of our Temple Beth-El Religious School students to comment on several sayings from an ancient collection of statements from the rabbis called Pirkei Avot, which literally means “Chapters of the Fathers/Founders.”
One saying from a first century sage known as “Hillel the Elder” said, “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?”
The interpretations suggested by the students in early February did not take into account the current worldwide health challenge we now face.
What does Hillel’s famous piece of wisdom mean in a time of a pandemic?
I believe that it means that we should advocate for ourselves and our own health and needs, but that we also need to take into account and attend to the needs of others around us. We should do what we can to sustain the well-being of our community with a sense of urgency.
A second saying from Hillel simply declared, “Do not separate yourself from the community.”
I heard someone say recently that we are now “separating together.” While we may not be gathering in public spaces, we still have ways to stay in touch with one another to offer our concern and caring. Technology enables us to reach across a physical distance, providing us with the possibility to see and hear each other, or to read one another’s words that express connection. Religious congregations that have suspended in-person worship for the time being are generating and sharing communal prayer via livestream or pre-recorded video.
Whatever we do, we need to be certain that our actions at this time exude kindness, generosity and compassion. We will get through the COVID-19 pandemic, and we will look back and remember how we reached out to one another with creativity and persistence.
Psalm 133, verse 1, proclaims: “How good and how pleasant it is when people dwell together in unity.” We can maintain a sense of unity by filling in the spaces that temporarily keep us apart with love and hope that comes from the depths of our hearts.
May we know healing and safety in the days to come.
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