The page ends with a fascinating section on Astronomy/Astrology
including the disturbing appearance of a comet passing through the
constellation of Orion. (Back in 1997 there was some concern when the Hale-Bopp Comet
made this pass, which some saw as a sign of the messianic redemption.
(The other Talmudic mention of a comet is in Horayot 10 and has been linked to Halley’s Comet.)
But another subject interests me:
Our Rabbis taught: If one sees a
crowd of Israelites, he says, “Blessed is He who discerneth secrets, for the
mind of each is different from that of the other, just as the face of each is
different from that of the other.”
Lovely appreciation of the uniqueness of every individual
(ok, every Israelite – but still). However Ben Zoma make a further observation.
Upon seeing a crowd of Israelites on the steps of the Temple Mount, he says:
"Blessed is He that discerneth
secrets, and blessed is He who has created all these to serve me."
Ouch! But wait: Ben Zoma goes on to describe that when Adam wanted a loaf
of bread he had to plant, grow, harvest and shift the wheat, make the flour, knead and
bake the dough into bread. But Ben Zoma wakes up and finds the bread already made for him!
It’s an important point about the virtues of the Modern
World as opposed to some idealized “back to the land” past. Civilization
depends on interdependence.
This point we made for me in the book “The Rational Optimist” by Matt
Ridley. It is nice to dream about the power of independent living, but it
leaves little time for much beyond providing for basic necessities. Civilization depends on trade.
Ben Zoma acknowledges and appreciates how we all depend on
one another. But that dependence can lead to exploitation. But the Rabbis recognize each person’s individuality. And since each
person is an individual you cannot exploit him or her for your needs. Trade
is mutually beneficial. The two principles together make for a strong sense of community
and human progress.
Thank you for serving me!
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