Digital Maggid
This teaching begins with a quote from Pirkei Avos (Ethics of the Fathers):
!איזהו חכם? הלומד מכל האדם
Who is wise? The one who learns from everyone.
R’ Mordechai comments:
ניט בלויז תורה דארף מען לערנען פון יעדען מענשען, נאר אויך הנהגה און מדות טובות
Not only must we learn Torah from everyone, but also (good) conduct and virtuous qualities.
Our teacher seems to be saying that even great achievement in the area of Torah knowledge (which for people in his culture was the ultimate virtue) must take a back seat to proper conduct in one’s day to day life. We can pride ourselves on our knowledge, our success, our enlightenment all day long, but if we do not treat others well, if we do not act with dignity and respect for ourselves and others, what are we? Or as my teacher would say, “Who do you want to be at the end of the day?”
What are the qualities of virtue that we should be most concerned with cultivating? How can we move ourselves in that direction?
