Mishpatim - Don’t be afraid to step up and get involved
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Show Notes
מֶ֗לֶךְ בְּ֭מִשְׁפָּט יַעֲמִ֣יד אָ֑רֶץ וְאִ֖ישׁ תְּרוּמ֣וֹת יֶהֶרְסֶֽנָּה
Through justice a king establishes a land, but the man of Terumos will destroy it.” [Mishlei 29:4]
The
Medrash tanchuma elaborates:
אִם מֵשִׁים אָדָם עַצְמוֹכַּתְּרוּמָה הַזּוֹ שֶׁמֻּשְׁלֶכֶת בְּזָוִית הַבַּיתוְאוֹמֵר מַה לִּי בְּטֹרַח הַצִּבּוּר, מַהלִּי בְּדִינֵיהֶם, מַה לִּי לִשְׁמֹעַ קוֹלָם,
שָׁלוֹם עָלַיִךְ נַפְשִׁי, הֲרֵי זֶה מַחֲרִיבאֶת הָעוֹלָם. הֱוֵי וְאִישׁ תְּרוּמוֹת יֶהֶרְסֶנָּה.
This implies that if a man acts as though he were a terumah (the portion separated, or set aside, for the priests) by secluding himself in the corner of his home and declaring: “What concern are the problems of the community to me? What does their judgment mean to me? Why should I listen to them? I will do well (without them),” he helps to destroy the world. Hence the man of separation (terumah) overthroweth it.
Rabbi Frand on Rav Assi