- Peace and Love
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- Rivka Olenick
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- Hillel said: "Be of the disciples of
Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving the created beings, and
bringing them near to the Torah." (Avos, Chapter 1:12)
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- What does it mean to be of the disciples of
Aaron? There are many people who have tremendous guilt because they
sin and cannot overcome their sins. And others may know of their sins
and judge them harshly. We all sin - so why should we think that the
sins of another so much worse than our own sins? In Pirkei Avos, God
says of Aaron: "He walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and
he turned many away from sin." Hillel said of Aaron: "When
he would feel or hear that a person had wickedness within him, or that
he would commit sins, Aaron would always greet him first, become
friendly with him, and speak with him frequently." Aaron was a
compassionate person and looked past a person's sins to find that
person's essence. How was Aaron able to find the person's essence?
This is difficult. Most people look to find the person's sins and then
use those sins against that person. This is a quick way to categorize
the other person negatively. By categorizing another person, you
purposely avoid finding his essence, his true self. Instead, you
choose to see only his sins. The part of him/her that should be
recognized as a selem elokim, a being created by God - you ignore.
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- How was Aaron able to greet the sinner, become
friendly with him and speak with him frequently? Why did Aaron choose
this method? It seems that when we choose to look past a person's sins
and show sincerity and interest in the person - the person, himself
feels lifted. At the same time the person feels guilt. However, a
little guilt is good because it acts as a motivator. The guilt
motivates the person to feel shame and embarrassment over their sins.
"Oh, if he found out how much I really sinned - he would have
nothing to do with me ever. Now is my chance to prove that I can
overcome my sin and be respected." Every person wants to be
respected.
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- Aaron pursued peace which seems like the
logical and rational approach for mankind, but why should one love
peace? Why was Aaron called a lover of peace? Why did he choose this
very compassionate way of drawing another person near? This very
compassionate way is what causes peace between people. And the way
Aaron pursued this peace proved he was a lover of peace. And one who
loves peace also loves created beings. Because in order to pursue
peace you need to have who to pursue it with.
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- All beings created by God, are created to live
life with the highest purpose. For the Jewish person it is to bring
others near to the Torah - through peaceful ways and ways that promote
love and unity between people. The same love that we are asked to use
in order to "love your neighbor as yourself" which also
produces unity.
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- We were all created for the same purpose,
which is to be the teachers of Torah and to be the light unto all the
nations. This is our real job.
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