In the first chapter of Pirkei Avot / Ethics of the Fathers (Mishna 14) we learn about Selflessness & Selfishness:
He [Hillel – a great Torah Sage] used to say: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am [only] for myself, who am I? If not now when?
Torah words are profound that through the accepted methods of derivation, we can learn many messages. He says “If I am only for myself who am I?” The phrase “Who am I?” can be interpreted – as “What kind of person am I” or as “I have lost my sense of identity.”
We would think the opposite – the person who acts only the way he feels – the way he likes, dresses what makes him feel popular – would be a very attuned to himself. Hillel says, the opposite is true. It behooves us to ask – With all our accessories that direly call to express our individuality that state: “I got to be me!” – Are we any any closer to our real self?
Hillel says – The more that a person reaches into himself to help others – even at the expense of his or her own personal comfort – becomes more close to his true self.
It is understandable. Man is called a “goer”. Going doesn’t just mean physically moving – it means rising up spiritually – by continuously becoming a better person.
The Creative Person
The creative person is not one that just creates new images or works – the ultimate creativity is re-creating oneself to become a better person. This may mean one must nullify his own personal desires for the good of others or the society. When he nullifies his own desires – he is able to help more people and thus become a greater individual.
Obviously, one must know what is good to help others properly. Thank-G-d, G-d outlined how to be good in the Torah. Many Mussar (Torah Self-Improvement) works exist to help a person reach a higher level of being.
That is the job of a parent to nullify one’s own interests at times to do what’s best for the child.
Most pleasures in the world are permitted according to Torah – Eating, Drinking, Enjoying Nature, Learning. The ones that are forbidden are usually those that have no other purpose than to gratify self-serving desires – that brings no good into the world.
The Creative Mindset – Creative vs Maintaining Work
A creative person sometimes looks at work as – “maintaining work” or “creative work”. Creative work – you add something new to the world, a new idea, a new business, a novel Torah thought. Maintaining work – is maintaining the status quo. Surely that work is necessary – but it is not the kind of work that the creative type likes to do.
Learning Torah is always creative – for we learn and bring out novel ideas and insights & better ourselves in the process.
A successful CEO once remarked to a business magazine his job was to make his job obsolete. He empowered others so he did not have to do the job himself.
Apparently his company was successful.
He hit upon a point – being great means nullifying your will to do good for others. Did he lose? Apparently not. His company was successful. One who empowers others is usually successful.
When one just absorbs info or “kills time” they are actually nullifying their potential to become a greater individual – because that time could have been used to become a greater being to help more people. I see people on the metro and on the bus tuned out of this world. Some with the phones. Others with the Ipad. They are cocooned in their world. Occasionally, It’s a ruse to confuse to divert one’s attention from self-improvement.
G-d created a beautiful world. He created it for man to enjoy – food, drink, family, nature, Torah. The difference between permitted Torah pleasures and the forbidden, may be explained as the permitted pleasures are those that serve to improve the world or the individual’s closeness to G-d. The forbidden ones do the opposite or have no other purpose than self-gratification.
In this week’s Torah reading, we learn about Donations for the building of the Mishkan / Tabernacle. The Parasha of the Week says – G-d asked the Jewish people to give a portion / “Teruma” of their wealth from their hearts. In the Parasha – the word Teruma is mentioned three times.
One was for the donation of the silver socket foundations that held the beams of the Mishkan.
Another donation was for the daily offerings.
The third donation was for the building.
Apparently all three donations are of importance – the start up funds for a Torah Institution. The contributions for the daily operations. And the Building Fund donations.
The Mishkan is also called the Mishkan Ha-Edut” / Tabernacle of Testimony. Why? Because it was a testimony to the world that G-d forgave the Jews of the Sin of the Golden calf and would live among us. It says “You shall build me a sanctuary and I will dwell among you.” G-d’s dwelling with the Jews demonstrated that he forgave them. It also showed that the road to self-improvement has ups and downs. One goes up and occasionally falls. Also it is a message that when one sanctifies himself, with Torah and Mitzvot – a person becomes a vessel to accept the Divine Presence among us.
When one gives of himself for Mitzvot, Torah or for doing acts of kindness – each one helps to build the world. Each one helps to build the individual.