A Jewish Philosophy of Man

A Lecture Series by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik

Lecture 6: Judaism’s Glorification of the Anonymous Person

Delivered February 5, 1959

Summary by Mark Smilowitz: Continuing with the idea of Judaism’s glorification of the anonymous person, the Talmud says that the participants in the annual “kallah” Torah lectures receive divine reward not according to their intellectual achievements, but according to the amount of discomfort they put themselves through in order to participate. Thus, the diligent ignoramus could receive more reward than the accomplished scholar. Judaism stresses axiological democracy, the equal worth of the great scholar and the little person. Modern Man has yet to live up to this ideal of axiological democracy, and the biggest challenge of today’s State of Israel is to live up to this ideal. The Talmud captures this axiological democracy in its dictum, “How do you know that your blood is redder than the blood of your neighbor?” Although Judaism’s moral code recognizes the common right to dignity, such that we may not judge or embarrass anyone, it places special emphasis on the dignity on the humble and lowly person, with special injunctions against harming the deaf, blind, orphan, widow, and stranger. Rabban Gamliel the Prince, under the order of execution by the Romans, considered that perhaps he deserved his fate due to once making a widow feel unimportant. This sense of tenderness towards the downtrodden reflects God’s own behavior and attitude towards the poor and oppressed, as described in Scripture. Peretz’s story “Bontzye Shweig” illustrates this idea as well. This analysis leads to the problem of Jewish loneliness, which requires distinguishing between two different feelings, loneliness and aloneness. Loneliness comes from others inevitably rejecting one’s message, one’s kerygma. Aloneness comes from the numinous uniqueness inherent in each person. Loneliness brings with it destructive emotions, whereas aloneness is a creative and motivating force. Every person must suffer the loneliness of rejection at some point in life. Next lecture will discuss how Judaism tries to solve the problem of loneliness. Topics triggered by audience questions include the Rosenberg trial, historical controversies among Jews, establishment of a Sanhedrin in Israel, and standardized text for prayer.

 00:01:15          The Talmudic dictum that reward is granted according to effort

00:08:17          Axiological democracy in Judaism, modern society, and the State of Israel

00:26:24          The human right to dignity and the prohibition to embarrass people

00:44:27          Judaism’s concern with the socially anonymous person

00:59:30          Imitatio Dei, imitating God, and the story of the death of “Bontzye Shweig”

01:26:29          Introduction to the problem of Jewish loneliness

 For Further Study: The Rav’s announcement that he was in Washington, D.C. (on January 29, 1959 – see the bulletin) coincides with his work to protect kosher slaughter from federal humane slaughter legislation. See Community, Covenant, and Commitment (xvii, 61–62). In “The Lonely Man of Faith,” the contrast between loneliness and aloneness does not necessarily follow that developed here. However, there too the Rav outlines two kinds of loneliness, “ontological loneliness” innate to the condition of individual uniqueness, and “social isolation” due to rejection of the religious message by modern society. Unlike here, there the Rav does not speak of a solution to the latter.

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