This past week has been the first try of focusing as a community on middot, specific ethical qualities or dispositions. Last week I put out some thoughts and questions about patience, talked about it as my D'var Torah on Saturday morning, and groups have studied and discussed further.
Right here is a try at another modality. Feel free to post as a comment any thought or question you have, about how you have learned about or been challenged by the theme of patience in your life. You can read the following Talmudic story and use that to prompt some thinking — what does it teach about the challenges or meaning of patience?
When you write a comment, indicate whether you would like it to be in your name or anonymous. I see everything before it is published, so anything inappropriate or uncivil will not be published, and if you choose to write anonymously I will post your comment for you and your identity will not be seen.
A Story from the Talmud: Eruvin 54b
Rav P’rayda had a student whom he would always teach his lesson four hundred times before the latter could master it.
On a certain day, he [the rabbi] was called away for a particular mitzvah. He continued to teach him as usual, but the student could not master the subject.
The Master asked, “What’s different about today?”
He replied, “From the moment the Master was told that there was a matter of a particular mitzvah, I could not concentrate. For at every moment I imagined, ‘Now the Master will get up’ or ‘Now the Master will get up.’”
“Give me your attention,” the Master said, "and I will teach you again.” And so he taught him another four hundred times.
A voice from heaven issued forth asking him, “Do you prefer that four hundred years shall be added to your life or that you and your generation shall be privileged to have a share in the World to Come?" [*For our purpose, World to Come=Heaven/Eternal Life]
He replied, “That I and my generation shall be privileged to have a share in the world to come.”
“Give him both,” said the Blessed Holy One.
Leave a Reply