Tikkun Olam - תיקון עולם

ByM² IEJE

The Institute for Experiential Jewish Education

מדרש תהילים קט״ז:י׳

מה אני בורא עולמות ומחיה מתים אף אתם כן:

Midrash Tehillim 116:10

Just as I create worlds, and bring the dead back to life, you are capable of doing the same.

רש"י על ויקרא כ״ה:ל״ה:א׳

והחזקת בו. אַל תַּנִּיחֵהוּ שֶׁיֵּרֵד וְיִפֹּל וְיִהְיֶה קָשֶׁה לַהֲקִימוֹ, אֶלָּא חַזְּקֵהוּ מִשְּׁעַת מוֹטַת הַיָּד; לְמָה זֶה דוֹמֶה? לְמַשּׂאוֹי שֶׁעַל הַחֲמוֹר, עוֹדֵהוּ עַל הַחֲמוֹר אֶחָד תּוֹפֵס בּוֹ וּמַעֲמִידוֹ, נָפַל לָאָרֶץ, חֲמִשָּׁה אֵין מַעֲמִידִין אוֹתוֹ:

Rashi on Leviticus 25:35:1

והחזקת בו THOU SHALT RELIEVE HIM — Do not leave him by himself so that he comes down in the world until he finally falls altogether when it will be difficult to give him a lift, but uphold him from the very moment of the failure of his means. To what may this (the differences between whether you assist him at once or whether you wait with your help till he has come down in the world) be compared? To an excessive load on the back of an ass. So long as it is still on the ass’s back, one person is enough to take hold of it (the load) and to keep it (the ass) up, as soon as it has fallen to the ground not even five persons are able to set it on its legs (Sifra, Behar, Section 5 1).

Rabbi Yisrael Salanter

When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn't change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn't change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.

Abraham Joshua Heschel, "Moral Grandeur and Spiritual Audacity"

The more deeply immersed I became in the thinking of the prophets, the more powerfully it became clear to me what the lives of the prophets sought to convey: that morally speaking there is no limit to the concern one must feel for the suffering of human beings. It also became clear to me that in regard to cruelties committed in the name of a free society, some are guilty, all are responsible.

ועוד אמרו חכמים, זכרונם לברכה: מידה הנדיבות תלויה בהרגל, כי אינו נקרא נדיב עד שיהא רגיל בכל עת וכבל שעה להתנדב כפי יכלתו. כי אדם שנותן למי שראוי ליתן אלף זהובים בפעם אחת אינו נדיב כמי שנתן אלף זהובים באלף פעמים. כל זהוב וזהוב במקום הראוי, כי אותו שנתן אלף זהובים בפעם אחת, נתעוררה דעתו [התעוררות גדולה] להתנדב ואחר כך פסקה ממנו.

Orchot Tzadikim, Sha'ar Hanedivut

Our sages of blessed memory have stated further that the trait of generosity resides in habit, for one is not called generous until one becomes accustomed to giving, in every time and season, according to one's ability. For one who gives to a deserving person, 1,000 gold pieces at once is not as generous as one who gives 1,000 gold pieces one by one, each gold piece to an appropriate recipient. For one who gives 1,000 gold pieces at once is seized with a fit of generosity that afterwards departs.