Daily Wisdom 25 Tevet 5783
January 18, 2023 Pirkei Avot 2:5
Be a Frog
The Mishna Pirkei Avot says in 2:5:
In a place where there are no men, strive to be a man.
We are easily tempted to leave tasks that can be done by others to others, when we could do it ourselves. And when it comes to unpleasant jobs, sometimes no one raises their hand at all, with the result that it is always the same people who do the job, and sometimes unpleasant jobs are simply not done, with all the consequences that entails.
Frogs In The Ovens
In Parshah Va'eira, among other things, we read about the plague of frogs.
וְשָׁרַ֣ץ הַיְאֹר֮ צְפַרְדְּעִים֒ וְעָלוּ֙ וּבָ֣אוּ בְּבֵיתֶ֔ךָ וּבַחֲדַ֥ר מִשְׁכָּבְךָ֖ וְעַל־מִטָּתֶ֑ךָ וּבְבֵ֤ית עֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ וּבְעַמֶּ֔ךָ וּבְתַנּוּרֶ֖יךָ וּבְמִשְׁאֲרוֹתֶֽיךָ׃
"The Nile shall swarm with frogs, and they shall come up and enter your palace, your bedchamber and your bed, the houses of your courtiers and your people, and your ovens and your kneading bowls."
Most frogs, with their task of going into a house, or into a bed, will not have found it annoying, but what frog raised its paw to go into the oven? Ovens are hot and the chance of getting burnt there is a real one. What frog was willing to give his life to sanctify the Name of HaShem? But there were frogs going, the real frogs.
Although a Noahide is not obligated to sacrifice his life for the sanctification of G-d's Name (i.e. to avoid committing idolatry or one of the other capital sins prohibited by the Noahide commandments, at the cost of his life) it is permissible for him to do so, and this is not considered suicide.
These Frogs Did Not Die
וַיַּ֥עַשׂ יְהֹוָ֖ה כִּדְבַ֣ר מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיָּמֻ֙תוּ֙ הַֽצְפַרְדְּעִ֔ים מִן־הַבָּתִּ֥ים מִן־הַחֲצֵרֹ֖ת וּמִן־הַשָּׂדֹֽת׃
"And HaShem did as Moses asked; the frogs died out in the houses, the courtyards, and the fields."
Where no one wants to take it upon themselves to sanctify the Name of HaShem, be the person who sanctifies His Name, do not be afraid. For he who commits Himself to Life will not die.
Sources: The Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner 4e edition p. 332-333, Learning Responsibility From the Frogs
Angelique Sijbolts is one of the main writers for the NoahideAcademy.org website. She contributes for the admin of the website in English and Dutch. She teaches Hebrew to beginners and intermediate students at the Academy.
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