The Talmud cryptically teaches us that in every generation, 36 righteous people “greet the Shechina,” the Divine Presence. From this arcane reference has emerged the belief that at all times in history there are 36 unique people in the world upon whose existence the world depends. If any one of them, man or woman, was missing, the world as we know it would end. These special people have been known in history and legend as the “Lamed Vov (36) Tzadikim, “Lamed Vovniks,” or the “Tzadikim Nistarim” (“hidden righteous people”). Essentially it is believed by Jewish mystics and others that these 36 lives are conducted in such a way as to justify to God that mankind is fulfilling God’s purpose in creating man in the first place. It is believed that man is created “in the image” of Hashem. Therefore man must manifest those qualities, sensitivities and behaviors that reflect the Divine. It would seem pretty clear that at a minimum, those 36 people would be charitable, kind and caring toward their fellow man. It is also clear that, above all, a Lamed Vovnik would be humble, humility being the basis of the selflessness required to fulfill their tasks on earth. Anonymity and lack of self-awareness would be among the other primary characteristics of the elect.
Throughout history, those persons accepting or believing in the legend have often attempted to identify who, among their neighbors, might possibly be a Lamed Vovnik. These speculations during recent times have led to a veritable flood of fictional works on the subject. In the period from 1958 to 2013 alone, for example, there have been no fewer than 21 different works of art: novels, films, TV episodes, short stories and even comic books whose themes have centered on detecting, defending and befriending one or all of extant Lamed-Vov Tzadikim. From Andre Schwarz-Bart, French author of the seminal novel “Last of the Just,” to the Coen brothers’ recent cinematic offering, “A Serious Man,” the legend has captivated audiences around the world.
Unfortunately, these fictional works haven’t solved the question of how to detect the elect, and for a very good reason: Because humility is the central component of the makeup of a Lamed Vovnik, he or she will always be unaware of his identity as a “special” person. It is widely believed, in fact, that if someone claimed to be among the elect, that very claim would disqualify him from that status! Making things even more difficult from a detection standpoint is that most of us know more than a few people who would appear to be selfless, kind and caring. They can’t all be Lamed Vovniks! Yet, often at a Jewish funeral you will hear a eulogizer declare that the recently departed, given his virtuous character, was clearly one of the Lamed Vov. Even Menachem Begin famously stated at the funeral of Rabbi Aryeh Levin, noted Tzadik of Jerusalem and spiritual leader of the Irgun, that Rabbi Levin was considered by many to be a Lamed Vovnik; Begin questioned the existence of such a group of 36 people since, in Begin’s words, “there could not possibly be 35 other people in the world like Levin!”
Before turning to a possible solution to our detection dilemma, it would be fair to ask why one would need to know the identity of the Lamed Vovniks. The answer given by most experts is that knowledge of their identities would permit the community to protect the Lamed Vov from forces that might wish to harm them and us. That such destructive forces exist in the world at all times is sadly evident to anyone who follows current events. An even deeper question concerns why we even need the Lamed Vovniks to preserve the world in the first place, given all those many wonderful, caring souls that already inhabit our world and are not among the elect.
After considering all aspects of this problem, it seems the very notion of 36 anonymous, concealed mystics existing to emerge in times of crisis to save the world is supposed to have a transformative effect on all of us who are not among the elect. Sharing our lives with such perfect souls should force us to live a better life, a life of goodwill to all we share the planet with. Maybe the existence of the elect is designed to teach us all to “aspire to become Lamed Vov-like,” as a rabbi from Denver once wrote. If the existence of 36 hidden tzadikim in each generation would possibly lead to self-improvement of people at large, what could be a better result? In the end, spending hours trying to determine if that rather shabbily dressed person you pass by every day on the way to your bus stop or Dunkin’ Donuts is one of the Nistarim may be a waste of time. Even if you convinced yourself that he was one of the elect, you’d be bound to keep it to yourself according to the legend. The person would be bound to deny it—even assail you for making such an absurd accusation. Rather, it may be preferable instead to simply treat him nicely and go on your way. Expecting miracles often leads to disappointment.
By Joseph Rotenberg
