Not Above or Beyond

After 40 years of leadership, Moshe was preparing to bid farewell to the Jewish People. He had led them out of Egypt, guided them through the sea, and brought them the luchot and the Torah. Yet, he had also witnessed their sins, mistakes and failures, and was fearful about their future.

One of his greatest fears was that people would see their personal growth as dependent on forces beyond themselves. Moshe addressed this fear at the end of his parting words — toward the end of Sefer Devarim, in Parshat Nitzavim. He clarified that mitzvah fulfillment is not dependent upon something above, in the heavens, or beyond, in faraway lands. It hinges upon what is very close to us — how we use our own mouths and what we internalize in our own hearts (Devarim 30:11–14).

We do not need intermediaries to relay Hashem’s word or wise men to guide us from afar. While their counsel is valuable, we possess all the resources we truly need within ourselves. Our growth and our mission in this world are squarely within our grasp.

If Not I

We are not only able to help ourselves, we are also responsible for doing so. Though many assist us throughout our lives, in the end, we are responsible for ourselves. Others cannot be, will not be, and are not meant to be accountable in our place. Hillel expressed this idea when he asked: “If I am not for myself, who will be? (Avot 1:14).”

It is convenient for us to believe that our success hinges on forces and conditions beyond our control. One might get such an impression from the Gemara, which asserts that “everything is in the hands of Heaven, except for fear of Heaven (Berachot 33b).” We have seen that the Rambam (Responsa, 436) dispels this mistaken impression by explaining that our personal growth is part of yirat Shamayim, which is in our hands. Hashem sets the circumstances in the world around us; how we respond and develop ourselves is up to us.

The support we receive from others is also limited to our time with them. Rabbeinu Yonah (Avot 1:14) comments that making good decisions and consistent, continuous growth (even when alone) hinge on what we internalize, not just on who our friends and neighbors are. We must take full responsibility for ourselves; no one else will do so in our place.

Taking the Blame

Taking responsibility also includes accepting responsibility for our mistakes and failures. People like to blame others for their shortcomings. Our nature, our nurture, or our circumstances cause our failures. We ourselves are not to blame.

The very first human being, Adam HaRishon, saw his very first sin this way. When Hashem questioned him about his eating the forbidden fruit, Adam responded, “The woman You placed with me gave me from the tree (Bereishit 3:12).” It is not my fault; my wife is to blame. In fact, it was Hashem’s fault because He created woman. Man’s need to shirk responsibility can bring him to blame even the One kind enough to provide him with a wife who saved him from his loneliness! (Rashi, ibid).

Chava followed Adam’s lead. When Hashem directed his questioning to her, she also passed the buck. The snake had convinced her to eat from the tree. It was his fault.

Hashem did not accept their excuses. He punished both for their sins because He saw them as personally responsible. Though the snake encouraged Chava to eat from the tree, she made her own decision. Though Chava gave Adam the fruit, he decided to eat it. Hashem made this point in his response to Adam: “Because you listened to your wife’s voice, the ground is cursed (Ibid 3:17).” Hashem punished Adam not only for his deed but also for choosing to listen to the offer.

We continue to suffer from the curses conferred upon Adam and Chava because we continue to make the same mistakes, including shirking responsibility for our sins and errors.

The Moment We Realize

Taking responsibility for our mistakes and realizing that the solutions lie in our hands are critical to our personal growth.

We learn this from (Rebbe) Elazar Ben Durdaya. After deciding to do teshuva for his initial sinful lifestyle, he asked the mountains and hills, the sky and earth, and the sun, moon and stars to pray for him. When they each refused to help, he realized that “ein ha’davar talui ella bi — the thing depends only on me.”

His realization led him to turn inwards and soul-search while curled up in the fetal position. His pain and prayer were so intense that he cried himself to death. A heavenly voice announced that Rebbe Elazar ben Durdaya merited entry into Olam Haba.

Rebbe, Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi, reflected that many spend their entire lives earning entry into the next world. In contrast, others do so in one moment — the moment they realize they can do teshuvah by taking full responsibility for their past mistakes and future growth (Avodah Zarah 17a).

His momentous realization earned Rabbi Elazar his portion in the World to Come and the title “Rebbe.” He taught us all the great significance of accepting responsibility for ourselves.

May Rebbe Elazar ben Durdaya inspire us to emulate him by taking full responsibility for ourselves.

Rav Reuven Taragin is the Dean of Overseas Students at Yeshivat Hakotel and the Educational Director of World Mizrachi and the RZA. His new book, Essentials of Judaism, can be purchased at rabbireuventaragin.com.