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Share- Where do we come from?
- Where are we going?
- What will help us get there?
עֲקַבְיָא בֶן מַהֲלַלְאֵל אוֹמֵר, הִסְתַּכֵּל בִּשְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים וְאִי אַתָּה בָא לִידֵי עֲבֵרָה. דַּע מֵאַיִן בָּאתָ, וּלְאָן אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ, וְלִפְנֵי מִי אַתָּה עָתִיד לִתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן. מֵאַיִן בָּאתָ, מִטִּפָּה סְרוּחָה, וּלְאָן אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ, לִמְקוֹם עָפָר רִמָּה וְתוֹלֵעָה. וְלִפְנֵי מִי אַתָּה עָתִיד לִתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן, לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא:
Akabyah ben Mahalalel said: mark well three things and you will not come into the power of sin: know from where you come, and where you are going, and before whom you are destined to give an account and reckoning. From where do you come? From a putrid drop. Where are you going? To a place of dust, of worm and of maggot. Before whom you are destined to give an account and reckoning? Before the King of the kings of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He.
תַּמָּן תַּנִּינָן. עֲקַבְיָה בֶּן מְהַלַּלְאֵל אוֹמֵר. הִסְתַּכֵּל בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה דְבָרִים וְאֵין אַתָּה בָא לִידֵי עֲבֵירָה. רִבִּי אַבָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב פַּפַּי וְרִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִיכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי לֵוִי. שְׁלָשְׁתָּן דָּרַשׁ עֲקַבְיָא מִפָּסוּק אֶחָד. וּזְכוֹר אֶת בּוֹרְאֶךָ. בֵּירְךָ. בּוֹרְךָ. בּוֹרְאֲךָ. בֵּירְךָ. מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁבָּאתָה. בּוֹרְךָ. לְמָקוֹם שֶׁאַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ. בּוֹרְאֲךָ. לִפְנֵי מִי שֶׁאַתְּ עָתִיד לִיתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן.
There , we have stated: “Aqabiah ben Mehallalel says, consider three things and you will not commit any transgression.” Rebbi Abba ben Rav Pappai and Rebbi Joshua from Sikhnin in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: All three Aqabiah derived from the same verse: “Remember your Creator,” your fountain, your cavern, your Creator. Your fountain, from where you came. Your cave, to where you are going. Your Creator, before Whom you will have to be accountable in the future.
Rabbi Halafta of Kefar Hanania said: when ten sit together and occupy themselves with Torah, the Shechinah abides among them, as it is said: “God stands in the congregation of God” (Psalm 82:1). How do we know that the same is true even of five? As it is said: “This band of His He has established on earth” (Amos 9:6). How do we know that the same is true even of three? As it is said: “In the midst of the judges He judges” (Psalm 82:1) How do we know that the same is true even of two? As it is said: “Then they that fear the Lord spoke one with another, and the Lord hearkened, and heard” (Malachi 3:16). How do we know that the same is true even of one? As it is said: “In every place where I cause my name to be mentioned I will come unto you and bless you” (Exodus 20:21).
(23) Abraham came forward and said, “Will You sweep away the innocent along with the guilty? (24) What if there should be fifty innocent within the city; will You then wipe out the place and not forgive it for the sake of the innocent fifty who are in it? (25) Far be it from You to do such a thing, to bring death upon the innocent as well as the guilty, so that innocent and guilty fare alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?” (26) And יהוה answered, “If I find within the city of Sodom fifty innocent ones, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.” (27) Abraham spoke up, saying, “Here I venture to speak to my lord, I who am but dust and ashes: (28) What if the fifty innocent should lack five? Will You destroy the whole city for want of the five?” “I will not destroy if I find forty-five there.” (29) But he spoke up again, and said, “What if forty should be found there?” “I will not do it, for the sake of the forty.” (30) And he said, “Let not my lord be angry if I go on: What if thirty should be found there?” “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” (31) And he said, “I venture again to speak to my lord: What if twenty should be found there?” “I will not destroy, for the sake of the twenty.” (32) And he said, “Let not my lord be angry if I speak but this last time: What if ten should be found there?” “I will not destroy, for the sake of the ten.” (33) Having finished speaking to Abraham, יהוה departed; and Abraham returned to his place.
Rabbi Chaninah says that in spite of the fact that many aspects of a person's life are predetermined (provisionally), G-d did not predetermine man's moral development. This is entirely up to his own volition. The original determination of man's physical and material attributes is due to the leeway given to the angel, i.e. to the intermediary otherwise known as "nature." However, since G-d has reserved to Himself the keys to life, livelihood, and the ability to have children, those three matters are subject to G-d’s override if man's merit suffices. This is in line with the statement by Rabbi Akiva in Avot 3,15, "While everything is foreseen, freedom of choice has been granted." The name laylah, mentioned by Rabbi Chaninah as the name of the angel in charge of presenting the embryo before G-d, symbolizes two concepts. 1) Night is a time when positive elements such as light are absent. 2) It is the time when one hopes for improvement, rebirth, renewal (see Psalms 130,6 “Shomrim laboker,” one yearns for morning and what it is expected to herald). Man cannot tolerate the idea that things are decreed irrevocably, that only negative forces exist. He feels that he aught to be the master of his own fate. It is quite in line with these expectations of man, then, that G-d says, "All I am asking of you is that you revere Me etc." (Deut 10,12).