Redeeming Captives:
The Mitzvah of Pidyon Shevuyim

Kol Yisrael Areivim Ze Bazeh
Am I my Brother's Keeper?

Educational Units

Kol Yisrael Areivim Zeh Bazeh:

The words of this talmudic adage may be very familiar to us; perhaps since childhood. But what do they really mean? What can we learn anew about mutual responsibility by taking a closer look at the word “areiv”? And how far should that responsibility go?

We link three units of the Melitz Series on this aspect of Jewish values to the issue of Ron Arad and Israeli soldiers Missing in Action.

Unit #1

Will the Real Areiv Please Stand Up?

Without differentiating between the groups of roots, we present the entire series of meanings as found in the Concordance:

1. • a. To mix, confuse, connect different types, entangle.
   • b . To vouch for, be surety for, to pledge.
2. To go in, to set
   • a . To be late, to advance [or time]
   • b . To set
3. To be well-mixed, seasoned, to be sweet, pleasant
4. To be spiced, sweet, pleasing
5. A bondsman, surety, security
6. Sunset, evening, eve of
7. Arab
8. Arab, near Sepphoris in Upper Galilee
9. IX . Woof [of woven fabric]

Exercise:

Using the Concordance worksheets below, ask participants to use their own understanding of Jewish life to help them select the preferred connotation of the word “areiv” [ayin, resh, bet].

Ask them to fill in the first section, using an English dictionary. Collect all the variations on posterboard. They should find words such as “involvement”, “guarantor” and “responsibility”.

Ask them to fill in the second section, giving their own translation of the entire phrase.

Collect all variations and proceed to a discussion along the following guidelines:

1. Were all the different meanings of the word areiv as listed above related to each other? If so, how? Were there meanings that appeared unrelated?
2. How did this dictionary search enrich your understanding of the Hebrew word, areiv?
3. What is the origin of the English word, responsibility? How does this different etymology impact on your understanding of the Hebrew phrase?
4. What is a guarantor? What does he or she do?
5. Is the concept of “mixing” related to the meaning of the word areiv in this particular Hebrew phrase?
6. Is the concept of the eiruv we use on Shabbat to define public space for the purposes of carrying anything related to the Hebrew phrase under discussion?

Unit #3 - Selections

A Responsible Text Study [adapted]

Exercise

Divide the students into pairs, and have them analyze the following passages on their worksheets.

1. From Misod Chachamim, p.314

How far does freedom of the individual go? An eternal answer was given about this in the parable of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai: the parable is very clear. Each person does not sail in his own personal boat, but we all, the entire community, sail in the same boat. And if one person pokes a hole in it, even just in the area of the boat where he is sitting - in any case he is causing a hole in the shared boat, and the water that penetrates inside does not discriminate between the are of the hole-poker and the rest of the boat... a person may not say that “I am the master over myself and do what I want”... if the action of an individual is bad for the community - the community must get involved and prevent it from occurring. In Tana De’Bei Eiliyahu [a very early Midrashic commentary], there is an even stronger idea: Kol Yisrael areivim zeh bazeh - if a hole is made in a boat, one of the passengers cannot claim, “what does that have to do with me? That is not where I am sitting” - if he had the ability to stop up the hole and did not - he himself holds the responsibility [for making it]...

Discussion:

• 1 . What is the message of this passage?
• 2 . Why is non-intervention considered equivalent to having endangered others?
• 3 . Do you view that as a fair or logical evaluation?
• 4 . Do you see areivut [the action of being responsible] as a negative or a positive precept?
• 5 . Can you think of a positive rule or Jewish source with a positive approach to this?

2 . From R. Chaim Vital, Likutei Torah

“Love your neighbor as yourself” - because all of Israel is one body, and each Jew is an individual limb, and this is “areivut”...

3 . From the Midrash [abridged]

The story is told of the non-Jew who approached the great Sage, Shamai, and explained he wished to convert to Judaism, but only on condition that the Teacher could explain the Torah while he, the student, stood on one foot.
Shamai replied that this was impossible and sent him away.
The non-Jew approached the great Scholar, Hillel, with the same request. Hillel agreed and said the following: “The essence of the Torah is, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”. All the rest is explanation.”

Discussion:

6 . Explain how you understand the two Hebrew sayings and their implications.

7 . How do they differ in terms of intentions and implications for action?

8 . How do they affect us on the personal and family level?

9 . How do they affect us at the community level and as part of a global Jewish community?

Unit #4

For the Future [adapted]

Conclusion Exercise

Work through the materials in the units about Ron Arad and Pidyon Shevu’im. Then return to the Conclusion below:

1. Take two hats or small bags [not transparent]. All participants are asked to write down on a slip of paper one idea they have for implementing “Kol Yisrael areivim zeh bazeh” at a personal level and on another slip, one idea for implementing it as a group on behalf of Ron Arad in the immediate or wider community. The ideas go into separate hats/bags.
2. Mix them up. Everyone takes a slip out of each hat [second chance if it turns out to be the one he or she wrote] and the group is divided into subgroups of 3 or 4 per group. In their groups, participants discuss ideas at both levels and select a few which they think it is practical and important to adopt. [10 minutes].
3. Each group in turn presents the ideas at the personal level and says why they chose them.
4. Each group now presents its ideas to implement the concept of “Kol Yisrael areivim” on behalf of Israeli soldiers Missing in Action.
5. Together, plan one or two projects which seem to interest the group most and set aside time at future meetings to discuss the implementation and review progress.

Unit #1 - Worksheet

  1 .  Look up the various translations of the word areiv derived from the 
Concordance in an English dictionary. Write down their exact 
definitions here:










  2 .  Using any and all of the possible connotations of the Hebrew word areiv 
and additional nuances from the English dictionary definitions, write down 
your own translation of the phrase: Kol Yisrael areivim zeh bazeh.

Unit #3 - Worksheet

1. From Misod Chachamim, p.314

How far does freedom of the individual go? An eternal answer was given about this in the parable of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai: the parable is very clear. Each person does not sail in his own personal boat, but we all, the entire community, sail in the same boat. And if one person pokes a hole in it, even just in the area of the boat where he is sitting - in any case he is causing a hole in the shared boat, and the water that penetrates inside does not discriminate between the are of the hole-poker and the rest of the boat... a person may not say that “I am the master over myself and do what I want”... if the action of an individual is bad for the community - the community must get involved and prevent it from occurring. In Tana De’Bei Eiliyahu [a very early Midrashic commentary], there is an even stronger idea: Kol Yisrael areivim zeh bazeh - if a hole is made in a boat, one of the passengers cannot claim, “what does that have to do with me? That is not where I am sitting” - if he had the ability to stop up the hole and did not - he himself holds the responsibility [for making it]...

What is the message of this passage?

2 . From R. Chaim Vital, Likutei Torah

“Love your neighbor as yourself” - because all of Israel is one body, and each Jew is an individual limb, and this is “areivut”...

3 . From the Midrash [abridged]

The story is told of the non-Jew who approached the great Sage, Shamai, and explained he wished to convert to Judaism, but only on condition that the Teacher could explain the Torah while he, the student, stood on one foot.
Shamai replied that this was impossible and sent him away.
The non-Jew approached the great Scholar, Hillel, with the same request. Hillel agreed and said the following: “The essence of the Torah is, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”. All the rest is explanation.”

1. Explain how you understand the two Hebrew sayings and their implications.
2. How do they differ in terms of intentions and implications for action?
3. How do they affect us on the personal and family level?
4. How do they affect us at the community level and as part of a global Jewish community?