A Tzaddik in Pelts

Rabbi Joel Fleekop

Saturday, October 24, 2009

In Yiddish there is a phrase, “a tzaddik in pelts” – a righteous man in a fur coat.

Rabbi Menahem Mendl of Kotzk explains this curious phrase with the following image: When one is cold at home, there are two ways to become warm. You can light a fire and heat the entire house, thus bringing warmth to yourselves and all others who are in the home with you. Or you can you get put on your fur coat and thus make yourself feel comfortable and warm – but everyone else will still be cold.

According to Menachem Mendl, a “tzaddik in pelts” is a person, who when seeing that the world is not right – that it is cold and in need of repair, puts on his metaphoric fur coat and focuses on keeping himself warm and protected from the conditions around him. In contrast a true tzaddik – a truly righteous person tries to warm the entire area – to correct the wrong in the world so that all will be comfortable.

Our Torah portion, Parshat Noach begins, “Elah Toldot Noach: Noach Eish Tzadik Tamim Hayah B’doratav, Et HaEloheim Hit’halech Noach – This is the line of Noah: Noah was a righteous man; he was blameless in his age; Noah walked with God.”

This introductory phrase sounds like high praise, but according to many of our tradition’s greatest teachers, Noah – an Eish Tzadik was in fact a “tzaddik in pelts.” A pure and honest person, but one blind to the world around him.

The Hassidic sage, Rebbe Tronk of Kutno, explains that Noah had a very limited understanding of righteousness. For Noah, righteousness was narrowly defined as scrupulously doing exactly what God asked of him. That is why, according to Rebbe Tronk, righteousness alone is Noah’s legacy. In contrast, Anshei Tzadik - righteous individuals who possess a wider understanding of righteousness, leave a legacy not only of their own good deeds and observance, but also the legacy of those who were inspired and guided by their example and care.

A similar point is made by a teaching credited to the Turkish sage, Moses Alshekh. Responding to the Torah’s assertion that Noah walked with God, the commentary teaches, “Noah walked with God,” not with people . . . – he was not interested in humanity, in the environment. His righteousness was directed inward, to himself and his family. . . He was commanded by God to build and ark – he built it board by board and nail by nail for a hundred and twenty consecutive years, and it never crossed his mind that there might be a way to avert God’s decree and to save the world from destruction.”

Throughout rabbinic literature one can find a long list of reasons why the generation of the flood deserved destruction, including as Sam mentioned, moving property markers and stealing from societies most vulnerable. But according to the Hassidic teacher, Imrei Shefer, Noah’s silence is also responsible for the flood for if he had pleaded for God’s mercy – the devastating deluge would have been averted.

Noah’s silence is frequently contrasted with Abraham’s desperate pleading with God in an attempt to save the cities of Sodom and Gemorrah. Though the requisite ten righteous men could not be found, and the cities were ultimately destroyed, Abraham’s concern for others is held up as an example to us all. Thus it is taught that Abraham walked before God while Noah “walked with God.”

In Genesis Rabbah, Rabbi Nehemiah suggests that the reason Noah wasn’t able to walk before God, to be more than a tzaddik in peltz was because he himself lacked security and a sense of well being. Rabbi Nehemiah likens Noah to a person stuck in a swamp. Caught in the mire, Noah was blind to all those who like himself needed help. He could focus only on how he personally could escape – which for Noah meant unquestioningly observing God’s commands.

Though life today is by no means as difficult or challenging as the conditions with which Noah was confronted, the past few years have, for many, been more difficult than others in recent memory. We as individuals and a nation may feel as though we too are stuck in the mire. And so like Noah, it is easy for us to become focused only on how we can get through this difficult time.

And of course economics are not the only reason why people might feel that they are struggling just to get by. Sam and Zevi, as Bnai Mitzvah you are at the beginning of your life as Jewish adults but also the beginning of your teenage years. These coming years can be a lot of fun – for many they are amongst the best of their lives. But they are also a time of great stresses.

There is pressure to excel in academics, athletics, and other extra-curricular activities. And of course the teenage years are ripe with social pressures. While not everyone strives to be popular, no one wants to be an outcast – and so there is perpetual stress about fitting in one way or another.

Whether trying to navigate through these uncertain economic waters or the ever perilous teenage years, it is easy to understand why an individual, a family, or even a nation might turn inward – might focus all their energy and attention on just getting by – just surviving.

But this comes at a cost. In Washington, important long term issues like climate change go largely ignored. And as families become more insular and cut back on their charitable giving, our community organizations who serve the most-needy will have to get by with less – and ultimately will have to turn people away unaided.

And of course, the turning inward of our teenagers is also very pricey. We lose the exciting energy, innovative ideas, and caring that they contribute to making our world a better place. And they lose out as well. They miss the formative experience of being involved in the community -- involvement they sought out not because it will look good on a resume, but because concern for others and the world around us makes our lives richer and more meaningful.

As we go forward, let us express our love for God and Jewish tradition through our ritual observances as well as through our commitment to Tikkun Olam – repairing the world. Sam and Zevi, may you, and all of us, strive to live as true tzaddikim – righteous individuals who, even in difficult times, remain focused on improving the surrounding world. May we always be tzaddikim, and may we leave the wearing of pelts to the animals.