THE LEGACY OF RABBI LORD JONATHAN SACKS Z”L
This Thursday (20th Marcheshvan), will be the 4th yahrzeit of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, z”l. Next Moztei Shabbat (23rd November), we will be holding a Melave Malka (post Shabbat light meal) in tribute to him with words of inspiration from Rabbi Michael Laitner and music from Rabbi Yossi Binstock. This is open to all the community – please join us!
Rabbi Lord Sacks passed away on the Shabbat of Vayera, 2020.
Let me share with you a thought that formed part of the hesped, the eulogy that I gave for him at the levaya the following day.
I recall a sermon he gave a number of years ago on the parasha of Vayera. Jonathan Sacks identified that Abraham arguing with G-d, is unprecedented in the history of civilisation – “the argument with Heaven, against Heaven, for the sake of Heaven.”
Abraham offers G-d a deal: What if there were 50 righteous people in the city? Would you still destroy it? G-d replies that he would not. Abraham then goes down to 45. Again, G-d says he would spare the city. The bargaining goes on. Abraham offers 40, and G-d agrees. Abraham offers 30, and G-d agrees. 20. 10. And G-d agrees each time. And that is when the bargaining stops.
Rashi explains that there were 5 cities in the Sodom region. When Abraham challenges G-d to spare the cities for the sake of 50 righteous people, he is, in effect, saying: if there were ten righteous people in each city, would You spare the cities? G-d confirms that He would. When Abraham goes down to 45, he is saying: what if there were only 9 people in each city, would that still be good enough? G-d confirms that it would. When Abraham goes down to 40, he is shifting from 5 cities to 4 cities. If there were 4 cities with 10 righteous people in each, would that be enough? Similarly, 30 is a request about three cities, 20 a request about 2 cities and 10 a request about 1 city. According to Rashi, Abraham understands that there needs to be a minimum of 10 righteous people in a city to create a constituency that has enough spiritual energy to save the city.
But Rabbi Sacks offered another explanation, based on Ibn Ezra. 50, and 45 are the same as before. 5 cities with 10 or 9 righteous in each. But when Abraham goes down to 40, we are not saying 4 cities with 10 righteous in each, but 5 cities with 8 righteous in each. According to this explanation, G-d is prepared to save a city with only 8 righteous people in it. 30 takes it down to 5 cities with 6 righteous in each. 20 takes it down to 5 cities with 4 righteous in each. And 10 is the request to save the 5 cities if each had only 2 righteous people in each. On each occasion, G-d agrees.
Then Jonathan Sacks asked: why not go further? Why not 5? Why shouldn’t one single righteous person be enough to save a city? His answer was profound and tells us a lot about Jonathan Sacks. He said: the definition of a true tzaddik, a righteous person, is someone who can make another tzaddik! He or she is someone who can make someone else righteous. You are not a true tzaddik, said Jonathan Sacks, if you can’t make someone else a tzaddik! The spiritual evaluation of who you are, is computed on the basis of the impact you have on others.
Jonathan Sacks understood that he had a gift to touch the hearts and minds of countless others with his speaking and writing. And he has touched us. Immeasurably. He leaves us with a legacy – a challenge to each one of us. How are we going to affect the lives of others? Can we reach out, beyond ourselves in our own unique way to create a lasting impact on those around us?