RaYBaSH’s Ponderings of the Perkei Avot
Chapter 4:3
By: Yehudah ben Shomeyr
4:3. He would also say:
Do not scorn any man, and do not discount any thing. For there is no man who
has not his hour, and no thing that has not its place.
Every person has a
place and a purpose and a function in this world and in God’s plan. Rav Sha’ul
said it well:
I
Cor. 12:12-27 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members
of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one
Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles,
whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For
the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not
the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear
shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not
of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the
whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members
every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one
member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body.
And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the
head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the
body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the
body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant
honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely
parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more
abundant honour to that part which lacked. That there should be no schism in
the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And
whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be
honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and
members in particular.
It takes the
shamas (Servant/Caretaker) of the Shul (Synagogue) for us to see and hear the
Rabbi on Shabbat when he speaks. It also takes the shamas to ensure that we are
not wading in filth when we go to the restroom at Shul. It may seem like a
lowly and dirty job and someone has to do it, and it’s usually a faithful
shamas behind the scenes.
Shabbat Shalom,
-- Yehudah ben
Shomeyr
