Two Minute Torah Podcast

Noah 5769 by Rabbi Paul Drazen

Hi.

This is Rabbi Paul Drazen, Chief Program Development officer of The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism speaking for Two Minute Torah, a project of Koach, our service to college-age students program.

Some websites seem to thrive on posting embarrassing videos of people. It's unfortunate; such videos do nothing to improve the world; there is no good which comes of such activity. The question is, “Why do people make these videos? Why do people get a thrill in destroying another person?” Why is shredding a person's feelings something in which many people take pride and find enjoyment? Web sites are new, but the issue of deliberately hurting people is not new; the rabbis of old dealt with such behavior.

The rabbis of the Talmud were a puzzled by the literal meaning of the verse found in this week’s parasha, Noah, "He who sheds the blood of a human in the human." They explained, when the blood leaves a person’s face and he is left pale, "his blood shall be shed," it is as if he had lost his life. Restated, The rabbis said that a person who embarrasses another person in public is considered as if they had taken a life.

To the rabbis, humiliating another person is so vile that it was equated with murder. The rabbis teach that, without exception, we may not treat other people poorly. Publicly shaming another person has an effect on that person's very being. And once the damage is done, it cannot be undone.

Consider what Maimonides wrote as he expounded on this section, “we may not call a person by a name of which he feels ashamed, nor relate anything in his presence which humiliates him.” Imagine how much easier growing up would have been (for most of us) if people lived by that directive! Imagine how much easier life would today if in our actions towards others we never deliberately did or said something to embarrass another? Consider for a moment, how hard is it, really, to avoid actions which humiliates or shames others?

We have all had interactions with people who behave as if embarrassing another person is an effective way to work with others. Yet that behavior is difficult; it makes us feel miserable. Yet, how many of us have told such a person that we find that kind of behavior unacceptable? Worse, how many of us go and do the same to someone else?

For generations people have disregarded other people's feelings. That is why, no doubt, the rabbis interpreted the verse in parashat Noah as they did and codified the laws as they did. Humiliating another may not be murder, but it's close. And that’s a distance we should all learn to keep.