Duty to Others

Title: Duty to Others

General Information about Item: 

  • Verbal Lore, proverb
  • Language: Hebrew
  • Informant: Rabbi Meir Cohen Goldstein
  • Date Collected: 5 October 2018

Informant Data

  • Rabbi Meir Cohen Goldstein was born in Phoenix, Arixona and received his master’s of rabbinic studies and rabbinic ordination from the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the American Jewish University. Goldstein worked for three years at Elon University as the associate chaplain for Jewish Life after serving as rabbi for the Commack Jewish Center in Commack, New York. He began his position of tenured Dartmouth Hillel Rabbi in July 2018.

Contextual Data

  • Social Context: Rabbi Goldstein often uses this proverb with friends and with his wife. He explained the context as almost joking or teasing in nature, designed to be a friendly reminder of the obligation friends have towards each other rather than a reprimand or accusation. As a common example, Rabbi Goldstein said that his wife, Laura, loves sweets and will often bring them home. However, Rabbi Goldstein says he will eat all of them, and when he sees that Laura has brought sweets home, he’ll say the proverb to her.
  • Cultural Context: The proverb is biblical in nature, but Rabbi Goldstein does not think this prevents it from being applicable to others. He explained it to be as a reminder that when someone has an inability to see things, it is our obligation to make sure that we do not do anything that may trip them up, literally or metaphorically. Instead, Rabbi Goldstein suggests it is our personal obligation to understand the shortcoming of those close to us and make sure we do not purposefully make something more difficult for them.

Item

The piece was presented in the original biblical Hebrew by Rabbi Goldstein and translated orally in its literal and general form. Rabbi Goldstein kindly provided the Hebrew writing.

לִפְנֵ֣י עִוֵּ֔ר לֹ֥א תִתֵּ֖ן מִכְשֹׁ֑ל

Translation- word for word

“Before sightless no give them offense.”

Translation- general

“Do not place a stumbling block before the blind.”

Collector’s Comments

  • This proverb is an excellent example of the type of Biblical proverbs we found common in the Jewish culture. The proverb is presented as a commandment rather than in the structures presented by Dundes and uses serious imagery. Very interestingly, although this proverb invokes a rather serious image and strict, Biblical teachings, Rabbi Goldstein suggested it is often used in a light and humorous way among friends and family. It seems that this proverb has a dual nature in which it can either be used in such a joking manner or used as a more strict reminder of the mutual responsibility two people in a relationship have towards each other.
  • This proverb also provides a good example of the way proverbs can be an important means of cultural or religious instruction.

Collector’s Name: Hannah Margolis

Hannah Margolis, 20

Hinman Box 2464

Dartmouth College

Hanover, NH 03755

Russian 13

Fall 2018

Tags/Keywords 

  • Verbal Lore
  • Proverbs
  • Hebrew Proverb
  • Relationships
  • Responsibility

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *