We've all heard time and time again that "nobody's perfect," and we seem to have got it through our heads that we can do the best we can without having to be perfect down to the last detail. The speaker seems not to understand this. He seems to be mixing up excellence with perfection. A quote by Michael J. Fox fits extremely well in this situation: "I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence, I can reach for; perfection is God's business."
On the point of leaving a legacy, I can understand why the עמל would be upset if everything he built would be forgotten because his family members wouldn't be able to keep it up, but firstly, why does everything have to stay in the family, and secondly, there wasn't one person in his entire family that he trusted to take over? If the speaker is, in fact, שלמה, he had a HUGE family! There's no way that there wasn't a single person in the family capable of taking control!
And on the subject of selfishness, why does everything that the builder makes have to be all about him? He's making the toil his life's work, he has to pass it on to one of his descendants, etc. He can't just do things for the good of mankind and his nation? He is so worried about dying out? Society continues forever. Two is better than one, but people keep dying till there's one left? People keep having more children so the society keeps growing. He can work toward the common goals of society.
What do you all think?
I really like that quote and I think it fits in really well. I think with the amal is that they are so caught up in wanting to be remembered that it doesn't matter if they have people or family that can continue on their legacy. Life has become all about them and what they live for and who they want to become. This view on life is very sad.
ReplyDeleteI know you see somehow the world will change for me and be so wonderful. Live life, breathe air. I know somehow we're gonna get thereAnd feel so wonderful. It's all for real, I'm telling you just how I feel. So wake up the member of our nation, it's your time to be. There's no chance unless you take on, and it's time to see the brighter side of every situation. Some things are meant to be, so give it your best and leave the rest to me. Just leave it all to meeeee. I can't help but think that Shlomo should have listened to the message of this song. (The title of your blog post was inspiring)
ReplyDeleteGeez, there are way too many typos in that comment. I sincerely apologize.
DeleteMirel I totally agree with you -- your points (in my opinion) are pretty accurate. It's definitely what I was thinking when I was learning these פסוקים (I think we were partners..). I also really liked your use of the quote -- I think it's important to realize that it's not only Jews who think things like we shouldn't try to be G-d.. it's also secular people! SO COOL.
ReplyDeleteI don't know. Personally, my biggest fear is dying. When I think about death I get this deep empty feeling in my gut or stomach or whatever and it's pretty horrible. So I prefer not to think about it. But if this guy is thinking all the time about his legacy and about dying and about what it's all about... well, I think that everything he's going through is pretty normal. We're selfish beings; it's normal. I don't think it's fair to criticize him for being "selfish". In a work of philosophy, he doesn't need to drain down his emotions to make him seem less selfish than he is. Dying is scary!
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