Two of my oldest friends first met when they were at Oxford University. They eventually married and went on to have successful careers as lawyers. In fact, the wife in this dynamic duo came sixth in the UK’s national law exams of her year, making her one of the top legal minds of her generation.
Of course, Oxford and Cambridge are the UK’s top universities. They began in 1096 and 1209 respectively. Cambridge, the younger of the two “twin” institutions (despite their ancient rivalry they are often referred to as Oxbridge!) was founded by a group of Oxford teachers (they’re called Dons by the way and have no connection whatsoever to Italian organized crime families) who broke away from Oxford, some claim over religious differences.
According to the Times of London, Oxford is at this moment ranked the number one university in the world (Harvard is second and Cambridge, with its 121 Nobel Prize winners, is third).
My friend David told me that one day he was studying in his room when there was a knock on his door. The student who occupied the adjoining room asked if he could come in for a chat. David welcomed him and soon the two were discussing philosophy, politics and religion over cups of tea.
Towards the end of the visit, David’s guest offered a confession, “I’m sorry to admit it, but I hate your people.”
David’s eyebrows shot up and his guest who had gone red in the face continued, “I am not proud of it, but it’s true.” Then he offered the explanation of his animus, “You are just so good at everything you do and always rise to the top.”
There was a clear irony in this statement coming as it did from a young man who belonged to the tiniest of tiny percentiles that were able to surmount the intellectual and academic obstacles that Oxford erects to exclude any but the very, very brightest young minds. After all, it’s not as if he lacked talent and brilliance himself.
In his confession, he was unwittingly referencing the memory of another religious difference between two twins, Yaakov and Esav.
The Rabbis say Esav referred to it when he saw Yaakov’s wives, children and possessions and asked, “How did you get all this?”
Esav believed he was supposed to be supreme in this world and in its material possessions. Yaakov could have the world to come. Why was he prospering here?
Yaakov realized the danger of reigniting his brother’s hatred and jealousy. He immediately insisted that Esav should take all of his cattle and wealth for himself.
There is nothing more calculated to arouse the non-Jewish world’s hatred of the Jewish people than seeing the Jewish people’s success and prosperity.
That’s why the famous Yeshayahu HaLevi Horowitz (the Shelah HaKodesh) the 16th century rabbi and mystic warned the inhabitants of Prague about being too ostentatious with their wealth. He had suffered Esav’s legacy of hatred firsthand when the Jews of Frankfurt, where he served as Rav, were expelled.
But surely there is something irrational going on here.
Jews have never taken out a copyright or a patent on the elements of our societies that play such a critical role in Jewish success. They are “open source” and welcome for all to take and copy.
Take Shabbat for example. The Ramban writes that it is one of our greatest gifts to the world!
He is not suggesting that every aspect of Shabbat needs to be copied and replicated of course. He is saying that the idea that human beings have to work the entirety of their life, 365 and a quarter days, is wrong.
In Japan and other Asian countries there is a phenomenon called “Karoshi” which means, “Death by overwork.”
Japanese workers are expected to display a commitment and attachment to their jobs that supersedes all other considerations. They are usually expected to refuse the pitifully small number of annual vacation days allotted to them. They are figuratively expected to “die at their posts” which so many literally do that a new word entered the Japanese language as a result.
The Ramban says that one day off per week is something we brought to the world and offered “open source” for others to copy.
Why be jealous of what we have when we invite you to take it too?
I can easily think of scores of other Jewish practices that would vastly improve the quality of Esav’s world if it would simply reach over and grab them.
The best example is chesed.
The UK’s Jewish Chronicle recently reported on a survey that 57% of the UK’s general population gives “something” to charity. 90% of UK Jews do.
“The more religious the respondent is, the more money they give in total to charity,” and “Orthodox and Charedi respondents are the most generous” the report concluded.
Like Yaakov, Jews are happy to give truly staggering amounts of their wealth away.
And it’s not simply about money.
Go to any charedi community in the U.S. and look at the, “Community Directory” they often produce and publish.
The number of pages devoted to “gemachs,” (charity organizations) is simply astonishing. There are organizations offering help in lending, medical equipment, frozen mother’s milk for babies, tables and chairs, tools, wedding gowns and literally hundreds of other things.
All of these ideas and innovations are free to us and free to the world too. There is, therefore, simply no room for young men like that Oxford undergraduate to be jealous.
Alas, it is not so simple.
Hatred and jealously of Jews is ubiquitous and a growth industry in the U.S. today. It is irrational by definition. And of course, many in Esav’s world don’t want to take these ideas and have to give to others.
With that as the sad reality, perhaps it would be wise to heed the advice of the Shelah HaKodesh from five centuries ago and make sure we are not too ostentatious with our blessings.
