If Not Me Then Who If Not Now Then When Hillel
Olivia Luz
If not now when what does this somewhat enigmatic phrase have to do with the struggle of self.
Frame discussion with introduction to famous hillel quote. And if not now when the teaching presents a hierarchy of responsibility in which our commitment to ourselves needs to be primary although not singular. Yet rashi hints at something else as well. If not because of me then why.
He is therefore saying im ein ani li if when i do a favor to others i do it altruistically and have no ulterior motives and i do not calculate what will i ultimately gain from this then mi li who can say anything negative about me. When i am for myself what am i. If i am not for myself who will be. If not you then who and if not when then now and if i know not where then here okay.
Rabbi hillel. If i am not for myself who will be for me. The phrase if not now when was almost certainly known to him as part of a larger statement in the name of rabbi hillel from the section of the talmud called pirkei avot ethics of the ancestors. An early rendering of hillel s statement appears in the condition and belief of the jews at the time of the coming of christ in the biblical repository and classical review july 1839.
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If not now when. Hillel who died in the year 10 of the common era and who said. And if not now when virginia governor bob mcdonnell asked tuesday apparently confusing the american leader with rabbi hillel who coined a very similar expression more than 2 000 years ago. If not now then when.
The third clause of hillel s aphorism reads. If not here then where will peace begin. If not now when. Hillel is not talking about conceit and arrogance but discussing the ugliness of selfishness and self centeredness.
If not now when. Oh it s me that s who and it s now that s when. Romney to robert f. The clause is describing an important step in bringing the process of self actualization to fruition.
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If i am only for myself what am i. I am where peace begins. I guess most of the red state crowd isn t interested in discovering the origins of american political quotations but i enjoyed working on this one. If not now when.If not me then who. And if not now when. And it s here that s where peace begins i am where peace.
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