[Avodah] Right vs. Wrong; Tzaddik vs. Rasha

[Shoshana L. Boublil]

I would like to offer a summary of this topic, as I see it.

When it comes to right and wrong, I can identify whether what I am doing is 
indeed right or wrong.  I can judge myself with assurity as I know my 
thoughts, why I am doing what I am doing, and hopefully, I am able to be 
honest about myself.

Tzaddik vs. Rasha are value judgements of a person.  It's easy to judge a 
person whose Bein Adam LeChaveiro is either all good or all bad, but most 
people are not all of one or the other.  Many times, the true value of a 
person is only known when they pass away.  I have friends who consider it 
their goal in lives to raise "a tzaddik".  This brings to mind Chaim Potok's 
book "The Chosen".

I prefer to work to raise a Oheiv Shamayim and Yerei Cheit.  The kid will 
have to decide what he chooses to be himself.  Hopefully it will be closer 
to tzaddik.

When it comes to "the other", I face a complex issue.

Yes, I know what's right or wrong, but I don't know what they are thinking 
or why they are acting as they are doing so.  I recall a tale, several years 
ago, of a person who got stoned on Shabbat for driving his car -- and he was 
in the process of saving a life.

So - he was wrong to drive on Shabbat.  Some onlookers considered him a 
Rasha -- and stoned him.

But - he was saving a life, which is Docheh Shabbat, so he was actually a 
Tzaddik, and those who stoned him were endangering not only the person who 
was already in danger, but the driver himself, should a stone have harmed 
him.

As for the source in Pesachim quoted, we should recall that when Hillel 
HaZaken and Rabbi Akiva chose to give a single sentence that embodies all of 
Torah, they used terms that were connected to caring, not hating.  They were 
concerned with our own actions more than with what "the other" was doing.

I do believe that it is a choice we make: do we concern ourselves with 
ourselves and our connection to Hashem, or do we concern ourselves with the 
Other and their connection to Hashem?

An article I found on the net presents these ideas better than I did:
http://www.rosh-yehudi.co.il/articles/show.asp?id=44
 (in Hebrew)

I generally prefer Rav Kook's take on this matter:

HaTzaddikim HaTehorim Einam Kovlim Al HaRish'a -- Ela Mosifim Tzedek
                                        Einam Kovlim Al HaKefira -- Ela 
Mosifim Emunah
                                        Einam Kovlim Al HaBa'arut -- Ela 
Mosifim Chochmah (Orot HaKodesh part III)

The pure Tzaddikim do not complain of evil -- rather, they add justice;
                                do not complain of heresy -- rather, they 
add faith;
                                do not complain of ignorance -- rather, they 
add knowledge.

Shoshana L. Boublil