Saving one life....

Today our class began our new routine of having one student lead the entire prayer service. Yasher Koach (great job!) to our first volunteer, Isaiah Feldman Schwartz, who did a spectacular job.

After tefillah, I asked students to share stories of people they considered a tzaddik and why. I then wrote the following quote from the Mishna on the board:

שכל המאבד נפש אחד מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו איבד עולם מלא
וכל המקיים נפש אחת מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו קיים עולם מלא
Whoever destroys a single life, it is as if s/he has destroyed an entire universe
Whoever saves a single life, it is as if s/he has saved an entire universe

I was hoping to encourage students to interpret this teaching. They needed no encouragement; instead I had to reluctantly cut off their insightful conversation after nearly half an hour. I wish I had a transcript to share with you.

Sadly, I need to travel to Baltimore for a funeral tomorrow. Gili Kofler will be subbing for me on Tuesday and I will be back on Thursday.