In a two-part book discussion with Temple David members and residents of Pittsburgh’s sister city, Karmiel, Misgav, we talked about Israeli author David Grossman’s book More Than I Love My Life or, the English translation of the Hebrew title: Life Plays with Me. We noted how the English title puts the decision-making power squarely in our hands and the Hebrew title focuses on the situations that shape us.

In the book, which is based on a true story, the protagonist, Eva, sends her daughter off to live with her sister and is sent to a work camp rather than decry her deceased husband’s politics. She chose the dead over her living, breathing young child which scarred not only her child but her child’s child.

In an email exchange between sessions, the question arose as to how could one do that, sacrifice a child? I responded that if I felt the child was safe and that I believed my actions would potentially save thousands of children’s lives, I would hope that I would at least wrestle with the decision. Unfortunately, our protagonist seemed more self-focused than that and in fact, her child was not in a safe, nurturing environment.

So how do we make the big decisions? When do we stand up for what is right and just? Here is guidance from the Talmud:

Anyone who had the capability to effectively protest the sinful conduct of the members of his household and did not protest, he himself is liable for the sins of the members of his household and punished.

If he is in a position to protest the sinful conduct of the people of his town, and he fails to do so, he is liable for the sins of the people of his town.

If he is in a position to protest the sinful conduct of the whole world, and he fails to do so, he is liable for the sins of the whole world. (Shabbat 54b)

I fear that with the layers upon layers of stress from an unprovoked attack on democratic Ukraine, Covid, inflation, anti-Semitism, racism, our individual stressors, and more, we are not protesting. Let us feel liable: for own actions, those of our family, neighbors, and the world. For if we feel liable, we are more likely to act. We will choose life, rather than life choosing us.