Sedrat Eikev
Irish-born British author and philosopher Iris Murdoch once stated, “Perhaps misguided moral passion is better than confused indifference.” Murdoch was bemoaning a truth of the ages –most people are apathetic to the moral situation. In apathy comes disregard, and disregard of morals brings evil. To create a moral society, the individual must take care, and care to the point where even misguided concern will be advantageous.
In this essay I’d like to examine Murdoch’s idea of misguided passion as a better state than indifference. Without spoiling the suspense that my essays usually contain, I’d like to contend that the system Hashem set up in the Torah would oppose Murdoch’s view. I aim to explain that while indifference is not tolerable, misguided moral passion is far worse. I’ll prove my point from a comment Moshe makes in this week’ s sedra, and the explanation Rabbienu Bechaya suggests about Moshe’s intention. I hope the reader gains a sense of the danger misguided passion contains.
As Torah Jews we are realists in the sense that we study and hold of an ultimate reality. For the observant, this reality encompasses not just a physical world, but a conceptual one as well. This conceptual world contains principals and abstract truths that may or may not reflect themselves in the physical world. The Torah Jew senses that the abstract idea is more valuable than the physical actuality.
Passion is excitement about an idea or thought. Properly applied, passion can allow a concept to manifest itself in the reality. Great passion can speed the process and more efficiently bring it to fruition. The passion to bring a true concept to reality is only beneficial when it is based in reality. Misapplied passion, either passion applied in an inappropriate manner or based on a false notion, will always produce a detrimental result.
Murdoch assumes that as long as indifference can be overcome, positive results will ensue simply because people have begun to care. Murdoch doesn’t consider the possibility of improper passion stemming from misconception of morals. When ill-conceived notions fuel passion, an inferno of destruction is released far more damaging to the moral situation than mere indifference could have ever produced.
In our sedra, Moshe recalls Aharon’s inaction based in hopes of harmony and unity as the Jews built a golden calf, “God grew very angry at Aharon to destroy him.” 13th Century scholar Rabbienu Bechaya explains that even though Aharon’s intentions of harmony and unity were proper, they were misguided. When a leader acts he must ensure that his passions are not only well intended, but well guided. In this episode we see the fallacy of Murdoch’s position. Passion is to be valued, but not at the expense of improper values.
The episode of Aharon and the golden calf is an odd example of improperly applied passion. Aharon wasn’t guilty of acting with misguided passion; he was blamed for not acting - out of misguided passion for harmony. Described as “a pursuer and lover of peace,” Aharon’s went too far, thinking that harmony would bring a halt to the idol worship, he held back from necessary action. Sometimes action at the expense of harmony is required for the advancement of the community.
