Who is Wise?

Along with so many others, I was one of those who joined in starting the new cycle of Daf Yomi, the daily reading of a page of Talmud. I made it all the way through Berachot, but have fallen away during the tractate Shabbat. I haven't completely let go - the fine thread that still connects me is the daily e-mail from My Jewish Learning, a distillation of the teachings made by colleagues in the Jewish world. In today's e-mail on Shabbat 48, Rabbi Avi Strausberg, director of national learning initiatives at Hadar, writes:

In "Tamid 32a, Alexander the Great asks the rabbis, "Who is wise?" And, they answer:  "One who anticipates the outcome of an action." ... "Wisdom includes the ability to look at a situation, to see a few steps down the line, and to anticipate the outcome. When I see my two children ecstatically roughhousing, I know that they are happy in that moment, but experience has taught me that inevitably, in just a few moments, one of them will be in tears."

For me, understanding that each choice we make has a consequence, is at the heart of Judaism. Torah makes us aware of what the choices are, and we demonstrate our commitment to the Covenantal relationship first by studying the tradition and finding the best way to apply it to our lives. Then we act upon what we have learned. That is something that can and should be within reach of every single person.

Can we all also be wise? Why not? Ability is something that can be achieved through practice. We learn through experience, as Rabbi Strausberg did with his children. We know at the start that there will be consequences of some kind - we just need to consider the possibilities, and factor that information into what we decide to do. R. Strausberg ends his message wishing for us all:

"...the ability to look at any situation and have the wisdom to see where it might lead us, and the insight to adjust our actions accordingly."

Wise words.

Stay safe and well!