Ancient Jewish wisdom describes the world as standing on a tripod of Torah (study), worship (or work), and caring actions. Under normal circumstances, today's communities tend to run on the two legs of study and worship / work. The third leg of caring actions is generally shortened to save time.
Yet caring actions represent the only "leg" that can support us reliably over the long term. This is our "Torah on one foot" — traditionally focused on prevention, on restraint, on not doing to others what we ourselves experience as harmful.
We have borne witness and sustained each other "on one foot" of our global tripod through many past disasters. The restrictions on physical contact imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic offer us compelling public health reasons to STOP...breathe, look, listen, and feel. The current crisis calls us to remember how vitally we are all connected in our vulnerability, however we may be physically distanced by our preventive measures.
With greater mindful awareness and acceptance of what is, we can begin to reconfigure our shaky tripod into something slower, steadier, and more powerful. We can learn how to mourn AND organize. LEARN MORE
The first self-propelled wheelchair was invented by a disabled 17th-century watchmaker named Stephan Farffler. Farffler's wheelchair, which took the form of a tricycle, allowed him to participate more fully in the life of community. Our own communities can be similarly transformed from tripod to tricycle — to move forward with caring actions as our leading wheel, while the two wheels of study and worship / work move back to supporting roles.
This kind of transformation has always been the mission of WAYS OF PEACE. In the days and weeks to come, WAYS OF PEACE will be sharing time-tested resources for moving more slowly and mindfully through this frenzied time — and also more solidly on the paths of kindness and justice. We hope you will join us in our caring efforts.
WAYS OF PEACE Community Resources renews justice and kindness across lines of diversity and throughout the life cycle. We foster the dialogue among generations that is essential for learning the lessons of history — and healing our shattered world.