God expects more from our leaders TB Avodah Zarah 17

During the  Musaf of Yom Kippur there is a special section entitled Martyrology. After the Bar Kokhba revolt, the Romans forbade on penalty of death the observance of the commandments and the study of Torah. 10 famous sages continued to teach Torah and paid the ultimate price. Each one was sentenced to a horrific and torturous death. Dappim Avodah Zarah 17-18 shares the story of one of them, Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon.

“The Sages taught: When Rabbi Elazar ben Perata and Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon were arrested by the Romans during the time of the religious persecution of the Jewish people, Rabbi Elazar ben Perata said to Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon: Fortunate are you, as you were arrested on one charge only, of teaching Torah publicly; woe is me, as I have been arrested on five charges.

“Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon said to him: Fortunate are you, as you were arrested on five charges but you will be saved; woe is me, as I have been arrested on one charge, but I will not be saved. You will be saved because you engaged in Torah study and in acts of charity, and I engaged in Torah study alone.

“The Gemara comments: And this is in accordance with a statement of Rav Huna, as Rav Huna says: Anyone who occupies himself with Torah study alone is considered like one who does not have a God. As it is stated: “Now for long seasons Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without the Torah” (II Chronicles 15:3). What is meant by “without the true God”? This teaches that anyone who engages in Torah study alone is considered like one who does not have a true God.” (Sefaria.org translation)  

The lesson is clear. The Talmud emphasizes the importance of applying Torah knowledge and not just accumulating it. Rava as saying, "The purpose of learning is repentance and good deeds". (Berakhot 17a) and in today’s daf TB Avodah Zarah 17 “Rav Huna says: Anyone who occupies himself with Torah study alone is considered like one who does not have a God.”

But then our Gemara asks the obvious question how could such a great scholar as Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon not perform acts of hesed, lovingkindness?!

“The Gemara asks: And is it true that Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon did not engage in acts of charity? But isn’t it taught in a baraita that Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov says: A person should not donate his money to the charity purse [le’arnakei] unless a Torah scholar like Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon is appointed as supervisor over it? The Gemara answers: He was trusted to distribute the charity with honesty and integrity, but he himself did not perform charitable acts.

“The Gemara asks: But isn’t it taught in a baraita that Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon said to Rabbi Yosei ben Kisma: I confused my own coins that I needed for the festivities of Purim with coins of charity, and I distributed them all to the poor at my own expense. How then can it be said that he never engaged in charitable acts? The Gemara responds: He did perform acts of charity, but he did not perform as many acts as he should have, in light of his wealth.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Another lesson is clear. Leaders are role models. God expects more than just the bare minimum of righteous behavior from our elected officials, our clergy, and the wealthy. Each person is judged according to his stature, means, and behavior.