2007-06-02 04:25:33 · 7 answers · asked by Fr. Al 6 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
The next part of the quote is, "If I am only for myself, what am I?" and," If not now, when?"
2007-06-03 08:28:03 · update #1
Close so far, but no gold. The companion saying to this is, "Justice, Justice shalt thou pursue!" Hillel was the grandfather of Gamaliel, the teacher of St. Paul. It is no accident that such a large part of the New Testament is haggadic.
2007-06-05 13:06:44 · update #2
"If I am not for myself, who is for me"
This tells me to love myself in order to others to love me as well... You have to have self confidence and respect for yourself to make others do the same... have confidence in you and respect you...
"If I am only for myself, what am I?"
This tells me, that I must not love only myself, because then who do I think I am?.... We must love other people, because at last we are all humans.... and we must do to others what we would like for ourselves....
and this: "If not now, when?"
This tells me, that I must act now, because if not, when?... now is the present and one must do what one needs to do now.... Start loving and respecting ourselves and others, and that way live happy.... Same with any other goal in life... start working today towards your goals....
Hope that helps!
CHRIS
2007-06-05 06:59:57 · answer #1 · answered by CRA 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means that if you want something done, you gotta do it yourself, and also this will only profit yourself. Like the wise man said: All of a person's toil is for his mouth...Ecc.6.7
This is the labor the wise man talked about. Justice is the beginning of Virtue and the Foundation of the Kingdom.
Good luck!
2007-06-05 15:11:28 · answer #2 · answered by Alex 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is between selfishness and altruism. Ayn Rand believed the same thing, but phrased it much less creatively.
The basic idea is: Being an entity that identifies with a "self", "me", and/or "I", how is selfishness amoral when altruism can turn to self-sacrifice? How is it that I am not to act selfishly when others don't have to act altruistically? If I am not to act for myself, who will act for me, take care of me, help me?
I have found, though, that the answer is if you act philanthropically, you are taken care of. That is, not to negate the self, but live by "love thy neighbor as thy self", in respects to self first. One cannot help another when one is not a suitable helper. Meaning, to put others before one's self is not the same as neglecting the self via altruism.
2007-06-02 12:27:28 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
It is the existential crisis that people experience by believing that they are alone in the world. If I am not for me, no one else is and then, I am alone.
Some of us though are completely okay with being alone. And, in some cases being alone is a choice.
We are as alone as we choose to be.
2007-06-02 11:46:50 · answer #4 · answered by guru 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If a person is not for himself (which sometimes happens with a loss of legitimate self-esteem), then often someone else is who truly cares about and loves that person.
That was not a particularly difficult question to answer.
.
2007-06-02 12:02:02 · answer #5 · answered by canx_mp058 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I have not read this but I would take it metaphorically; If I were to stand up for the rights of the individual, who will support me.
2007-06-03 04:36:13 · answer #6 · answered by Mr. Wizard 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i must stand up for me; believe in me, love me, trust me and honor me. if not no one else will because one must first love and honor themselves before they can receive these gifts from another. others can only love me to the level and openness i love myself
2007-06-02 11:31:37 · answer #7 · answered by feeling groovy 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋