You Belong!
You Belong!
This Dvar Torah was originally published in Torah && Tech, the weekly newsletter I publish together with my good friend Ben Greenberg. To get the weekly issue delivered straight to your inbox click here.
“CSS isn’t a real language.”
“If you don’t have a Computer Science degree, can you call yourself an engineer?”
“Front-end development is so much easier than back-end.”
“Designers aren’t actually technical.”
If you’ve been in tech long enough, chances are you’ve probably across some variant of one the above statements before. What they all have in common is that they are exclusionary and gate-keeping, said with the arrogant attitude of someone who thinks that I’m the “real” engineer, and anyone who hasn’t had the same experiences I’ve had and taken the same path as me is clearly an impostor.
Not only does the attitude above reflect poorly on the person who has it, but it’s also one of the main aspects holding people from underrepresented demographics from joining tech.
The Four Species; an exercise in inclusion.
Next week observant Jews all over the world will participate in a timeless Mitzvah. They will gather together a branch from a date palm, a myrtle tree, a willow bush, and a fruit of a citron tree. They will take this interesting bundle, make a blessing, and wave it in all six directions (Vayikra 23:40).
Why these particular four plants?
There is a Medrash that explains:
פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר — אלו ישראל, מה אתרוג זה יש בו טעם ויש בו ריח, כך ישראל יש בהם בני אדם שיש בהם תורה ויש בהם מעשים טובים… מה התמרה הזו יש בו טעם ואין בו ריח, כך הם ישראל יש בהם שיש בהם תורה ואין בהם מעשים טובים… מה הדס יש בו ריח ואין בו טעם, כך ישראל יש בהם שיש בהם מעשים טובים ואין בהם תורה… מה ערבה זו אין בה טעם ואין בה ריח, כך הם ישראל יש בהם בני אדם שאין בהם לא תורה ולא מעשים טובים… אמר הקב”ה יוקשרו כולם אגודה אחת והן מכפרין אלו על אלו.
“A fruit of a citrus tree” — these [species] refer to the Jewish people. Just as the Etrog (citron) has a pleasant taste and a pleasant smell, so too with the Jewish people, some have Torah and good deeds. And just as the date palm has a good taste but no smell, so too with the Jewish people some have Torah but no good deeds. And just as the Hadas (myrtle) has a pleasant smell but no taste, so too with the Jewish people some have good deeds but no Torah. And just as the Aravah (willow) has neither a pleasant taste or smell, so too with the Jewish people, some have no Torah or good deeds… Said the Holy One Blessed Be He let them be tied in one bundle so they can complement and atone for each other.
The Medrash makes a compelling point. Someone might decide that they want to put together a group of “10x Jews”; instead of the proscribed four species, they’ll put together four Etrogim, surely such a bundle would be superior in every way?
The Torah tells us no! Every person is special; everyone is unique. We all have something to add!
So next time you feel the need to question someone’s “tech cred,” remember, even without the Aravah (the willow without taste or smell), the entire Mitzvah is invalid!
Chag Sameach and Shabbat Shalom!
Yechiel