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GENERAL INTEREST SOCIAL COMMENTARY

Rabbi Chaim Navon
The Pendulum

of Human Nature

ussian journalist and writer, Vasily a situation, when no woman would Avraham already knew then how
Grossman, entered Berlin in 1945 agree to leave Charan for Canaan, much local culture can influence a
Rwith the forces that subdued Nazi Yitzchak must not marry a Canaan- person’s behavior and life.
Germany. At the Berlin Zoo, he found ite woman. On the other hand, Rashi
hundreds of mutilated animal corpses. explains that if the servant does not Human nature is a mixture of good
At the gorilla’s cage, Grossman talked to find a woman worthy of Yitzchak in and evil, desires and dreams, light and
the old caretaker. Grossman asked him Charan, he will marry a woman from darkness. The culture that surrounds
if the gorilla was wild. “No,” replied the the noble daughters of Canaan, Avra- us and the education we receive will
old man. “She just roars loudly. Humans ham’s allies. Hence, the prohibition on largely determine how we develop.
are wild.” At that time, it was difficult to marrying a Canaanite woman is rela- Of course we have free choice, and
doubt it. 1 tive and not absolute. one can overcome one’s environment.
Avraham himself, the son of pagans, is
Rousseau claimed that human beings If so, the question remains: what is a case in point.
are essentially good. It is culture that so bad about Canaanite girls? It is
spoils them. Nevertheless, the oppo- possible that the emphasis is not on Sometimes we hear of the romantic
site seems true as well – human nature their nature and character but on the myth of the ‘noble savage’: pristine
is fundamentally evil and it is only Canaanite culture. As Bnei Yisrael man, uncorrupted by civilization, is
culture that subdues that evil and were about to enter the Land, G-d surely good and fundamentally honest.
restrains it. repeatedly warned them not to imitate We know the truth. It is impossible,
the evil deeds of the people of Canaan. said Karl Popper, to return to the har-
When Avraham feels his days are The Canaanite culture was corrupt monious state of nature: “If we turn
numbered, he calls to his faithful ser- and degenerate, cultivating the lowest back, then we must go the whole way
vant and has him swear in the name aspects of human nature, such that it – we must return to the beasts.” 2
of G-d: “that you will not take a wife would be imperative to find a wife for
for my son from the daughters of the Yitzchak from another place. David HaMelech captured this ten-
Canaanites among whom I dwell” sion perfectly: “What is man that You
(Bereishit 24:3). What’s so bad about “” Avraham already should remember him, and the son
Canaanite girls? (The Radak men- knew then how much of mortal man that You should care
tions that Noach cursed his grandson about him? Yet You have made him
Canaan.) Do they have some sort of local culture can slightly less than angels, and crowned
eternal, metaphysical, evil gene in influence a person’s him with soul and splendor” (Tehillim
their DNA? behavior and life. 8:5–6).

This explanation is a little problematic, We have seen the depths and the
as Avraham seems to recognize the Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch also heights human beings can reach.
possibility that Yitzchak may indeed explains that precisely because of his
have no other option but to marry a location in the land of Canaan, Avra- The choice is ours.
Canaanite woman. Avraham declares ham was afraid of the influence of
that if Eliezer does not find a woman a Canaanite woman in his home. A
in Charan willing to come with him wife from far away would become 1 The Fall of Berlin.
to the land of Canaan: “you shall then assimilated into the culture of Avra- 2 The Open Society and Its Enemies.
be clear of this oath to me; but do not ham’s household, but if she came from
take my son back there” (Ibid, 8). The nearby, close to home, she would serve Rabbi Chaim Navon is a renowned author
Ramban explains that even in such as an agent of local culture. and educator.

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