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Some words of wisdom from the Lamed Vovniks, the 36 Righteous Unknowns
This is the time of year when I am beckoned by the sacred in whatever form it takes. I light and bless my Chanukah candles, celebrate Solstice, meditate with my Buddhist buddies and decorate the Christmas tree while listening to a collection of Christmas carols sung Reggae-style. For me it’s all the same God who, I believe, cares more about the contents of my heart than whatever religious affiliation I choose to subscribe to.
But a recent holiday letter from a friend of mine got me thinking about a unique group of people called the Lamed Vovniks.
The Vovniks are the closest Judaism gets to designating Saints. While Christianity has a whole gaggle of them (some of whom are actually saintly, like Mother Teresa), we Jews go for a more subtle, intellectual approach, an understandable strategy for a people who learned to survive by their wits alone for so many centuries.
According to Talmudic tradition, the Lamed Vovniks are 36 saintly souls (“Lamed” and “Vov” are Hebrew for the numbers, thirty and six) whose righteousness alone prevents God from annihilating the human race for its base wickedness. The identities of the Vovniks are unknown, even to themselves (my friend, Heidi, is convinced she is one but, unbeknownst to her, she’s wrong). The 36, as they are also called, exist at any given time and, according to tradition, are always Jews, although I have a feeling that the envelope of blessedness can be expanded to include anyone of any faith. Still, they labor in complete anonymity, justifying the existence of mankind in the presence of God.
The concept of holy individuals, existing uncelebrated and unrecognized, is not exactly novel. In Christian lore, there are stories of Jesus disguising himself as a filthy, wretched beggar in order to test the purity and generosity of passers-by. The story of the beggar, Lazarus and Dives, the rich man who spurned him ( LukeOne can extend this test to anyone who brings out the shadow in us, the stereotypical other we can safely ignore and still pretend we are good people. The welfare mother, the gay neighbor, the right-wing gun owner are some examples; if we are honest, we can supply our own. When we refuse to see their humanity, we deny the Christ. Or so the legend goes. 16:19–31), is another variation on this theme.
I know people right here in the Valley whom I would volunteer as candidates for Lamed Vovnik-hood but to name these individuals would not only cause embarrassment but also be a violation of the rules. Suffice it to say that they live lives of quiet purity, giving generously to friends and family, practicing graciousness to all and working with honest, unassuming integrity at our local businesses. Over the years, I have found myself humbled by the spiritual example of some of these persons whom I consider role models when my own mentality becomes too caustic or mean-spirited.
The saints and holy folks who walk among us are unknown and are, therefore, the genuine article in my opinion. I have less and less use for the celebrated religious and spiritual teachers who you see on television or in the New Age conference catalogues. However wise they are (and some of them are quite wise), they have the unfortunate side-effect of making people value the messenger while ignoring the message, a problem Jesus the Christ still has to contend with. Too often, they get caught up in their own lofty identities and lose their Mensch Quotient; “Mensch” being another wonderful Yiddish word that describes a down-to-earth regular guy or gal. And while there is nothing wrong with going to an outside source for teaching and wisdom, at the end of the day, it all comes down to ourselves and the values we choose to live by. In short, if you need a guru or a savior, look in the mirror.
But now back to one of our friendly, neighborhood Vovniks. There was a description at the end of that letter I received which caught both my attention and my breath. Here’s what this humble soul had written.
“Christmas is for me a time to celebrate family and the many good things in our lives, of which we are reminded daily. The hard times may have dampened our bank accounts and there won’t be as much under the tree this year, but there will still be an abundance of love under our roof. However you celebrate the holiday, may it be filled with love, joy and peace.”
Amen, my friend. May it always be so and may we all honor both the Vovniks we know as well as the Inner Vovnik we wish to kindle in the privacy of our own souls.
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