Pirkei Avot 1:18

Pirkei Avot 1:18

"Rabbi Shimon ben (son of) Gamliel said: On three things does the world endure: justice, truth and peace, as the verse states, 'Truth and judgments of peace judge in your gates' (Zechariah 8:16)."

This verse from Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel invites comparison with the verse in Pirkei Avot 1:2 from Shimon the Righteous, "The world stands on three things-on Torah, on service to G-d and on acts of kindness".  What are the differences between the two verses?  Can they be reconciled?

There are two differences between the two verses.  First, the verb in the earlier verse, "stands," implies that these are the purposes for which the world exists.  Without them, the world would be accidental and without justification.  The verb in the later verse, "endures," implies that these are the things that are necessary for the continuation of the world, not the purpose for which the world exists, but the conditions for its survival.

A comparison of the three things cited in each verse bears out this theme.  The three things cited in the earlier verse upon which the world "stands," Torah, service of G-d and acts of kindness, are things that give meaning to existence.  The ultimate wisdom about life found in Torah, making ourselves instruments of G-d by service to Him through prayer or action and making ourselves instruments of his purpose through acts of kindness toward others provide purpose to our existence.  They make the difference between existence as accident and purposeful existence.  The three things cited in the later verse, upon which the world "endures," justice, truth and peace, are prerequisites for the existence of civilized society.  Without them, there is fear and instability.  However without them people can still find purpose for existence on an individual level.  There can be study of Torah, prayer or service to G-d through action and acts of kindness that give meaning to existence even in an unjust or unstable society, although ultimately the lack of justice, truth and peace makes it difficult to find any ultimate purpose for existence, as it did in the Shoah, when the lack of justice, truth and peace led to a sense of despair that made it impossible for many to see any purpose in life at all. 

Perfect justice, truth and peace have never existed in history, although they have existed to some degree in most times and places, so that it has been possible to find purpose for existence on an individual level through Torah, service of G-d and acts of kindness.  Both sets of prerequisites require the active involvement of men and women in pursuing G-d's purposes, whether at the public level, by pursuing justice, truth and peace, or at the individual level, by studying Torah, praying or serving G-d through action or performing acts of kindness.  Both enable people to find and preserve the purpose for existence, one at a societal level and the other at an individual level.