How Many Mitzvahs Make a Mensch?
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How much good is good enough?
How many mitzvahs make a mensch? A “mensch” is the ideal of a good and honorable person that we all aspire to. But how do we get there? How much good do we need to do to be considered a “mensch?” How much good, is good enough? One mitzvah per day? One per week? One per month? What about the bad things we do? What is the exchange rate for good deeds to bad? How many mitzvahs are necessary to cover a lie? How many are necessary to cover jealousy? How many would be necessary to cover murder?
Weighed in the Scales or Covered by Sacrifice?
According to Rabbinic interpretation God weighs a person's good and bad and determines their fate for the next year on Rosh Hashanah, then seals that fate on Yom Kippur. But in the Torah, what is the standard that we are measured against? In the Torah, God says to the people “You shall be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy” (Leviticus 19:2). God Himself is our standard! How could we ever match up to that?
We can’t. That’s why God gave the system of sacrifices in the Torah. In the Torah, Yom Kippur was the day when a sacrifice was offered for the sins of the whole nation. It wasn’t about weighing people’s good and bad deeds. Just as a murderer cannot appeal to his good deeds to cover his crime, our good deeds can never cover our bad. It is only sacrifice that can cover our sins.
In Isaiah 53 we see the ultimate expression of this. Here we see, not just a lamb or goat taking the sins of the people, but instead … a man. Isaiah 53:5 says: But he was pierced through for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace and with his stripes we are healed.
Since our good deeds can never balance the scale of our bad, this man instead bears the guilt and punishment in our place! Isaiah 53:6: All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. He gives his life as an atoning sacrifice.
The True Mensch Who Makes Us a Mensch
And look at this last one: Isaiah 53:11 By the knowledge of him, shall the righteous one, my servant make many to be accounted righteous. For he shall bear their iniquities.
Now that’s a true mensch! Not only is he himself righteous, but he sacrifices his life to make other people righteous. A mensch making many others a mensch.
As you reflect this year on your deeds both righteous and unrighteous, ask yourself this question: “Am I trusting in this servant? This one that God says will justify me?” While you’re at it, go read Isaiah 53 and ask yourself another question: “Is there anyone who fulfills this prophecy more accurately than Jesus, the first century teacher, the mensch, the Messiah?”
So … how many mitzvahs make a mensch? Trusting in the Messiah’s sacrifice to cover our sins is the only mitzvah that can truly make us a mensch ... holy as God is holy.
See also:
ISAIAH 53: THE GATE TO SHALOM
In this prophecy a dramatic change takes place. The key to redemption is revealed. A very clear portrait of Messiah is painted.
This chapter can be your personal gate to true shalom.
