Ever wake up from a dream and think, "Wow, my brain is still stuck on that?" You're not alone. The ancients pondered this too.
The Letter of Aristeas, a fascinating text purportedly written by a Greek official in the court of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (that's around the 3rd century BCE!), delves into all sorts of things—the translation of the Torah into the Septuagint, the wisdom of Jewish scholars, and even…dreaming.
It suggests that our minds, even when we're asleep, are often wrestling with the same things that occupy us when we're awake. Makes sense. How many times have you dreamt about work, family, or that looming deadline?
But it goes a step further. It posits that if we consistently focus on noble goals, on living a righteous life, that dedication permeates our entire being – waking and sleeping. “He who has all his thoughts and actions set towards the noblest ends establishes himself in righteousness both when he is awake and when he is asleep,” the text says. It's not just about doing good deeds, but about being good, through and through. Constant self-discipline, the text emphasizes, is key. It’s a 24/7 job, this whole "being a mensch" thing.
The Letter of Aristeas then shifts to a scene at a royal banquet. King Ptolemy, clearly a man of profound curiosity, engages in a sort of rapid-fire Q&A with a series of wise men. After hearing from nine different respondents, the King turns to the tenth, noting that once he answers, they can finally get down to the feasting!
The question he poses is deceptively simple: "How can I avoid doing anything unworthy of myself?"
Wow. Heavy stuff. Especially for a king.
Think about the weight of that question. Power, influence, temptation… how does someone in such a position maintain their integrity? How can anyone, regardless of their station in life, ensure that their actions align with their values?
The Letter of Aristeas doesn't give us the tenth man's answer just yet; it leaves us hanging. But the question itself lingers, doesn’t it? It’s a question worth pondering, awake or asleep. What does it mean to act in a way that is worthy of ourselves? And how do we stay true to that ideal, even when the stakes are high, and the temptations are great?