“Do not go after the majority to do evil.”(Shemot 23:2)
Rabainu Bachya ibn Paquda, the great sage who wrote “Duties of the Heart,” around 1000 years ago, explains that the plain meaning of this verse is that if you see many people doing something that is wrong, you should not follow their example.
I remember when I was a child I would say to my mom,”but everyone is doing it, or everyone is going!”
And she would say to me, “if everyone would jump from a high rise would you do that too?”
Rabainu Bachya says that it is human nature to imitate the behavior of others. When many people do something that is wrong, most people will tell themselves, “so many other people are doing this, it can’t be so wrong if I do it also.” But in this pasuk the Torah is telling us that every person is responsible for his own behavior.It takes much courage and strength of character to be different from the rest and stand up for what it’s moral and right.
Although it is lonely at the top, a person who stands up for the truth and the will of H”S will always be respected and admired, no matter what others are doing and hopefully will be able to give courage to others to stand up for themselves too.
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