There’s an old Chassidic saying that there are two ways to keep warm when it’s bitter cold out. You can warm yourself by putting on a thick heavy fur coat. Or you can warm yourself AND others by lighting a fire. Someone who only warms themselves is called “A Tzadik in Peltz” – a righteous man in a fur coat. The fur coat keeps him warm, but doesn’t do much for anyone else.
(We have a family-saying based on this regarding music. You can listen to your own playlist in your own Air-pods, but that’s “Music in Peltz”. Or you can play it aloud on the blue-tooth speaker, and everyone working in the kitchen can enjoy it together).
Think of this in terms of staying warm Jewishly at UAlbany.
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Some people are by nature more of the fur-coat type. They do their own things and keep to themselves. Others by nature are more the fire type, they might be naturally more of a social creature, more into communal events and activities. Both types exist in our community. And sometimes both types can exist within each of us, it may depend on time, or the type of thing, there are factors.
Here’s something to respect. Someone who is more of the fur-coat type but goes out of their way to help make it warm for others, too.