David Shapiro

COLUMBIA UNIV. PRESIDENTS' OFFICE

Song for Chaim

If one saves a butterfly, has one saved the world? 

Rabbi says: If one saves one butterfly, even with long wings, 
one butterfly that has fallen into water, it may be said: 
"He has saved the whole world." 

If one saves a motley moth, is it the same? 

Rabbi: It is valid. If one saves a dirty monkey from a flame, 
for example, it is as the saying is: He or she has saved the whole world. 
It is valid for all creatures, and not more so for the creatures who know 
how to recite the blessings. It is always valid, even on the Sabbath. 
It is said: The creatures of the sky are owned by no one, like the land. 

If one saves the Book from being destroyed, is it also saving a world? 

Rabbi: God forbid, yes, saving the book from the fire, 
saving the book or books from the fire, is known to be comparable. 
He who saves a book and he who 
writes a holy book, it should be said: 
They have saved the whole world like a book. 

If one saves a rose, one rose, 
from the garden of your dead Teacher, 
is it still appropriate to think: 
She has saved the world. 

The Rabbi was silent and seemed troubled. He replied: 

If the house of the great teacher is in ruins, 
and the garden is a scandal, and one saves 
one rose from his garden it is said even 
of one rose: It is like saving the world. 
It is also said the rose will grow as large as the world.