Virtual Mussar – Topic: Responsibilty/Achrayut

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The middah of responsibility translates as achrayut in Hebrew. The root, aleph-chet-resh ( ר ,ח ,א ) can be understood as having two different valances. The first one comprises the word acher, meaning “other.” This connotation speaks to a regard for those with whom we interact. A person who takes into consideration the needs of others is likely collaborative, humble, and compassionate. Read another way, however, those root letters ר ,ח ,א connote the word achar, meaning “after.” People who embody this type of responsibility would have the deliberation and foresight to anticipate the “after,” the effect of their actions, which is another form of taking responsibility. Ideally, we would embrace both meanings of the word — care for others, as well as an honest and firm understanding of the impact of our actions.