Do not obey in advance.
Most of the power of authoritarianism is freely given. In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a more repressive government will want, and then offer themselves without being asked. A citizen who adapts in this way is teaching power what it can do.
-Timothy Snyder, On Tyranny
Remain in Our Natural Habitat
The Talmud (Berakhot 61b) recounts the story of Rabbi Akiva, who continued to publicly teach Torah despite the Roman prohibition against doing so. When questioned by his student Pappus about his defiance, Rabbi Akiva responded with the parable of the fox and the fish:
A fox was once walking along a riverbank and saw fish darting to and fro in the water. The fox said to the fish, “Why are you rushing about?” The fish replied, “We are fleeing from the nets that people cast to catch us.” The fox then suggested, “Why don’t you come up onto the dry land, where you and I can live together in peace, just as our ancestors did?” The fish retorted, “Are you the one they call the cleverest of animals? You are not clever, but foolish! If we are in danger even in our natural habitat, the water, where we have a chance to survive, how much more so would we be in danger on dry land, where we would surely die!”
Reflecting on Timothy Snyder’s exhortation in On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century, particularly the lesson “Do Not Obey in Advance,” I find profound parallels with Rabbi Akiva’s story. Snyder warns against the dangers of preemptively surrendering to authoritarianism by modifying our behaviors and values out of fear. This lesson is crucial in today’s context as we facing rising authoritarian tendencies globally.
Rabbi Akiva’s story teaches us that we should not abandon our important practices and beliefs just because we are afraid of potential punishment. Like the fish in the parable, we should stay in our natural habitat — in our case, our values and traditions — because that is where we truly live and thrive. Moving to “dry land,” or abandoning our core beliefs out of fear, will only lead to our downfall.
For Jews today, “Do Not Obey in Advance” means that we should keep practicing our faith and living by our ethical values, even if we are afraid of possible negative consequences. We should not change our behavior just because we think it might help us avoid trouble. Instead, we should have the courage to stand up for what is right and continue to follow our traditions and values.
This lesson is both challenging and inspiring. In moments of societal pressure or when facing policies that seem to infringe on my values, the temptation to conform can be strong. I hope that this Talmudic teaching can be a source of inspiration for us and that Rabbi Akiva’s unwavering commitment will encourage us to uphold our principles and help us play a part in the global struggle against authoritarianism.
