Hello,
The question you are asking has occupied thinkers throughout history when examining human nature and the different influences upon it. Even in the world of our sages, we can find diverse perspectives on this issue.
They stated that much depends on a person’s birth—what they called “mazal” (literally “fate,” but perhaps today we would frame it as genetics). For example, the Talmud states: “One born under the influence of Mars will be a person drawn to blood,” and then lists potential professions such a person might take on, such as a doctor, a thief, a butcher, or a mohel (ritual circumciser). Their views on astrology might, in fact, be related to psychology (I recommend reading the article From Astrology to Psychology on the Yeshiva website).
At the same time, they also emphasized the importance of personal development, Torah study, and many other factors in shaping a person.
This reflects the complexity of reality and truth:
There are many factors that influence a person’s character.
We do not fully understand all of these components, and it is likely that the balance between them varies from person to person. Some individuals may be more shaped by education, while for others, genetics plays a larger role.
We see, for example, in our forefathers’ stories that different children (such as Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, or the twelve tribes) had different outcomes, despite being raised in the same household. The effects of education are not uniform or absolute.
This perspective should influence us in two ways:
First, to be less judgmental and more humble. We must recognize that every individual lives a unique life journey, shaped by different circumstances, family backgrounds, different teachers they encountered, different mental struggles, and so on. I want to emphasize that even so, this does not completely negate a judgmental stance, because there are fundamental expectations that apply to almost everyone, even if their life journey is different—but this recognition moderates it and makes it more cautious.
Secondly, recognizing the importance of education and that even though education does not guarantee specific outcomes, it remains one of the most crucial influences on a person’s development. We engage in education despite its uncertainties, trusting that our efforts will have some impact. We pray, “May our labor not be in vain nor our efforts for nothing.” and we know that our efforts will have a certain impact. However, this impact will differ from person to person, and much of it also depends on us. The willingness to devote oneself to the work of education, which is one of the most important endeavors, is an essential part of shaping a person’s character.
Ultimately, the role of education is to “light a flame until it burns on its own”—to help individuals stand on their own feet, integrating genetics, psychology, personal history, and upbringing into a unified identity that leads them toward good and righteousness.
All the best,
Yuval Cherlow
Rabbi Cherlow is the Head of the Ethics Division at the Tzohar Rabbinical Organization.
This question was originally published on Kipa website
