The Conversation About Celebrities
Some years ago, I was speaking to a respected rabbi, and the topic turned to celebrities and stars. I spoke about how overblown egos and salaries made these rich people spoiled. They believed all the things fans say about them, and forget they are normal people. There may be some who are grounded, but many of them are self-absorbed and downright rude. The money makes it worse.
The rabbi agreed that professional athletes making millions of dollars is a bit absurd, but when it came to actors and actresses, he disagreed with me. “Those people have an important role,” he said, without a hint of sarcasm. “They are storytellers, and society needs people like that.” This took the wind out of my sails a bit, but I wasn’t going to argue with him.
Rethinking Storytelling
As I thought about it some more, I had to admit that storytellers have an important place in history and culture. I didn’t understand why they deserve so many millions of dollars, and why even B-list celebrities sometimes consider themselves above the laws that apply to average citizens, but I did hear his point.
But then I got to thinking. These actors are not really telling the stories. The real storytellers are the writers and the director and maybe even the producers of the shows which tell the stories. The actors don’t have writing ability or special knowledge about the information they are passing along. They are merely playing a part and speaking the words someone else put in their mouths. Why then, do they deserve such accolades?
The Power of Performance
I gave it more more time and reflection, and realized that what makes a good story is not simply the words being conveyed, but the emotion and the ability to convey the story in such a way that a person feels they experienced it themselves. When you see a performance that makes you cry, or sing, or feel a certain way, it’s the craft of the actor to portray the events in such a realistic way that the impact is profound. This is where the importance comes in.
If you were to have someone playing the part of the villain, but he wasn’t convincing, or someone being the victim of a terrible injustice, who seems rather indifferent, you would see through the story and realize it isn’t real. The true mastery of storytelling is making you feel part of the action happening right now.
Living the Story of Pesach
On Pesach (Passover), we have the special mitzvah (Torah commandment) to recount the story of Yetziat Mitzrayim, the exodus from Egypt. V’higad’ta l’vincha – you shall tell your child, about how we were taken from Egypt, and how Egypt was taken out of us. The mitzvah requires us to feel like we were actually there – and our retelling should be powerful enough to earn us an award. Our children should feel, as we recount the plagues and the miracles and the travels, that we were really there, and be able to imagine themselves as having been there.
It’s not just the concepts, but the experience of being there which are crucial. This mitzvah calls upon all of us to become the best actors and actresses we can so the feelings are real and powerful. We are to feel the freedom ourselves, so it can be sensed by those who look upon us, especially our children. And it doesn’t end on Pesach.
The Stories We Live and Tell
The stories we tell through our behavior inspire people to emulate us. When we are making a positive impression, people learn from our actions and want to be like us. This is a fulfillment of loving Hashem, by making His name loved by others. And even telling stories we’ve heard is extremely powerful, without acting them out.
When we recall stories of great people who did great things, or when we recall stories of ordinary people who did ordinary things greatly, we are sowing the seeds of potential in the minds and hearts of others. When they hear a story of great sensitivity, or bravery, or devotion, they begin to get a new perspective on what is “humanly possible.” Things they might never have thought of become reality through these stories, and just as “they” did it, so can I! When we convey a story that packs a wallop; one that makes an impression and sparks our imagination, we are joining that great line of storytellers who are so necessary for civilization. We may not get paid millions of dollars, or have fans lining up for our autographs, but when we teach through our storytelling, and prepare the next generation to achieve great things, we are shining brighter than the brightest stars on the planet, and like the ones twinkling in Heaven.
By Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz
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