The Uniquely Jewish Elements of Morality
Bein Adam Le-Chavero: Ethics of Interpersonal Conduct
By Rav Binyamin Zimmerman
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This weeks shiurim are dedicated by Ruchy
Yudkowsky
in memory of Yehuda Yudkowsky z"l
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Shiur
#03: The Uniquely Jewish Elements of Morality
In last
weeks lesson, we established that moral and ethical impulses are divinely
instilled in all of mankind, as part of the image of God (tzelem Elokim)
implanted within us. One may wonder:
what then is unique about the Jewish ethical system? What separates the Jew from the
non-Jew? Are they equally bound by
innate morality, or is there a difference between them?
In
essence, one might formulate three basic questions that we will address over the
next three lessons:
1.
Is this natural
morality expressed equally amongst all of mankind? Has the Jewish nation been given a
calling or an education to ensure a heightened attention to ethical doctrine?
2.
After the Giving of
the Torah, is there still a need to adhere to ones inner moral calling, or has
the Torah become our conscience?
3.
If we can derive so
many of the interpersonal mitzvot from our innate sense of morality or
logic, why is there the need for divine commandments?
THE
SPIRIT AND TRADITION OF AVRAHAM
Innate
morality is a direct outgrowth of the tzelem Elokim in which man was
created. While all of humanity was
endowed with this tzelem, there is something unique about the Jewish
people, specifically in the area of morally-endowed behavior. To understand the unique tradition of
Jewish ethical behavior, we must analyze the endowments of the first father of
the Jewish nation, Avraham.
The Bechira of Avraham
At the
beginning of Parashat
Lekh Lekha (Bereishit 12:1),
the Torah states that a man by the name of Avram (who will later become our
patriarch Avraham) is commanded by God to leave his homeland, his place of birth
and his family in order to travel to the land that He will show him.
The verse
in Nechemya (9:7), which is said daily in our prayers, is a little more
explicit; Avraham is not just summoned by God, but also chosen by Him:
You are
Lord, the God who chose Avram and brought him out of Ur Kasdim and made his name
Avraham; and You found his heart faithful to You.
After
Gods bechira (choosing, selection) of Avraham, he enters into two
covenants with him: Berit bein Ha-betarim, the Covenant between the Parts
(Bereishit 15:1-21), and Berit Mila, the Covenant of Circumcision
(Bereishit 17:1-14). It is at
the latter that God changes Avrams name to Avraham (ibid. 17:5). These covenants speak of a difficult
future, but also promise an eternal relationship between God and Avrahams
children. Unlike a promise or a vow,
which is one-sided, a covenant is two sided.
If the descendants of Avraham fulfill their part, then God will fulfill
His as well.
Who is
this individual Avraham, whom God chooses for this special relationship? The Torahs discussion of Avrahams
early life is rather limited; the text of the Torah itself tells us little about
his childhood and upbringing. We are
told (Bereishit 11:27-32) that
Terach has three sons.
Haran dies, and the remaining two sons, Avraham and Nachor, take wives. Immediately thereafter, the Torah
informs us of the Divine command, Lekh lekha, by which Avraham is
called to leave his homeland, and everything he has, to go to the place God
would show him; ultimately, the Land of Israel.
In fact,
a literal reading of the Torah would lead one to wonder why exactly is Avraham
chosen by God, and for what purpose?
Why is he promised so much, merely for going to a new land, without being given
any particular commandment or mission there?
Although in later chapters the Torah informs us about Avrahams
outstanding acts of kindness (chesed) and his unique commitment to
educate his progeny in Gods ways, we are given none of that background in the
verses that introduce him. It is
rather puzzling that God seems to, as it were, pick Avraham out of a hat
unlike Noach, whom the Torah identifies as a righteous
man, wholesome in his generations. (Bereishit
6:9).
In fact,
the Midrash (as quoted by the Rambam,
Hilkhot Avodat Kokhavim, Ch.
1) is far more explicit about Avrahams uniqueness. It describes his childhood, his
search for his maker and the difficulties he encounters as he refuses to
capitulate to the leaders of his time and renounce God. Yet, while the Midrash tells us that
Avraham is a remarkable individual who overcomes opposition and goes out to
teach the world about God, the Torah chooses to hide this from us. Why?
The
Maharal (Rav Yehuda Loew, 1520-1609) deals with these and other questions
regarding Avraham in Chapter 11 of his work Netzach Yisrael. The Maharal explains that Gods
bechira of Avraham and his descendants after him is essentially the choosing
of the nation of Israel from amongst all the nations. Had the Torah informed us earlier of
Avrahams righteousness, we would have concluded that the selection of Avrahams
progeny is contingent on our continuing Avrahams observance. The Torah specifically withholds the
information about Avrahams unique character in order to make it clear that the
Jewish people will never cease to be the Chosen People, no matter what our
actions. God has chosen us, and we
are forever bonded to Him. The
selection and chosenness of the Jewish people is eternally valid and independent
of our behavior.
While the
Torah hides the true nature of Avrahams character when it introduces him, it
subsequently describes Avrahams righteousness and presents him as instilling a
certain value system within his children.
The Maharal himself notes (ibid.) that although the chosenness of the
Jewish people is eternal, the way in which God treats them is based on their
living up to the value system of Avraham and the other Patriarchs, the Avot. This he refers to with the Talmudic
term zekhut Avot, the merit of the Patriarchs. The Jewish people will always be
Gods children, but for that relationship to carry with it all its advantages,
we must continue to follow the path and tradition of our forebears.
The Unique
Attributes Bequeathed by Avraham
What
exactly is this tradition of Avraham which has been transmitted to his
descendants? The Torah itself
informs us of Avrahams unique nature, and the Midrash (Bereishit Rabba
38-39) expands on this, stating that before God chose Avraham, Avraham also
chose Him. From the Midrashic
account, quoted succinctly by the Rambam (Hilkhot Avodat Kokhavim, Ch.
1), it is clear that Avraham seeks to know his Creator from his youth,
transforming his behavior into that one on a divine mission. Avraham achieves renown as a
kindhearted, caring, hospitable individual.
Avraham opens the four corners of his tent to welcome wayfarers and
plants an eshel, which is not merely a tree, but an opportunity for food,
drink and company for all guests (Bereishit Rabba 48, 54). Avrahams uniqueness is not only
apparent in his peculiar actions, but in his attempts to understand the
Creators moral and ethical teachings and to transmit it to ensuing generations.
After
reading the Torahs description of Avraham, the Midrashic account of him is not
surprising. In the Torah (Bereishit
18:1-5), we read of Avrahams hospitality upon the arrival of three men to his
home. Although he is in a weakened
post-circumcision condition, he runs, fetches and tarries on behalf of these
wayfarers. At this point, before the
destruction of Sodom, we are given a glimpse into the Godly considerations, as
it were, of the Divine mind, as to whether to inform Avraham of the impending
destruction (ibid., vv. 17-19):
And God
said, Shall I hide from Avraham what I am doing, seeing that Avraham shall
surely become a great nation and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed
in him? For I have known him to the end
that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way
of God, to do righteousness and justice, to the end that God may bring upon
Avraham that which He has spoken to him.
God
decides to inform Avraham of his plans to destroy Sodom not only because of his
uniqueness, but also because he will educate his children to live by derekh
Hashem, the way of God, which involves righteousness (tzedaka) and
justice (mishpat). Rav Meir
Simcha of Dvinsk (Meshekh Chokhma, ibid., v. 19) sees this description of
Avrahams imparting these values to his children as the source of the biblical
requirement of chinnukh, education, for positive commandments:
The
mitzva of educating ones children in positive commandments is never explicit in
the Torah, save for regarding the requirement to teach ones child Torah
However, the real source for
educating ones children in positive commandments is in this verse regarding
Avraham, who directs his children regarding Gods commandments
Thus, the
general requirement of chinnukh is to educate our children to walk in the
footsteps of Avraham, following the derekh Hashem, the path of God, a
lifelong mission of justice and righteousness.
The Rambam (Hilkhot Deot 1:7) explains that this derekh Hashem
is the golden mean, the proper balance of character traits and values that
constitutes the middle path. This is
what Avraham imparted and transmitted to his children.
Indeed,
the indelible imprint of Avraham on the Jewish people goes beyond his
educational messages and affects the genetic makeup of his progeny. When God chooses Avraham, he promises
to make him a blessing: that his character and behavior will also serve as a
boon for all of humanity. In
addition, Avrahams children are to be given special benefits, although these
are limited to some of his descendants.
When Avraham must banish Yishmael, his eldest biological son, God
reassures him, Be not distressed over the youth
for in Yitzchak will your
offspring be considered yours (Bereishit 21:12). The Gemara (Nedarim
31a) expounds, In Yitzchak but not all of Yitzchak. In essence, only through one of
Avrahams children, Yitzchak, and through one of his grandchildren, Yaakov, will
the special blessing of Avrahams offspring be realized.
The Genetic
Inheritance from the Forebears
The
relationship of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov to their progeny is not only of
historical importance. The Gemara (Berakhot
16b) states:
Our
rabbis taught: Only three may be referred to as patriarchs, and only four may
be referred to as matriarchs.
What is
the reason?
up to
this point they were [particularly] important, but beyond, they were not as
important.
The
Gemara, however, does not state what exactly makes the first three generations
so important, nor does it detail the significance of the title of patriarch or
matriarch.
In
Chiddushei Ha-Geonim, we find an interesting explanation of this passage
(printed in Ein Yaakov ad loc.), detailing the significance of these
appellations:
It seems
to me that the Sages have alluded here to the fact that our three Avot
are the beginning, in essence expressing the [idea found in the] Midrash (Tanchuma,
Lekh Lekha Ch. 12), that everything
which happened to the ancestors recurs among their descendants.
Anything that happened to our forebears
is etched in their childrens history
Therefore,
they are referred to as Avot, for they are our forebears in the formation
of our makeup, and only they affect our future.
Thus, the
life stories of the Avot constitute historical precedent, as well as
forming the spiritual makeup of their children.
Our forebears do not only serve as a source of blessing for their
descendants, but also as a model of appropriate behavior. (See also Ramban, Bereishit
12:6 and 26:20.) In fact, there is
reason to believe that Avraham, for example, is not only our father; he also
exists, to a certain degree, within each of us.
The Sefat Emet (Toledot 5632) explains that every Jew has a
special nekudda, inner essence, of Avraham within them, and it is this
that we include in our prayers by referring to God as Shield of Avraham,
protector of this nekudda of Avraham in every Jew.
This can
be further understood based on the description of the Ramchal (Rav Moshe Chayim
Luzzatto), who composed a work entitled Derekh Hashem. There (II, 4), he explains that God
created the world with different stages of mankind. After the ostensibly perfect Adam,
the first man, lowers the status of mankind due to his sin, God decrees that
there be an initial period of humanity to serve as roots for their progeny,
founding the various nations of the world.
These first twenty generations of mankind nourish and impart to future
generations the levels of perfection that they themselves had been able to
achieve. In the twentieth
generation, that of Avraham, God creates the nations. As he writes:
God then
scrutinized all mankind, observing the levels that were maintained in that
generations members, according to their deeds.
These qualities then became a permanent part of their nature, in their
role as roots. It was thus decreed
that they each should bear future generations, all possessing the qualities that
befit their root ancestor.
This
period ends with the Dispersion, at which time the period when men could be
considered roots came to a close.
The seventy ancestors become the roots of seventy nations.
At that
time God looked around to see the level that the different individuals achieved. According to the Highest Judgment, it
turned out that none of them deserved to rise above the degraded level to which
Adam and his children had fallen as a result of their sin. [Not a single one had
risen above it all.] There was, however, one exception, and that was Avraham. He had succeeded in elevating
himself, and as a result of his deeds was chosen by God. Avraham was therefore permanently
made into a superior, excellent tree, conforming to mans highest level. It was further provided that he would
be able to produce branches and [father a nation] possessing his
characteristics.
This was
the beginning of not only the chosenness of Avraham, but the inheritance of
certain aspects of his personality by his children, the branches. What aspects of his personality did
we inherit? The answer is seemingly
explicit in the verse quoted above keeping the derekh Hashem.
What is
this derekh Hashem, which the Torah defines using the terms tzedaka
and mishpat, righteousness and justice? The explanation can be understood by
reviewing the Maharals words as quoted in the previous shiur, describing
the importance of derekh eretz.
This derekh Hashem imparted by Avraham to his descendants prior to
the Giving of the Torah is the application of derekh eretz kadma la-Torah
of the Jewish people. Before
teaching His laws directly, God presents the model for proper conduct, the
derekh eretz of the Avot, and imparts it to their descendants.
While the
Maharal makes it clear that God chooses the Jewish people by virtue of our being
descendants of Avraham, independent of our actions, he also stresses that to be
worthy of zekhut avot, we must walk in our ancestors path. The Jewish people will always share a
unique relationship with God because there is a covenant which cannot be broken. However, to receive the benefit of
our illustrious ancestors merit, we must walk in the path they trod - derekh
Hashem, the path of God. Our
eternal relationship with God and our divine right to the Land of Israel are
eternal, but we must adhere to certain requirements in order to merit our
inheritance. Derekh eretz kadma
la-Torah is not only a defining characteristic of the Jewish people; it is
also a mark of that which the Avot implanted.
The
Rambam states that charity is an expression of the heritage of Avraham
(Hilkhot
Mattenot Aniyim 10:1):
We are
required to be more careful about the mitzva of giving charity than about any
other positive mitzva, for charity is the sign of the righteous descendants of
Avraham
Derekh
eretz maintains its import even in our day, but it does not suffice. Indeed, the Gemara states that
Avraham fulfilled all of the dictates of the Torah even before it was given (Kiddushin
82a). He realized that the Torah
elevates people to a level which they are incapable of reaching on their own
even those of a character as unique as Avraham.
The Three Defining
Characteristics of the Jewish People
Understanding that we have a model of derekh eretz imparted by our
Avot while simultaneously needing the Torah to elevate our behavior allows
us to unlock a fascinating Talmudic passage.
The Gemara in Yevamot (79a) tells us that
compassion (rachamim) is a distinguishing characteristic of the Jewish
people. It gives us the background
of King Davids decree forbidding the Gibeonites from marrying native-born Jews
even after their conversion.
He said to them: This nation has three
defining characteristics: they are compassionate, bashful (baishanim) and
kindly.
Compassionate as it is written (Devarim
13:18), And he will give you compassion and love you and increase you.
Bashful as it is written (Shemot 20:17),
So that His awe may be upon your face.
Kindly as it is written, To the end that he may
command his children and his household after him (Bereishit 18:19), etc.
Only one who has these three defining
characteristics is fit to cling to this nation.
The Gemara states clearly that the Jewish people are identifiable by
three character traits representative of special moral tendencies, to the extent
that those who fail to express this nature are unworthy of marrying within the
Jewish community.
The Maharsha (ad loc.) explains that the sources brought in the Gemara
for these three unique character traits are also representative of their nature.
Regarding
compassion, the Gemara states elsewhere (Beitza 32b)
Anyone who has
mercy on Gods creations, it is known that he is a descendant of Avraham
Regarding
gemilut chasadim (acts of kindness), the verse states, For I have known
him
Even though the verse itself
mentions only mishpat and tzedaka, the Gemara has also derived
from this verse all gemilut chasadim, and it is included in to keep the
way of God. Gemilut chasadim is
referred to as derekh Hashem in that a person must emulate the attributes
of God, as it is said (Sota 14a): Follow Lord your God (Devarim
13:5) Is it possible for a human to follow the Divine Presence
Rather, emulate His actions: just as he
clothes the naked
In
essence, the Maharsha seems to indicate that the natural tendency of a Jew pulls
him or her towards rachamim and gemilut chasadim, as inherited
from Avraham. The source of this
calling is, in essence, a spiritual DNA that constitutes the natural state of
Jewish awareness and action. We have
been chosen as the children of our illustrious forebears.
However,
our unique disposition also carries with it a challenge, as the Maharsha notes. Only two of the three defining
character traits of a Jew are inherited from Avraham. The other, bashfulness, is in fact a
state that can be achieved only through thorough Torah study. As the Maharsha (ibid.) points out,
the Jewish people are known not for being bashful, baishanim, but rather
for being the opposite (see Avot 5:20) azzim shameless,
prideful, obstinate. In fact, the
Gemara in Beitza (25b) states: Why was the Torah given to Israel? Because they are azzim.
For this
reason they are called baishanim: it is the Torah that counteracts their
strong predilection and causes their hearts to be humbled, as Rashi explains
there
It is
also evident from the Gemara in Nedarim (20a) that bashfulness is a trait
which we acquired at the Giving of the Torah, for it states: If anyone lacks
bashfulness, it is clear that his ancestors did not stand at Mount Sinai.
Avrahams
ability to stand up against the world and maintain his convictions required a
certain amount of obstinacy. This
obstinacy finds itself expressed in the Jewish peoples stiff neck (Shemot
32:9), and Reish Lakish (Beitza ibid.) refers to the Jews as the azzim
amongst the nations, comparable to dogs and roosters. Our bashfulness is only a result of
the Torah that we study; it transforms our personalities from prideful to
bashful.
How can
the Torah transform our personalities from azzim to baishanim?
The ethical teachings of the Torah
explicate the derekh Hashem that Avraham integrated into his being and
instilled in his progeny. This
derekh of the Torah is defined very significantly by King Shlomo, who
declares, Its ways are ways of pleasantness (Mishlei 3:17). As explained in our first shiur,
the Torah is Torat chesed, leading one on the proper path to true
righteousness. Studying the Torah
can truly edify us in finding the proper path, but how does it transform our
characters? The secret is that
learning Torah is, in essence, learning about oneself.
The Torah and the
Jews Innate Connection
The Jews
introduction to the Torah does not begin after birth. The Talmud (Nidda 30b)
describes the joy-filled days of the Jewish fetus:
Rabbi
Simlai expounded
The fetus in the womb is taught the entire Torah
Its gaze penetrates the mysteries of the
entire universe. As it is born and
emerges into the air of the world, an angel taps it on the mouth, causing it to
forget all the Torah which it has learned.
The
question is: why is it necessary to teach the fetus the Torah if it cannot
possibly carry this knowledge over into its life?
Why teach what will soon be forgotten?
Rav Soloveitchik (Reflections of the Rav p. 61) explains what is
to be gained from this prenatal education:
Rabbi
Simlai is apparently saying that every Jew comes into the world with a natural
responsiveness to Torah teaching.
Every Jew begins with a share in Torah which was vested in him before his birth,
and, though he is made to forget it, it is preserved in the deep recesses of his
soul, waiting to be awakened by study and a favorable environment
On the
last day of his life, Moses, exhorting the children of Israel to be loyal to the
Torah, said, These commandments are neither hidden nor distant from you
but
are very close to you, within your mouths and hearts (Deut. 30:11, 14). When a Jew studies Torah, he finds it
native to his spiritual personality and he responds to it readily. It is an act of recollecting,
recapturing, bringing to the surface what was once learned and forgotten. The Torah did not impose upon the
Jews some extraneous matter, foreign to their natures. Rather, Torah study and practice
awaken the Jewish memory and we recall that which is inherent in the Jewish soul
and is often reflected in the everyday folk wisdom of the Jewish people.
The Light of Gods
Countenance
The Torah
that a Jew learns is reawakens the inner nature, the spirit of Avraham and the
Torah taught by the angel. This may
be the explanation of the concluding blessing of our daily prayers, the
blessing of shalom, peace.
This blessing, coming after the priestly blessing, makes reference to a special
radiance that God bestows upon the Jewish people, imparting both Torah and
kindness.
For with
the light of Your countenance, You gave us, Lord, our God, the Torah of life and
a love of kindness, righteousness, blessing, compassion, life and peace.
Beyond
the Divine image common to all mankind, the Jewish people enjoy this special
radiance. Part of this light
manifests itself in the Jews connection to the Torah, but the first of these
rays are our birthright as the children of Avraham, the great lover of kindness. Only recognizing and accepting this
unique radiance allows us to ask God to establish peace and blessing upon the
unified Jewish nation with this special light, as we request in this passage:
Bless us, our Father, all of us as one, with the light of Your countenance.
Birth of a Nation:
The Education of Bondage
As
descendants of Avraham, our inborn disposition towards chesed
characterizes us as individual Jews. We
can also see that God orchestrated the history of the Jewish people on a
national level to receive an educational upbringing inculcating the need for
chesed collectively. In order
for the Jewish people to be the nation to educate humanity about this trait, we
had to go through a rearing stage, that, though difficult, would prove essential
for our mission.
Avraham
is himself informed by God in Berit bein ha-betarim that his
children will be enslaved in a foreign land before they will be able to return
to Israel. The Egyptian enslavement
was clearly trying, but in hindsight one can see some of the benefits that may
have occurred as a result of the difficulty the Jews endured. On the simplest level, Rav
Soloveitchik notes (ibid. p. 189) that the experience of Egypt welded twelve
tribal families into one nation through their shared suffering. They entered Egypt fragmented and
emerged united. It also
dramatically manifested Gods involvement in the birth of the Jewish people and
demonstrated His concern with their destiny.
However,
the Torah provides another reason as well for the bondage, portraying it as a
necessary experience which molded the moral quality of the Jewish people for all
time. Devarim 4:20 states:
But you
God took and brought out of Egypt, that iron furnace, to be His treasured people
as you are this day.
Rashi
explains that the iron furnace here is a vessel used for refining gold. The suffering in Egypt apparently was
intended to refine and cleanse the Jewish character, removing the dross of moral
impurities and heightening the peoples ethical sensitivity. This metaphor is echoed by the
prophet Yeshayahu (49:10): Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I
have tried you in the furnace of afflictions.
Whenever
the Torah wants to impress upon us the mitzvah of having compassion and
sympathy for the oppressed in society, it reminds us of our similar helplessness
and lowly status during our bondage in Egypt.
The most defenseless elements in society are usually the slaves,
strangers, widows and orphans, and we are repeatedly enjoined by the Torah to be
sensitive to their plight: You shall not pervert the justice due a stranger or
to the fatherless; nor take a widows garment in pawn. Remember that you were a slave in
Egypt
For this
reason, as the Talmud indicates, the Torah exhorts us in thirty-six Scriptural
references to treat the stranger kindly (B.
Metz. 59b)
The
Egyptian experience may therefore be regarded as the fountainhead and moral
inspiration for the teaching of compassion which is so pervasive in Jewish Law. It sharpened the Jews ethical
sensitivity and moral awareness. The
Midrash has R. Nehemiah say this
explicitly: the Egyptian bondage was of great value for us, since it served to
implant within us the quality of kindness and mercy. (Mekhilta de-Rabbi Shimon
bar Yohai Ex. 13:3) Ours is a
singularly ethical culture, which expresses itself through a heightened regard
for human rights and dignity.
Compassion is a distinguishing characteristic of the Jewish people, but yet it
is a natural expression of mans being created in the Divine image, tzelem
Elokim, an endowment which all mankind possesses in common.
Tzelem
Elokim signifies only a capacity to love, not the necessity of loving. This capacity, which all people
possess, can be and is frequently superseded, but when it becomes a necessity,
it cannot be suppressed. It flows
naturally and is indigenous to ones character.
The Egyptian experience sought to transform the Jews into a people to
whom compassion would be a necessity, not merely capacity. (Reflections of
the Rav, pp. 190-191)
The Jew
and the Jewish people as a national collective are each endowed with a special
temperament, nourished by the roots, our forebears, and simultaneously carried
through the Torahs tradition of educators who exhibit the angelic qualities of
caring for ones fellow Jew.
However, beyond their disposition and education, we have also accepted upon
ourselves a covenant to act on behalf of our brethren. The Giving of the Torah itself
required a tremendous unity among the Jewish people (see Rashi, Shemot
19:2), but it become axiomatic in their acceptance of arevut, mutual
responsibility (which will be discussed in a later lesson).
The next
lessons will deal with the uniqueness of the Jewish covenant, focusing on the
nature of the commandments in the interpersonal realm.
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