Download Beliefs Providing Moral and Ethical Framework - Judaism

BELIEF AND RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE
PROVIDING A MORAL AND ETHICAL FRAMEWORK
FOR ADHERENTS
MAN SHOULD PERFORM
HIS DUTIES TO HIS
FELLOW MAN EVEN AS
TO GOD
 MISHNAH SHEKALIM
 The first commandment given to man was the law about
approaching the Tree which bestows good and bad.
 “You have been told, human, what is good and what the
Lord requires of you” Micah 6:8.
 Close inspection of the Talmud shows that Jewish
thought is characterised by various sorts of ‘wrestling’
with God’s teachings, not mere obedience to them.
 Specific issues, at particular times, under changing
circumstances require that human elements such as
intuition, reason, and emotion enter into the equation in
terms of deciding upon the proper ethical decision.
 Jewish ethical decisions will draw upon the subjective,
human dimension in an effort to link God’s will with our
own assessment of the needs of any given situation in any
given generation.
ETHICAL MONOTHEISM
 Judaism often described as Ethical Monotheism. – A set
of moral teachings which find their source in one allpowerful God.
 Torah emphasizes Kedusha – God has an expectation that
the Jewish people – and through them the world – live by
principles of justice and equity.
 Concern for morality is expressed in Biblical stories, in
prophetic speeches, in the poetry of Psalms, Proverbs and
Job, in Midrash and prayers.
Genesis 18:6-9
 And the Lord had said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am
doing? For Abraham will surely be a large and mighty nation
and through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
Since I have known him, in order that he will charge his
children and his household after him with keeping the way of
God to do what is equitable and just, in order that God bring
upon Abraham what God has spoken about him.”
 Tzedaka – Tzedek.
 God is not questioning consulting with Abraham, he is asking a
rhetorical question –God is saying – this is as much Abraham's
business as it is mine.
 Piety in Biblical terms is not expressed only through
obedience and submission. Abraham's protest is based
on a profound concern for equity and justice.
 God’s acceptance of the protest reinforces the central
significance of ethics, as well as the notion of the
partnership between the Jewish people and God in
establishing righteousness.
 To achieve equity and justice, we may be required to
struggle with God, the source of ethical behavior.
Elie Wiesel
 “To be a Jew means to serve God by espousing man’s
cause; to plead for man while recognising his need for
God. And to opt for the Creator and His creation,
refusing to pit one against the other. Of course man
must interrogate God, as did Abraham; articulate his
anger, as did Moses; and shout his sorrow, as did Job.
But only the Jew opts for Abraham – who questions –
and for God – who is questioned … only the Jew knows
that he may oppose God as long as he does so in defense
of His creations.”
WHAT IS A GOOD JEW?
 Observance of Jewish ritual practice?
 Respect for Jewish law?
 Reference to a largely unarticulated
code of behaviours supported by
traditional Jewish practice, texts and
regula?
 What of Jews who actively or passively
eschew Jewish law but still claim with
pride that they are Jewish?
 What are ‘Jewish Sensibilities’?
JEWISH SENSIBILITIES
 Jewish ways of understanding what it means to be a
human being.
 Conscious use of sacred texts?
 Halacha
 Distinctive set of principles that guide.
 There is a separation between what is legal and what is
moral in Judaism because Jewish law must accommodate
a broad spectrum of society.
 What is permitted by law sets the floor for moral action,
but it still may not be condoned as the highest moral
imperative
ETHICAL PRECEPTS
 Drawn from Jewish sacred texts.
 Jewish ritual practices and communal customs.
 Narrative of Jewish history and Jewish experiences.
HAVDALAH
 Reference to the central creative act of Genesis.
 Distinction between holy time and regular time.
 Ordering of priorities.
 Distinctions – relationships

Time

Place
GIVING HONOUR
 Kavod.
 Honour your mother and father.
 Honouring ourselves and others.
TESHUVAH
 Deuteronomy 31:1 – Those who have been spiritually
cursed and physically exiled still have the capacity to
return to God, and be forgiven.
TZELEM ELOKIM
 Adam and Eve made in God’s image.
 Infinite value.
 Equality.
 Uniqueness.
 ‘Shlucho shel adam k’moto’
PIKUACH NEFESH
 Lechaim.
MENSCHLIKHEIT
 Compassion, fairness and sensitivity.
SHALOM BAYIT
 Creating harmony.
TIKKUN OLAM
 Compassionate engagement.
 Abraham Infeld – covenantal relationship.
YESH TIKVAH
 Maintaining hope.
ZECHUT AVOT
 Memory of our ancestors.
 Regardless of orientation, these sensibilities help us to
make ethical and moral decisions in keeping with the
Jewish ‘compass’ in various areas