Core principle #2: Living in a moral universe p. 65-73
(א) בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ב) וְהָאָ֗רֶץ הָיְתָ֥ה תֹ֙הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ וְחֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י תְה֑וֹם וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם׃ (ג) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֖ים יְהִ֣י א֑וֹר וַֽיְהִי־אֽוֹר׃ (ד) וַיַּ֧רְא אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הָא֖וֹר כִּי־ט֑וֹב וַיַּבְדֵּ֣ל אֱלֹהִ֔ים בֵּ֥ין הָא֖וֹר וּבֵ֥ין הַחֹֽשֶׁךְ׃ (ה) וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ לָאוֹר֙ י֔וֹם וְלַחֹ֖שֶׁךְ קָ֣רָא לָ֑יְלָה וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם אֶחָֽד׃
(1) When God began to create heaven and earth— (2) the earth being unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep and a wind from God sweeping over the water— (3) God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. (4) God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. (5) God called the light Day and called the darkness Night. And there was evening and there was morning, a first day.
“The second core principle is also found in the creation story. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth…God said: ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. God saw that the light was good…” (Gen. 1:1). At the end of the first day of creation, God reviews what has been accomplished and says: ki tov/it was good. God could have said it’s finished, or even well done. Instead, God uses the word good. Good is a value. It is not objective in the way that complete or incomplete can be. By calling it good, God introduces values into the world. This universe is not just a mechanical world run by the laws of nature. It is a world where morality is critical.”
The importance of goodness is given explicit expression in a commandment found in Deut. 6:18: “Do what is right and good in the sight of God that it may go well with you.” It is worth quoting the Ramban’s (13th-century Bible commentator), interpretation of this verse:
(א) ועשית הישר והטוב בעיני יהוה על דרך הפשט יאמר תשמרו מצות השם ועדותיו וחקותיו ותכוין בעשייתן לעשות הטוב והישר בעיניו בלבד ולמען ייטב לך הבטחה יאמר כי בעשותך הטוב בעיניו ייטב לך כי השם מטיב לטובים ולישרים בלבותם. ולרבותינו בזה מדרש יפה אמרו זו פשרה ולפנים משורת הדין והכוונה בזה כי מתחלה אמר שתשמור חקותיו ועדותיו אשר צוך ועתה יאמר גם באשר לא צוך תן דעתך לעשות הטוב והישר בעיניו כי הוא אוהב הטוב והישר וזה ענין גדול לפי שאי אפשר להזכיר בתורה כל הנהגות האדם עם שכניו ורעיו וכל משאו ומתנו ותקוני הישוב והמדינות כלם אבל אחרי שהזכיר מהם הרבה כגון לא תלך רכיל (ויקרא יט טז) לא תקום ולא תטור (שם פסוק יח) ולא תעמוד על דם רעך (שם פסוק טז) לא תקלל חרש (שם פסוק יד) מפני שיבה תקום (שם פסוק לב) וכיוצא בהן חזר לומר בדרך כלל שיעשה הטוב והישר בכל דבר עד שיכנס בזה הפשרה ולפנים משורת הדין וכגון מה שהזכירו בדינא דבר מצרא (ב"מ קח) ואפילו מה שאמרו (יומא פו) פרקו נאה ודבורו בנחת עם הבריות עד שיקרא בכל ענין תם וישר:
(1) AND THOU SHALT DO THAT WHICH IS RIGHT AND GOOD IN THE SIGHT OF THE ETERNAL. In line with the plain meaning of Scripture the verse says, “Keep the commandments of G-d, His testimonies, and His statutes, and, in observing them, intend to do what is right and good in His sight only.” And [the expression in the verse before us] that it may be well with thee is a promise, stating that, when you will do that which is good in His eyes, it will be well with you, for G-d does good unto the good, and to them that are upright in their hearts. Our Rabbis have a beautiful Midrash on this verse. They have said: “[That which is right and good] refers to a compromise and going beyond the requirement of the letter of the law.” The intent of this is as follows: At first he [Moses] stated that you are to keep His statutes and His testimonies which He commanded you, and now he is stating that even where He has not commanded you, give thought, as well, to do what is good and right in His eyes, for He loves the good and the right. Now this is a great principle, for it is impossible to mention in the Torah all aspects of man’s conduct with his neighbors and friends, and all his various transactions, and the ordinances of all societies and countries. But since He mentioned many of them — such as, Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer; Thou shalt not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge; neither shalt thou stand idly by the blood of thy neighbor; Thou shalt not curse the deaf; Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head and the like — he reverted to state in a general way that, in all matters, one should do what is good and right, including even compromise and, going beyond the requirements of the law. Other examples are the Rabbis’ ordinances concerning the prerogative of a neighbor, and even what they said [concerning the desirability] that one’s youthful reputation be unblemished, and that one’s conversation with people be pleasant. Thus [a person must seek to refine his behavior] in every form of activity, until he is worthy of being called “good and upright.”
OUESTIONS:
What is Ramban’s main point about the scope of this commandment?
What does it mean that doing what is right and good might include compromise and going beyond the requirements of the law?
How does the Ramban conclude his commentary? (I like to call this the everything commandment---even when an action is not specified, we are always to do good.)
PART 2
Creating a good society:
TEACHER: Give a brief introduction to Lev. 19:14-18 and to the rabbinic process of turning biblical verses into commandments. We will do a close reading of Lev. 19:14-18 from the Holiness Code. Each commandment is presented followed by a question(s) for discussion. I suggest having learners discuss each commandment and then you, the teacher, fill in the points about the commandment that were not raised or puzzled the learners. Or you could hand out the short explanation of each commandment from the book before moving on to the next one.
(יד) לֹא־תְקַלֵּ֣ל חֵרֵ֔שׁ וְלִפְנֵ֣י עִוֵּ֔ר לֹ֥א תִתֵּ֖ן מִכְשֹׁ֑ל וְיָרֵ֥אתָ מֵּאֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ אֲנִ֥י יהוה׃
(14) You shall not insult the deaf, or place a stumbling block before the blind. You shall fear your God: I am God.
QUESTIONS: The rabbis understood this verse more broadly than just about someone who is literally blind. They saw it as an injunction against manipulating or deceiving people.
What examples would you want to include under this prohibition?
(טז) לֹא־תֵלֵ֤ךְ רָכִיל֙ בְּעַמֶּ֔יךָ...
(16) Do not deal basely with members of your people...
QUESTIONS: The rabbis interpreted this verse as a prohibition on gossip. Why was gossip considered so detrimental? Is gossip permissible if it is true? Is it ever acceptable to speak negatively about someone else?
(טז)...לֹ֥א תַעֲמֹ֖ד עַל־דַּ֣ם רֵעֶ֑ךָ...
...Do not profit by the blood of your fellow...
QUESTIONS: The second half of this verse is understood by the rabbis to call us to speak out when others are in trouble. We move from not manipulating other people or gossiping about others to a positive action on their behalf. This is not just what we should refrain from doing, but also what we should actively pursue.
Should this be done on behalf of everyone or only with people you know?
(יז) לֹֽא־תִשְׂנָ֥א אֶת־אָחִ֖יךָ בִּלְבָבֶ֑ךָ...
(17) You shall not hate your kinsfolk in your heart...
QUESTIONS: This is a challenging commandment, asking us not to hate others. The commentators point out that the verse says, “in your heart.” Lest you think only hateful action, such as hitting someone or verbally abusing them, is forbidden, the verse says that even if it is only in your heart that you hate, you have violated this commandment.
Why is hating in your heart forbidden? Can a feeling be commanded?
(יז)...הוֹכֵ֤חַ תּוֹכִ֙יחַ֙ אֶת־עֲמִיתֶ֔ךָ...
(17) ...Reprove your kin...
It is our obligation to give reproof to those who have done wrong or spoken hurtfully.
QUESTIONS: What is the purpose of reproof? What would be a successful reproof? What if you are willing to let go of and move on from the hurt the other person caused you without any reproof?
(יז) ...וְלֹא־תִשָּׂ֥א עָלָ֖יו חֵֽטְא׃
(17) ...but incur no guilt on their account.
QUESTIONS: This last part of the verse is understood in a few different ways by the rabbis. Which sin you would be guilty of depends on what prohibition these words are referring to. Look at the first two parts of the verse and see which sin each suggests? One additional interpretation of the rabbis of the phrase “Incur no guilt” is that it is strongly forbidden to publicly shame a person. As much as you are supposed to reprove, you are also not supposed to humiliate the person. What would that say about how the reproof is to be given?
(יח) לֹֽא־תִקֹּ֤ם וְלֹֽא־תִטֹּר֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י עַמֶּ֔ךָ...
(18) You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against members of your people...
QUESTIONS: What is the difference between taking vengeance and bearing a grudge?
(יח) ... וְאָֽהַבְתָּ֥ לְרֵעֲךָ֖ כָּמ֑וֹךָ אֲנִ֖י יהוה׃
(18) You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against members of your people. Love your fellow [Israelite] as yourself: I am God.
QUESTIONS: This is the ultimate positive expression of these commandments. What does it mean in practice to love your neighbor? Again, the question: Can you really command emotions? How does this commandment differ structurally from many of the other mitzvot/commandments? HINT: How do I know when I have fulfilled this commandment? A concluding discussion could focus on the challenges of creating a good society. Are there other commandments that should be part of building a good society?
TEACHER: Assign “homework” for next week’s class. Read the next chapter, which has a number of suggested practices for the morning (pp. 79-90). Ask the students to think about is there one that they especially like? Or is there one that they would adapt for themselves?
Assignment: Pick one or create your own and try it each morning. At the beginning of the next class, there will be an opportunity to share your experience.