4.3 Jewish Ethical Principles and Values

Jewish ethical principles and values form the foundation of Jewish law and morality. These guidelines, rooted in Torah and rabbinic teachings, emphasize the sanctity of human life, justice, compassion, and the pursuit of holiness in daily actions.

From emulating God's attributes to the obligation of tzedakah (righteous giving), Jewish ethics shape individual behavior and societal norms. These principles guide Jews in navigating complex moral dilemmas, balancing competing values, and working towards tikkun olam - repairing the world.

Ethical Principles of Jewish Law

Emulating God's Holiness

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• The central Jewish value is to emulate God by being holy, as stated in Leviticus 19:2 "You shall be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy"
• This overarching principle encompasses many specific ethical values and behaviors that reflect divine attributes such as compassion, justice, and respect for life
• Striving for holiness in daily life means making ethical choices, treating others with dignity, and sanctifying God's name through one's actions (Kiddush Hashem)
• The concept of imitatio Dei, imitating God, is a recurring theme in Jewish thought and a basis for many ethical imperatives

Pikuach Nefesh: Saving Life Above All

• Pikuach nefesh is the principle that saving a life overrides virtually any other religious rule or consideration
  • Shabbat restrictions, kosher laws, and fasting on Yom Kippur may all be violated to preserve life
  • The Talmud states that one who saves a single life is considered to have saved an entire world (Mishnah Sanhedrin 4:5)
• This reflects the supreme value Judaism places on human life, which is considered sacred and inviolable because humans are created in God's image
• Pikuach nefesh applies to both an immediate threat and a less direct but serious future risk to life (e.g. donating a kidney)
• It is not only permitted but obligatory to intervene when a life is in danger; one who fails to do so is considered to have shed blood

Human Dignity and Kindness

• Kavod habriyot, human dignity, is a core value that prohibits embarrassing or demeaning others
  • The Talmud says that publicly shaming someone is akin to shedding their blood (Bava Metzia 58b)
  • Protecting others' dignity can override certain rabbinic prohibitions
• Chesed, usually translated as loving-kindness, is the Jewish ideal of going beyond the letter of the law to show compassion
  • Acts of chesed include visiting the sick (bikur cholim), comforting mourners, and welcoming guests
  • The Talmud teaches that the world stands on three things: Torah, avodah (service/worship), and gemilut chasadim (acts of loving-kindness) (Pirkei Avot 1:2)
• These values highlight the importance of caring for people's emotional and spiritual needs, not just their physical well-being

Justice and Stewardship

• Tzedek, righteousness and justice, is a fundamental Jewish value encompassing fairness, honesty and decency in behavior
  • The Torah repeatedly exhorts Jews to pursue justice, defend the powerless, and create an equitable society
  • The Talmud teaches that the first question a person is asked in the afterlife is "Did you conduct your business affairs with integrity?" (Shabbat 31a)
• Bal tashchit, the prohibition against unnecessary waste or destruction, reflects the Jewish value of respecting God's creation
  • Based on Deuteronomy 20:19-20, which forbids destroying fruit trees in wartime
  • Expanded by the rabbis to a general prohibition on wanton destruction or waste
  • Teaches responsible stewardship of the earth's resources and consideration of our impact on the environment

Family and Community

• Shalom bayit, peace in the home, underscores the importance Judaism places on domestic harmony and stable family life
  • The Talmud says that a man should love his wife as himself and honor her more than himself (Yevamot 62b)
  • Domestic abuse and infidelity are strictly forbidden; one must divorce an abusive spouse
  • Parents are obligated to teach their children Torah and provide for their material/spiritual needs
• Judaism also emphasizes the value of community and mutual responsibility
  • Jews are obligated to contribute to communal needs (e.g. charity, education, burial) and support those in need
  • The principle of kol yisrael arevim zeh bazeh, all Jews are responsible for one another, creates a sense of shared destiny and collective accountability (Shevuot 39a)

Tzedakah: Righteous Giving

The Mitzvah of Tzedakah

• Tzedakah literally means "righteousness" and refers to the religious obligation to do what is right and just, which Jewish tradition interprets as charity
• Tzedakah is considered a mitzvah (commandment) and religious duty, not an optional act of goodwill
  • Jews are obligated to give tzedakah according to their means
  • Even those who receive tzedakah are expected to give to others in need
• The Talmud (Gittin 61a) states that tzedakah is equal in importance to all the other mitzvot combined
• Giving tzedakah is a way to emulate God's generosity and compassion for all creatures

Levels and Laws of Tzedakah

• Maimonides defined eight levels of tzedakah, with the highest levels focused on helping recipients achieve self-sufficiency rather than just providing temporary aid
  • The highest level is giving a gift, loan, or partnership to enable someone to become self-supporting
  • Giving anonymously to an unknown recipient is the second-highest level
  • The lowest level is giving unwillingly or resentfully
• Jewish law specifies a recommended amount to give for tzedakah - maaser kesafim or tithing 10% of one's income
  • Some sources say 20% is the maximum one should give to avoid impoverishing oneself
• Tzedakah should be given promptly and with a cheerful demeanor
  • The Talmud says that giving with a frowning countenance negates the merit of the act (Bava Batra 9b)
• Tzedakah is ideally given anonymously to preserve the dignity of the recipient
  • The Talmud states that one who gives tzedakah in secret is greater than Moses (Bava Batra 9b)

Tzedakah and Tikkun Olam

• In addition to helping individuals in need, tzedakah is seen as a way to promote social justice and rectify inequities in society
• The Talmud teaches that tzedakah is one of the three pillars (along with Torah and service) that sustain the world (Pirkei Avot 1:2)
  • By providing for people's basic needs and opportunities, tzedakah contributes to tikkun olam, the repair or perfection of the world
• Maimonides taught that the highest form of tzedakah is to prevent poverty in the first place by creating economic opportunities and self-sufficiency
  • This idea has inspired modern Jewish philanthropic efforts to break the cycle of poverty through education, job training, microfinance, etc.
• In Jewish thought, material wealth is not seen as an end in itself but a means to serve God and make a positive impact on the world through tzedakah and chesed (acts of kindness)

Social Justice and Tikkun Olam

Prophetic Vision of a Just Society

• The prophets, especially Isaiah, Jeremiah and Amos, repeatedly exhort the Jewish people to create a just society and condemn those who oppress or neglect the poor and vulnerable
  • Amos decries those who "trample the heads of the poor into the dust of the earth" (2:7) and calls for "justice to roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream" (5:24)
  • Isaiah castigates those who "deprive the poor of their rights" (10:2) and declares that God desires a society where "the oppressed go free and you break every yoke" (58:6)
• The prophets teach that ritual observance is meaningless without a commitment to social justice
  • Isaiah proclaims that God rejects the people's fasts and sacrifices because they fail to "loose the bonds of injustice" (58:6-7)
  • Jeremiah warns that God will destroy the Temple if the people do not "act justly one with another" and protect the vulnerable (7:5-7)
• The prophetic vision of a just society became the basis for the Jewish concept of tikkun olam, repairing or perfecting the world

Torah Laws for a Just Society

• The Torah contains numerous laws designed to create a just and equitable society, reflecting the values of the prophets
• Laws to protect the poor and vulnerable:
  • Leaving the corners of one's field for the poor to glean (Lev. 19:9-10)
  • Giving a tithe to support the landless Levites and the poor (Deut. 14:28-29)
  • Prohibiting oppression of widows, orphans, and strangers (Ex. 22:21-22)
• Laws to ensure fair economic practices:
  • Prohibiting withholding wages or keeping a worker's garment as collateral (Deut. 24:14-15)
  • Banning interest on loans to fellow Jews to prevent exploitation (Ex. 22:24)
  • Canceling debts and freeing slaves in the sabbatical year (Deut. 15:1-18)
• Laws to establish an impartial justice system:
  • Appointing judges and officials to govern with justice (Deut. 16:18)
  • Prohibiting bribes, partiality, or perverting justice (Ex. 23:6-8)
  • Establishing cities of refuge for accidental manslaughter (Num. 35:9-34)

Tikkun Olam in Jewish Thought and Practice

• Tikkun olam, repairing or perfecting the world, has become a major theme in modern Jewish social justice movements
• The concept originates in Aleinu, a prayer that expresses hope for a time when the world will be perfected under the sovereignty of God
  • Tikkun olam is part of the Kabbalistic creation story, which envisions humans as partners with God in restoring divine sparks to their source
• The Mishnah states "It is not up to you to finish the work, yet you are not free to desist from it" (Pirkei Avot 2:21), emphasizing a continual obligation to pursue justice
• In Genesis, God tells Abraham his descendants will be a blessing to the world, which is interpreted as a responsibility to be an ethical example and work for global justice and peace
• Tikkun olam has inspired Jewish involvement in causes such as:
  • Labor rights and economic justice (e.g. Jewish support for unions, minimum wage)
  • Civil rights (e.g. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel marching with Dr. King)
  • Environmentalism (e.g. applying bal tashchit to combat waste and pollution)
  • Interfaith cooperation (e.g. building coalitions to combat poverty, racism, etc.)

Sanctity of Life and Bioethics

Human Life as Sacred

• The Torah states that humans are created b'tzelem Elohim, in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), imbuing all human life with sanctity and inviolability
  • The Mishnah says that saving one life is like saving an entire world, because each person is created in God's image (Sanhedrin 4:5)
• The Talmud asserts that saving a life (pikuach nefesh) overrides all commandments except murder, idolatry and forbidden sexual relations (Sanhedrin 74a)
  • One must violate Shabbat, eat non-kosher food, etc. to preserve life
• Suicide and euthanasia are generally prohibited by Jewish law because they violate the sanctity of human life, which belongs to God
  • The Talmud states that one who destroys a life is considered to have destroyed an entire world (Sanhedrin 37a)
• Murder is considered one of the gravest sins in Judaism
  • The Torah mandates capital punishment for intentional homicide (Ex. 21:12-14)
  • The Talmud requires extensive legal safeguards and a high standard of evidence for execution (Sanhedrin 37b)

Bioethical Dilemmas

• Abortion is permitted by most authorities when the mother's life is in danger
  • More liberal rulings allow abortion for severe fetal defects or the mother's emotional/psychological well-being
  • Some consider a fetus to gain full human status only at birth, not conception
• Judaism allows organ donation and transplantation to save lives
  • Some require explicit consent from the donor, while others believe pikuach nefesh creates an obligation to donate
  • After death, most authorities permit organ donation as a mitzvah to save lives
• There is a range of views on assisted reproductive technologies like IVF
  • Most permit it with some conditions to help Jewish couples fulfill the mitzvah of procreation
  • Some object to the destruction of excess embryos or using donor gametes
• Withholding or withdrawing care from the terminally ill is generally allowed to avoid prolonging suffering, as long as nutrition, hydration and pain relief are provided
  • Active euthanasia is still prohibited as a form of murder
  • The Talmud distinguishes between removing an impediment to death (permitted) and hastening death (forbidden) (Avodah Zarah 18a)

Balancing Competing Values

• Jewish bioethics seeks to balance the sanctity of life with other important values such as human dignity, the alleviation of suffering, and individual autonomy
• Halakhic authorities often disagree on how to prioritize these values in specific cases
  • Example: Whether to honor a terminally ill patient's wish to refuse treatment, or to intervene to prolong life
• New technologies raise complex questions about the margins of life and personhood
  • Example: Determining the status of a preimplantation embryo or a patient in a persistent vegetative state
• Poskim (halakhic decisors) apply Torah principles and precedents to navigate these dilemmas
  • The Talmudic principle of "safek nefashot lehakel" (rule leniently in cases of doubt regarding life) often tilts the balance in favor of preserving life
• There is often a diversity of halakhic views on bioethical issues, reflecting different understandings of Jewish values and their relative weights
  • Patients and families may consult with their preferred halakhic authorities for guidance in personal medical decisions