Torah and morality
Hello Rabbi!
I really enjoy your writing and your way of thinking – really fascinating, interesting and helpful in getting my head in order.
In an interview with Yaron London about the three books you just published, you said that there are situations where morality and halakha are in conflict and that it is not always (perhaps many cases) that the Torah commands a moral wrong (like gays, as you mentioned).
Additionally, you said that there are cases where there is such a conflict, where the law does not always prevail – and you would prefer the moral command over the divine command.
So, in somewhat impudent language, I say – that your God is human morality, and not God? Do you justify this statement? If not, why not, please?
For example, in the famous example – in your opinion, Abraham is not a good man but a righteous man for God, because he wanted to kill Isaac to shed blood. It is the opposite of what you are trying to say, so the main message of the Torah is that man should be a worshiper of God and not a worshiper of morality or justice or mercy or any other human, moral value.
Just to note – I also feel my soul being torn apart by the existence of such a conflict.
First, read column 15. In addition, at the beginning of the third book there is a detailed discussion of Halacha and Musar, where everything is explained.
My argument is that morality also originates from God. Therefore, when there is a conflict between law and morality, it is a conflict between two religious values. Hence, there is no way to determine in advance which of them is superior (although I do make a distinction there between different types of conflicts).
I didn’t understand the example of the binding. What do you see there? Indeed, Abraham was commanded an immoral command and therefore he was in conflict. But when God himself tells him to act this way, that itself resolves the conflict and therefore in the binding Abraham chose the path he chose.
By the way, even if he were to decide in favor of Halacha and against morality or vice versa, this does not mean that he is not obligated to both systems. There is no choice but to decide because it is impossible to keep both commandments. When a person violates Shabbat for the sake of Piku’n, it is not correct to say that he is not obligated to Shabbat but only to life. He is forced to violate Shabbat because of the value of life, but both are important to him.
For details, see the book in the same name.
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