Q&A: Morality and Jewish Law
Morality and Jewish Law
Question
Hello, Your Honor,
I just read the Rabbi’s column about how, in his view, the laws of the Torah do not claim to be moral. So I think we first need to discuss what the definition of a moral act is. On Wikipedia it says: "Morality is the clear distinction between behaviors considered ‘good’ and those considered ‘bad.’" Therefore, certain actions should not be examined only from the perspective of whether they are convenient and pleasant or not, but whether, when all factors are weighed, the act is defined as something good. (Your Honor writes that the fact that a priest’s wife who was raped is forever forbidden to her husband is considered something immoral. I think we simply do not live enough with an awareness of the priest’s status, though I can certainly hear why this would be considered a good thing.)
I think one can add another point: seemingly, morality speaks about the principle in general and not about particular situations. Just as Kant says that lying is always considered an immoral act, so too I can accept that, as a rule, it is not right for a priest to have relations with a woman who was raped, even though if I encountered such a case, I would certainly say that it does not seem right to forbid her to her husband.
And regarding Your Honor’s claim that moral laws have to be universal, and therefore there cannot be a morality that exists only among Jews, I think the Torah is certainly universal values (as Maimonides wrote that even a non-Jew can observe commandments); it is just that for some reason the Torah was given to a particular people—which is also contingent, according to the words of the midrash that the Holy One, blessed be He, asked all the nations whether they wanted the Torah.
Rather, the giving of the Torah to a particular people means that the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to elevate one nation and obligate it in these laws, and that they should be punished if they transgress them (just as I do not think it is right to punish lower-status groups in the population if they sin, according to one interpretation of the categorical imperative).
In addition, I want to thank the Rabbi from the bottom of my heart for all the articles, books, etc. The Rabbi has changed, for me (and for many others), our worldviews in many ways. Thank you very much.
Answer
Hello.
According to your approach, is every non-Jew obligated in the commandments? After all, there are things forbidden to him: Sabbath and Torah study.
Beyond that, I did not understand whether your words contain a question or a disagreement with my views.
Discussion on Answer
*received
I don’t understand what I’m supposed to respond to. I understand that you read what I wrote, and in several places I explained very well why I think this way. You are making a declaration, but there is no argument in what you wrote. Where do you see universal morality in commandments like pork, blood, and milk? And those are only non-moral commandments. What will you say about the anti-moral commandments (a mamzer, a priest’s wife who was raped, Amalek, the beautiful captive woman)? And third, why is there exemption in murder for indirect causation, while one who brings the fire close is liable? Why are Sabbath and Torah study forbidden to non-Jews? (These are more intimate moral principles? Don’t you notice the oxymoron in what you are saying?)
All this and more is explained very clearly in what I wrote.
I’ll begin by saying that I do disagree with what you wrote, and I do indeed think that the 613 commandments are universal values that only we received and accepted upon ourselves. And regarding your question—I wrote in my question that the Holy One, blessed be He, chose a particular people and chose to sanctify us with His commandments and obligate us to moral rules on a higher level.
As for Sabbath and Torah study, that is a separate question: why they cannot observe them as they can observe the other commandments, as Maimonides wrote. It seems to me that this is because Sabbath and Torah study, and there are others as well, are things that relate more to the covenant between us and Him (more intimate), and therefore a non-Jew who does them sins in intention.
I would be happy to hear your response.