Q&A: Good in Itself
Good in Itself
Question
Did the Holy One, blessed be He, give the commandments because they are good for a person, or are the commandments good for a person because the Holy One, blessed be He, gave them?
Answer
Who said they are good for a person?
Discussion on Answer
In my view, not especially.
If so, then why were the commandments given?
I have no idea.
“To keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes, which I command you today, for your good” (Deuteronomy 10:13). The commandments are for the good of the person.
Two comments: 1. That does not mean this is the purpose of all the commandments (maybe only some of them are meant to benefit us—for example, those between one person and another). 2. That does not mean the commandments themselves are beneficial. Maybe the reward we receive for observing them is what benefits us.
Aren’t they?