Q&A: Self-Morality
Self-Morality
Question
I read your articles about morality and Jewish law, that they are not connected.
But I didn’t understand what exactly obligates me to act according to morality.
“And you shall do what is right and good.”
Or common sense? A kind of axiom.
Answer
What obligates you to Jewish law? The understanding that this is God’s will and that this is how one ought to act. The same applies to morality.
Discussion on Answer
I didn’t understand the question. How do I know that the Holy One, blessed be He, expects moral behavior? Both from reason and from Scripture: “And you shall do what is right and good,” and many more such verses.
And I’ll preempt what is likely to be asked: “And you shall do what is right and good” is not part of Jewish law. As far as I remember, no enumerator of the commandments counts it.
Meaning, the starting point is God, and the knowledge that this comes from Him is because I understand that it is proper to act this way.
As for Jewish law, do you actually accept the authority of the Talmud because some framework is needed, or because it was accepted by the Jewish people, and that itself has authority from the Torah, like the Sanhedrin?