Q&A: Revenge and the Implementation of Ethical Justice by Human Beings
Revenge and the Implementation of Ethical Justice by Human Beings
Question
Good Shabbat eve!
I would be glad to ask: just as a person has no right to take revenge, and the apparent understanding is that revenge belongs only to God, is it likewise the case that a person has no right to enforce ethics and justice (of course, I assume that justice really does exist), since that too belongs to God (unless He commands us to realize it)?
That is, my question is: to the same extent that we understand that a person has no right to take revenge, should we also have no right to carry out justice and enforce ethics?
Thank you very much!
Answer
There is definitely both permission and an obligation to enforce justice and morality, just as commandments are enforced. Again, though, the question is too general.
Discussion on Answer
The coercion is in order to save the other person from the consequences of the act, not in order to make sure that person does the right thing.
What is the consequence of not observing commandments?
I was speaking about moral coercion. Halakhic coercion is a halakhic determination, and there it may be because of the consequences (spiritual ones?) or perhaps even just to cause a person to behave properly. The Holy One, blessed be He, can also instruct coercion for the second reason.
My question is about a case where there is no divine command, but for example ethics according to Kant. Why is it possible to compel someone to follow it (even in a case where there is no dispute that this is the ethical imperative)? Is it because ethics itself is constituted by the God of morality (the God Kant got tangled up in trying to define)? If so, that itself is what is difficult for me. Perhaps the command obligates me personally, but from where do we know that others may be compelled (again, even if they believe in it)?