Q&A: Morality and Jewish Law
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Morality and Jewish Law
Question
Hello,
The Rashash inferred from reason the law of damages; learning from reason is like learning something outside Jewish law, so it follows from this that one must learn all things that derive from reason,
such as morality—for example, saving a non-Jew from drowning even though he is not “your fellow.” It turns out, then, that there are two normative systems: Jewish law and reason. But unlike the Rabbi, both of them derive from reason,
whereas according to the Rabbi both of them derive from the command of God.
Does the Rabbi agree with this analysis?
Answer
No. Reason says to obey God’s command.