Q&A: The Podcast with Raz Zauber
The Podcast with Raz Zauber
Question
Hello Rabbi,
I heard your latest podcast with Raz Zauber and enjoyed it very much. I always enjoy listening and gaining additional insights from you.
I just had two questions come up, which I’d be happy if you could explain.
A. I’m already familiar with your view that the grounding of morality is God. In the conversation you gave the example of the moral prohibition against murder, behind which stands the value of human life, and that someone who does not believe in God lacks the grounding that gives value to human life. But regarding you, as a believing person, you said there is moral grounding from God, who said that He made man in the image of God. I understand from you that the moral grounding of not murdering, at least, is a grounding that derives from the Torah, and not only from God?
B. You said that a person who, for example, gives charity for one reason or another that is not for the sake of fulfilling the commandment, is a “good” person but has not fulfilled a commandment. My question is: what about the words of the Sages—granted they are speaking about Torah study, but I did not identify a distinction between them—that "from doing it not for its own sake, one will come to do it for its own sake"?
Answer
A. Morality does not need the Torah. Even if there is a source in the Torah for a moral obligation, that neither adds nor subtracts. It is clear that we do see in the Torah a moral prohibition against murder; I mentioned Cain. But Cain himself was supposed to know this even before he read it in the Torah.
B. There is no need to get to Torah study. Regarding charity specifically, the Talmud says: "on condition that my son will live." My claim is that if a person believes in God and in the giving of the Torah and in commitment to Jewish law, then he can perform commandments not for their own sake and that still has value (less than doing them for their own sake). But if he does it for side reasons even though he does not believe he is obligated in it, then there is no commandment here at all.