Q&A: A Thought About Compassion
A Thought About Compassion
Question
Hi Michi,
A few days ago, while riding my imaginary "Rosinante" in order to continue repairing the world, I was thinking about the concept of compassion, and it suddenly occurred to me that in the Bible compassion is mentioned once in a positive context—when Pharaoh's daughter finds Moses in the basket. And twice more in a negative context [unless I'm mistaken]: Saul the king's compassion for Agag, and, for example, the ewe lamb in the story of Uriah the Hittite.
I checked what Google had to say about compassion and Judaism, and found almost nothing. I'm curious to know what your thoughts are on the matter.
Happy holidays
Answer
Hello Ayin,
I don't have any special insight, and I don't think that "Judaism" (whatever that means) has anything to say about compassion beyond what any person with common sense understands. It's good to have compassion for people, but there are situations in which compassion can lead to harmful consequences. I assume I haven't told you anything very new. By the way, it seems to me that the more common term is mercy / compassion.
Happy holidays,