Sunday, April 06, 2025
Elder of Ziyon
But Jews do want to influence the world. God in Isaiah calls Israel "a light unto nations" and that is part of the Jewish ethos. Not to force anyone to do anything, but to make them want to do the right thing.
The traditional way that Jews have viewed the obligations of the non-Jewish world is through the Seven Noachide Laws, principles derived and described in the Talmud. They include prohibitions against idolatry, murder, theft, sexual immorality, blasphemy, and cruelty to animals, while mandating setting up a justice system.
Earlier, we briefly mentioned John Selden, the brilliant 17th century English jurist, who saw the Noachide Laws as the basis of natural law - universal moral truths accessible through reason. In De Jure Naturali (1640), Selden used them to create a legal framework, applying them to property rights, personal safety, and governance. His ideas influenced John Locke, further shaping English common law principles.
In America, James Madison - shaped by the ideas of Selden and Locke - led the writing of the Constitution. In the Bill of Rights, Madison embedded Selden’s natural law principles - justice, duties to others - in protections like the First Amendment (freedom of religion, speech) and Fifth Amendment (due process), ensuring government upholds universal moral duties. Madison echoed Locke in believing that there are pre-existing, universal and divine moral laws. Madison understood that inevitably, different factions that disagree will arise ("The latent causes of faction are thus sown in the nature of man") but a well functioning republic can ensure that none of them can dominate the others. A Talmudic analogy would be Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai, two schools that debated fiercely but were both seen as legitimate expressions of truth. The system endured because it upheld both universal ethics and cultural diversity.
It is not only the Noachide laws that influenced Western political thought. The Torah itself did as well. Montesquieu derived the idea of separation of powers (a separate judicial, executive and legislative branch) from Deuteronomy, which describes a hierarchical court system along with a "Supreme Court" for difficult cases, separate from the powers of the King. Madison refers to Montesquieu in his writings on separation of powers.
From the perspective of Selden and Montesquieu, these Jewish concepts are interpreted from a legal perspective based on universal moral truths. I believe that we need to expand on what these moral concepts are, beyond but underpinning the Noachide laws, based on Jewish writings. These concepts should be publicized to the world as an object of serious study, comparison, debate and (hopefully) adoption.
I am not a rabbi. I am not a philosopher. I am not a celebrated thinker. What I am proposing - enumerating a list of universal moral concepts based on Jewish sources - is about as audacious as can be imagined, and I have no qualifications to do this. But debate is a cherished Jewish concept, too. If this starts a discussion, then this is already a success.
Here are the concepts as I see them:
Pikuach Nefesh – The supreme value of human life
Tzelem Elokim / Kavod HaBriyot – Every person is made in the image of God and deserves dignity
Emet – There is such a thing as objective truth
Din/Rachamim (Imitatio Dei) – Emulate God in balancing justice and mercy
Lifnei Iver – Act with integrity; do not enable wrongdoing
Lo Ta’amod / Kol Yisrael Areivim – Personal responsibility to prevent harm
Tzedakah / Chesed – Justice and kindness are two sides of the same coin
Lashon Hara – Use speech ethically and responsibly
Derech Eretz – Civility, manners, and everyday respect
Anavah / Teshuvah – Humility and the ability to change
Mishpacha –Centrality of family
Here are some details on these 11 concepts.
Pikuach Nefesh – The supreme value of human life
Preserving life overrides nearly every other imperative. Human life is of infinite value, the ultimate moral priority. One might think that this is obvious, but it gets tricky when balanced against other human life - after all, self defense to save your life is also a Jewish concept. War is not prohibited, some of them are mandatory. Saving a hostage's life now when there is a statistical near-certainty that released prisoners will kill more people later - these are difficult moral calculations, and even this most basic of ideals is not straightforward in practice. Applying this principle in a one-sided fashion is not moral; it is devaluing other lives while pretending to care about some. Life’s value requires tough, honest decisions, not selective compassion, ensuring a world where every life is weighed with care.
Tzelem Elokim / Kavod HaBriyot – Every person is made in the image of God and deserves dignity
Tzelem Elokim, literally "the image of God," is the source of universal equal rights. It rejects all dehumanization, whether racism or the current popular trend of demonizing white cissexual males. Critically, it does not just say that everyone deserves respect - it says that everyone has the potential of being truly great. It goes against the tendency of assigning people to categories and treating them all as less than valuable. This principle offers a universal ethic: by seeing the divine in everyone, we can build a world where respect isn’t contingent on ideology or color or ability, but inherent in our creation.
Emet – There is such a thing as objective truth
Truth is associated with God Himself, which makes it immutable. While Judaism has many texts and sayings about truth, nowhere does it accept the fashionable modern notion that everyone has their own truth or that "narratives" are equivalent to the truth. Much of rabbinic philosophy is dedicated to uncovering the truth. Those who claim that truth is relative, that facts don't matter, that everyone is entitled to their own truth, that manifestly falsehoods should be respected as much as the truth is, have lost not only their morality but their very reality. It is impossible to build a moral world when you cannot agree on basic facts.
Din/Rachamim (Imitatio Dei) – Emulate God in Balancing Justice and Mercy
Rabbis through the centuries have gone through the Torah to identify when God exhibits the attribute of justice and when He acts with mercy. Balancing justice and mercy is a divine art we’re asked to emulate. This isn't referring only to judgments in court - we judge people we meet every day. That judgement must be tempered with mercy, because as we are told, the world could not exist if God would insist on justice without compassion. A similar concept is "dan l'chsaf zechut" - give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Teachers, parents, friends - all must balance the two, because mercy without justice is just as bad as justice without mercy. It’s a path to relationships where people feel both valued and accountable.
Lifnei Iver – Act with Integrity; Do Not Enable Wrongdoing
"Do not place a stumbling block before a blind person" - this rule extends to all aspects of our lives. Some societies prioritize avoiding shame, while Western societies care more about avoiding guilt. The difference is when someone does something negative that no one else knows about. Shame societies don't see any ethical problem with that as long as they are not caught; guilt societies say that one must do the right thing even when no one else knows. Integrity is about doing what’s right, even when no one’s watching, and ensuring our actions don’t lead others into harm. Acting honorably is its own reward, but when enough people do it, all society benefits.
Lo Ta’amod / Kol Yisrael Areivim – Personal responsibility
A lot of people today talk about rights, but not so many speak about responsibilities. Our primary responsibility is to those closest to us. We must raise children to be moral citizens, and to support our loved ones. But we also have responsibilities to our friends, so workers, neighbors, and larger communities. Lo ta'amod is specifically about preventing harm to others, stepping in when we see someone in danger - whether the danger is physical, emotional, or moral. When we take responsibility seriously, we create a network of support. It’s a practical ethic that builds a world where no one feels alone, where we’re all looking out for each other, starting with those nearest and rippling out. By living this way, we ensure that care is real, not just a gesture, fostering communities where everyone feels protected and valued.
Tzedakah / Chesed – Justice and kindness are two sides of the same coin
Tzedakah is loosely translated as charity, but it is framed as an obligation more than a choice. The Hebrew word is cognate to the words for justice and righteousness. This is more than the responsibility in Lo Ta'amod - we cannot turn our backs on those in need. Helping people who desperately need it is not to be left to others; if we have the ability to help, we must do so. Chesed is acts of kindness, like visiting the sick, volunteering, and all aspects of burial.
Lashon Hara – Use speech ethically and responsibly
Judaism places huge emphasis on the power and responsibility of speech. Speech is how God created the world. Within halacha, the rules about what one is or is not allowed to say (or even gesture, or make a face) about another person take up entire volumes. The truth of the words is not a defense. These rules apply even more so to social media, where one's negative words can be spread instantly and irretrievably. Gossip destroys lives.
This is perhaps the biggest difference between Jewish ethics and Western culture. There is a tension between the prohibition of lashon hora and freedom of speech, but they aren't contradictory: just because something can be said doesn't mean it is the right thing to do. Build people up, don't tear them down.
Derech Eretz – Civility, manners, and everyday respect
A popular phrase is "Derech Eretz precedes the Torah," and many commentators take this literally. Having respect and manners was considered important even outside the Jewish legal framework. Derech eretz is going above and beyond the specific legal obligations, like going out of your way to thank the bus driver or grocery bagger, greeting everyone with a smile, listening respectfully to people who may themselves not be speaking respectfully, separating the messenger from the message.
Anavah / Teshuvah – Humility and the ability to change
It is said that a 18th century Chasidic master always kept two notes, one in each pocket. One said, "For my sake the world was created.” On the other he wrote the Biblical phrase “I am but dust and ashes.”
Humility does not mean demeaning oneself or disrespecting yourself. It means knowing and understanding your place in society and in the world. When there is no one else who will do what needs to be done, step up and do it yourself. There is always someone smarter, stronger, faster, more skilled than you are; use your skills in the best way possible but don't act like a braggart.
Teshuvah is repentance, a key part of Judaism. Admit your mistakes, seek forgiveness and try to ensure you do better next time. Like all of these moral ideas, this is all easier said than done. But people respect those who own up to mistakes a lot more than the ones who try to cover them up.
Mishpacha –Centrality of family
Your primary obligation is to your family. Family is where you learn love, values, responsibility and support. Parents can give no better gift to their children than to provide them with a loving family that is always there for them; children must learn to honor their parents and grandparents. Family is the cornerstone of a strong society. It is no coincidence that Marxism is against family, nor is it a coincidence that cults try to separate individuals from their families. Malign movements want to take people away from the values they grew up with,
You might be surprised that "Shalom - Peace" is not on this list. This is because the list is meant to be practical, not abstract or open to abuse by misinterpretation. But, as Proverbs says, "Her ways are the ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are to peace." If people would strive to embody these ideas, peace is the outcome. (Similarly, in classical Judaism, the concept of "tikkun olam" is that the world is repaired by living these values.)
Beyond these essential moral values, Judaism provides a framework that can be used to help navigate when these values collide. As we mentioned, Judaism doesn't shy away from difficult questions - it wrestles with them. The answer for one may be different than for another. It is the opposite of dogmatic.
Most of the other moral systems we examined are self-righteous, simplistic, and/or extremist. The Jewish moral code is meant for self-improvement, it embraces complexity and tries to find the middle path.
Wouldn't you rather live in a world of personal responsibility, respect and kindness instead of one steeped in self-righteousness, privilege and fetishizing victimhood?
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