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| Chapter 5. Now, reason dictates that there rests on every person an absolute obligation to constantly attend to fairness and justice in the society of one’s species, in order that the society should survive. And one should be diligent to uphold these principles, to distance oneself from injustice and from damaging any one of them, and to constantly be seeking out their welfare and their best interests, all of one’s days, for the sake of maintaining the covenant (brit) of the society, and the ropes that bind them, when one does the pleasant and appropriate acts that will give them, and derive from them, favor. Behold, it has been explained that reason dictates that this is an absolute obligation on every person, parties to the world covenant (brit), that reason dictates that one must grant goodness to one from whom one has received goodness and benefit…[Translation by Rabbi Dov Linzer. Edited for gender neutrality] |
פרק ה'] מעתה השכל נותן שמוטל על כל אדם חוב גמור לשמור תמיד היושר וצדק בתוך חברת מינו כדי שיתקיים הקבוץ ויהיה שוקד על שמירתם להרחיק מעול ומהזיק לאחד מהם ולהיות דורש שלומם וטובתם כל הימים למען קיום ברית החברה ועבותות קשורם בעשותו מעשים נאותים וראויים להפיק להם ומהם רצון, הרי מבואר מצד השכל שזה הוא חוב גמור על כל אדם בעלי ברית עולם כי השכל מחייב להקביל בטובה למי שקבל ממנו טובה ותועלת...
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1. What is the world covenant?
2. What is the relationship between an individual and their community? How is this defined by the covenant of society?
3. What is your covenant with society? How do you act on your obligations?
עֹשֶׂה מִשְׁפַּט יָתוֹם וְאַלְמָנָה וְאֹהֵב גֵּר לָתֶת לוֹ לֶחֶם וְשִׂמְלָה: וַאֲהַבְתֶּם אֶת הַגֵּר כִּי גֵרִים הֱיִיתֶם בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם:
1. In what ways does this text suggest that we mimic God?
2. What is God's responsibility to us and what is our responsibility to others? What are the different sources of these responsibilities?
3. This text reminds the reader of Israelite slavery. In what ways is a history of slavery connected to doing justice and loving the stranger?
1) What does this text teach us about the way we are supposed to treat the poor?
2) Why is our attitude to those we help so important?
3) What doe we do when we want to provide for those in need but do not have much to give?
לֹא תַטֶּה מִשְׁפַּט גֵּר יָתוֹם וְלֹא תַחֲבֹל בֶּגֶד אַלְמָנָה: וְזָכַרְתָּ כִּי עֶבֶד הָיִיתָ בְּמִצְרַיִם וַיִּפְדְּךָ ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ מִשָּׁם עַל כֵּן אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה:
1. Why are we commanded specifically regarding the rights of the stranger, orphan, and widow? What do they have in common? Who do they represent in society?
2. In what ways does remembering a history of slavery enable us to care for the widow, orphan and stranger?
3. How do we care for the stranger, orphan, and widow today? How do we fail to care for them? How can we improve?
1. To what extent does motivation matter when doing social justice work?
2. In what ways is activism beneficial for the do-ers?
3. What social justice themes emerge from this text?
שָׁמוֹר אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת לְקַדְּשׁוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוְּךָ ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ: שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תַּעֲבֹד וְעָשִׂיתָ כָּל מְלַאכְתֶּךָ: וְיוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שַׁבָּת לַה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה כָל מְלָאכָה אַתָּה וּבִנְךָ וּבִתֶּךָ וְעַבְדְּךָ וַאֲמָתֶךָ וְשׁוֹרְךָ וַחֲמֹרְךָ וְכָל בְּהֶמְתֶּךָ וְגֵרְךָ אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ לְמַעַן יָנוּחַ עַבְדְּךָ וַאֲמָתְךָ כָּמוֹךָ: וְזָכַרְתָּ כִּי עֶבֶד הָיִיתָ בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וַיֹּצִאֲךָ ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ מִשָּׁם בְּיָד חֲזָקָה וּבִזְרֹעַ נְטוּיָה עַל כֵּן צִוְּךָ ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת:
Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as Adonai your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath of Adonai your God; you shall not do any work-- you, your son or your daughter, or your male or your female slave, your ox or your ass, or any of your cattle, or your stranger in your settlements, so that your male and female slave may rest as you do. Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt and Adonai your God freed you from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore Adonai your God commanded you to observe the Sabbath day. [JPS translation edited for gender-neutrality]
1. According to this text, who is the Sabbath for?
2. What is the connection between observance of the Sabbath and being freed from slavery?
3. How does our experience in Egypt impact the way we treat those who work for us?
1. What is the relationship between maintaining harmony and caring for the disabled?
2. How does human behavior reflect upon God? Is this a concrete argument for social justice and activism?
מוטב דלא יהבת ליה מהשתא דיהבת ליה וכספתיה.
1. Is it really better not to give if you cannot do it in a respectful way?
2. In what ways is shame a greater hardship than poverty?
3. What impact does this text have on public policy and social welfare programs?
1. What does it mean to "perform a good deed with all your heart?" Why is it important to do so?
2. How does one perform a good deed with all one's heart?
3. Is the social justice work you do affected by who’s watching? Why or why not?