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Mishnah, Pesachim 10:5
בכל דור ודור חייב אדם לראות את עצמו כאילו הוא יצא ממצרים שנאמר (שמות יג) והגדת לבנך ביום ההוא לאמר בעבור זה עשה ה' לי בצאתי ממצרים לפיכך אנחנו חייבין להודות להלל לשבח לפאר לרומם להדר לברך לעלה ולקלס למי שעשה לאבותינו ולנו את כל הניסים האלו הוציאנו מעבדות לחירות מיגון לשמחה ומאבל ליום טוב ומאפילה לאור גדול ומשעבוד לגאולה ונאמר לפניו הללויה:
Mishnah_Pesachim.10.5
In every generation, one is obligated to see himself as if he left Egypt, as it is said (Exodus 13), “And you will tell you son on that day, saying, ‘Because of this that God did for me when I left Egypt.’” Therefore we are obliged to thank, praise, glorify, extol, exalt, beatify, bless, etc., etc. to the One who did all these miracles for our ancestors and for us: Who brought us out from slavery to freedom, from sadness to joy, from mourning to festivity, from darkness to great light, from servitude to redemption. And we say before Him, Hallelujah. [Soncino translation]
Suggested Discussion Questions

1. Who are the players in this text – seen and unseen?
2. What power dynamics are at play?
3. How can we truly be involved in helping others move from slavery to freedom, from sadness to joy, from mourning to festivity, from darkness to great light, from servitude to redemption?

Dr. Maurice N. Eisendrath, from "The Price of Brotherhood", The Empire Club of Canada Speeches 1955-1956 (Toronto, Canada: The Empire Club Foundation, 1956) pp. 219-235
Translation Original
There is a price which each of us is called upon to pay in order that the rising rancor of the impoverished multitudes of the earth shall not tear our social fabric to shreds.
Suggested Discussion Questions

1. What is the price?
2. How do we act so as not to have to pay?

Dr. Maurice N. Eisendrath, from "The Price of Brotherhood", The Empire Club of Canada Speeches 1955-1956 (Toronto, Canada: The Empire Club Foundation, 1956) pp. 219-235
Translation Original
If we do but mouth our protestations of brotherly love; if we do but worship God on a single day in the week; if we profess in our confessions of faith or mechanically mumble our noble prayers that the “time may not be distant” when “swords will be beaten into ploughshares and spears into pruning hooks,” we become smugly satisfied that we have expended our full complement of effort for brotherhood and peace.
Suggested Discussion Questions

1. What is Eisendrath's criticism?
2. What is Eisendrath asking of us? How do we do it?

Mishna, Pirkei Avot 2:10
רבי אליעזר אומר יהי כבוד חברך חביב עליך כשלך.
Pirkei_Avot.2.10
Rabbi Eliezer said, "Other people’s dignity should be as precious to you as your own." [AJWS translation]
Suggested Discussion Questions

1. Who are the players in this text – seen and unseen?
2. In what ways can we, as individuals, follow this more in our daily lives?
3. In what ways can we, as a society, follow this more in our policies - both foreign and domestic?

Mishna, Pirkei Avot 1:2
שמעון הצדיק היה משירי כנסת הגדולה הוא היה אומר על שלשה דברים העולם עומד על התורה ועל העבודה ועל גמילות חסדים:
Pirkei_Avot.1.2
Shimon the Righteous was a member of the Great Assembly. He used to say, "By three things the world exists: On the Torah, on worship and on acts of loving kindness." [Soncino translation]
Suggested Discussion Questions

1. Who are the players in this text – seen and unseen?
2. What is an act of loving kindness? How is it unique compared to any good deed?
3. What social justice themes emerge from this text?

Rambam, Laws of Temperament 6:7
Translation Original
If one observes that another committed a sin or walks in a way that is not good, it is the person’s duty to bring the erring one back to the right path and point out that he/she is wronging him/herself by this evil course, as it is said, “You shall surely rebuke your neighbor” (Leviticus 19:17). One who rebukes another, whether for offenses against the one who rebukes him/herself or for sins against God, should administer the rebuke in private, speak to the offender gently and tenderly, and point out that the rebuke is offered for the wrongdoer’s own good, to secure for the other life in the World to Come. If the person accepts the rebuke, well and good. If not, the person should be rebuked a second, and a third time. And so one is bound to continue the admonitions, until the sinner assaults the admonisher and says, “I refuse to listen.” Whoever is in a position to prevent wrongdoing and does not do so is responsible for the iniquity of all the wrongdoers whom that person might have restrained. [Freeman translation]
הרואה חבירו שחטא או שהלך בדרך לא טובה מצוה להחזירו למוטב ולהודיעו שהוא חוטא על עצמו במעשיו הרעים שנאמר הוכח תוכיח את עמיתך (ויקרא יט:יז), המוכיח את חבירו בין בדברים שבינו לבינו, בין בדברים שבינו לבין המקום, צריך להוכיחו בינו לבין עצמו, וידבר לו בנחת ובלשון רכה ויודיעו שאינו אומר לו אלא לטובתו להביאו לחיי העולם הבא, אם קיבל ממנו מוטב ואם לאו יוכיחנו פעם שניה ושלישית, וכן תמיד חייב אדם להוכיחו עד שיכהו החוטא ויאמר לו איני שומע, וכל שאפשר בידו למחות ואינו מוחה הוא נתפש בעון אלו כיון שאפשר לו למחות בהם.
Suggested Discussion Questions

1. Who are the players in this text – seen and unseen?
2. In practice, it is very difficult to rebuke someone. What are some ways of rebuking so that the person is not shamed?
3. What social justice themes emerge from this text?

Rambam's Eight Chapters, Chapter 4
Translation Original
Goodness of heart - [falls] between meanness and excessive kindness. (And because these virtues do not have a name in our language - it is necessary to explain them and to explain what the philosophers wanted: A good heart - this is called to one for whom all his intentions are to improve the state of man with his body, his wisdom and his money to the maximum of his ability but without causing any harm or contempt. This is the middle path. The mean one - he is the opposite of this and he is one who does not want to contribute to humanity a thing, even things which he is not lacking and would not be a bother to him nor cause him damage. This is the fartherest extreme. And the excessively good heart - this is one who does all the things listed above in "good heart" but does them even when they cause him great damage, or contempt, or trouble, or great loss. This is the first extreme.) [AJWS translation]
וטוב-לב - ממצע בין הנבלה ויתרון טוב הלבב. (ומפני שאין למדות האלה שם ידוע בלשוננו - צריך לפרש עניניהם, ומה שרוצים בו הפלוסםפים: לב טוב - קוראים: מי שכל כונתו להיטיב לבני אדם בגופו, ועצתו, ובממונו בכל יכלתו, בלתי שישיגהו נזק או בזיון, והוא האמצעי. והנבל - הוא הפך זה, והוא: מי שאינו רוצה להועיל לבני אדם דבר, אפילו במה שאין לו בו חסרון, ולא טרח, ולא נזק - והוא: הקצה האחרון. ויתרון טוב הלבב - הוא: שעושה דברים הנזכרים ב"לב טוב" ואפילו אם ישיגהו בזה נזק גדול, או בזיון, או טרח רב והפסד מרבה - והוא: הקצה הראשון).
Suggested Discussion Questions

1. How can we find the middle path and contribute to humanity?
2. How do we evaluate what counts as a loss or damage to the giver?
3. How can we continue to grow as individuals and as communities while repeatedly finding the middle path?

Ibn Ezra, Exodus 22:23
ואחר שאמר לא תענון לשון רבים אמר אם... תענה, כי כל רואה אדם שהוא מענה יתום ואלמנה ולא יעזרם, גם הוא יחשב מענה:
Exodus.22.23
After it says, "Do not oppress" in the plural the language changes to be singular..., for anyone who sees a person oppressing an orphan or a widow and does not come to their aid, they will also be considered oppressors. [AJWS translation]
Suggested Discussion Questions

1. Who are the players in this text – seen and unseen?
2. What power dynamics are at play?
3. Ibn Ezra extends the responsibility of the witness. To what extent is this true in today's world? By your own measure, how are we faring?

Numbers 27:1-11
וַתִּקְרַבְנָה בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד בֶּן חֵפֶר בֶּן גִּלְעָד בֶּן מָכִיר בֶּן מְנַשֶּׁה לְמִשְׁפְּחֹת מְנַשֶּׁה בֶן יוֹסֵף וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֹתָיו מַחְלָה נֹעָה וְחָגְלָה וּמִלְכָּה וְתִרְצָה: וַתַּעֲמֹדְנָה לִפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה וְלִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְלִפְנֵי הַנְּשִׂיאִם וְכָל הָעֵדָה פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לֵאמֹר: אָבִינוּ מֵת בַּמִּדְבָּר וְהוּא לֹא הָיָה בְּתוֹךְ הָעֵדָה הַנּוֹעָדִים עַל ה' בַּעֲדַת קֹרַח כִּי בְחֶטְאוֹ מֵת וּבָנִים לֹא הָיוּ לוֹ: לָמָּה יִגָּרַע שֵׁם אָבִינוּ מִתּוֹךְ מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ כִּי אֵין לוֹ בֵּן תְּנָה לָּנוּ אֲחֻזָּה בְּתוֹךְ אֲחֵי אָבִינוּ: וַיַּקְרֵב מֹשֶׁה אֶת מִשְׁפָּטָן לִפְנֵי ה': וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר: כֵּן בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד דֹּבְרֹת נָתֹן תִּתֵּן לָהֶם אֲחֻזַּת נַחֲלָה בְּתוֹךְ אֲחֵי אֲבִיהֶם וְהַעֲבַרְתָּ אֶת נַחֲלַת אֲבִיהֶן לָהֶן: וְאֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל תְּדַבֵּר לֵאמֹר אִישׁ כִּי יָמוּת וּבֵן אֵין לוֹ וְהַעֲבַרְתֶּם אֶת נַחֲלָתוֹ לְבִתּוֹ: וְאִם אֵין לוֹ בַּת וּנְתַתֶּם אֶת נַחֲלָתוֹ לְאֶחָיו: וְאִם אֵין לוֹ אַחִים וּנְתַתֶּם אֶת נַחֲלָתוֹ לַאֲחֵי אָבִיו: וְאִם אֵין אַחִים לְאָבִיו וּנְתַתֶּם אֶת נַחֲלָתוֹ לִשְׁאֵרוֹ הַקָּרֹב אֵלָיו מִמִּשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ וְיָרַשׁ אֹתָהּ וְהָיְתָה לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְחֻקַּת מִשְׁפָּט כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה' אֶת מֹשֶׁה:
Numbers.27.1-11
The daughters of Zelophehad, of Manassite family -- son of Hepher son of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh son of Joseph -- came forward. The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the chieftains, and the whole assembly, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and they said, "Our father died in the wilderness. He was not one of the faction, Korah's faction, which banded together against God, but died for his own sin; and he has left no sons. Let not our father's name be lost to his clan just because he had no son! Give us a holding among our father's kinsmen!" Moses brought their case before God. And God said to Moses, "The plea of Zelophehad's daughters is just: you should give them a hereditary holding among their father's kinsmen; transfer their father's share to them. Further, speak to the Israelite people as follows: 'If a man dies without leaving a son, you shall transfer his property to his daughter. If he has no daughter, you shall assign his property to his brothers. If he has no brothers, you shall assign his property to his father's brothers. If his father had no brothers, you shall assign his property to his nearest relative in his own clan, and he shall inherit it.' This shall be the law of procedure for the Israelites, in accordance with God's command to Moses." [JPS translation]
Suggested Discussion Questions

1. Who are the players in this text – seen and unseen?
2. What power dynamics are at play?
3. In what ways did the laws change as a result of the women's advocacy?

Leviticus 25:35
וְכִי יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ וּמָטָה יָדוֹ עִמָּךְ וְהֶחֱזַקְתָּ בּוֹ גֵּר וְתוֹשָׁב וָחַי עִמָּךְ:
Leviticus.25.35
And if your brother becomes poor and his means fail him with you, then you shall strengthen him, be he a stranger or a settler, he shall live with you. [JPS translation]
Suggested Discussion Questions

1. Who are the players in this text – seen and unseen?
2. What power dynamics are at play?
3. How far does does our responsibility here go?
4. How would this law read if it were on a national scale, rather than a personal directive?