LEV1110 The ethics of Judaism is built upon its teaching concerning the freedom of the will, which endows man with the moral power to determine what he will do or leave undone, with the capacity to vanquish his sinful impulses, and to sanctify himself in disposition, intent, and open action. But by that, in addition, it also lays upon him a great responsibility. The teaching of Judaism regarding reward and punishment is founded upon this responsibility. Its conception of the consequences of good and evil developed in Judaism from naive hope for reward and fear of punishment in the beginning to the very highest ethical consciousness in the end: “The reward of a good deed is a good deed, and the punishment of sin is a sin.” [Avot 4:2 - AJL]. The Jewish philosophers of religion all agree (there is only one opinion on the subject) that in the Biblical writings promise of reward and threat of punishment have for their aim the education of the people, according to their powers of apprehension, in the observance of the Divine commandments and the living of an immaculate life (compare also PP. 138-139, VI, 1). Therefore, as a reward for doing what is pleasing in the sight of God, earthly welfare at first is promised, and earthly trials are threatened as punishment for the transgression of the Divine commandments (Leviticus xxvi. 3ff.; Deuteronomy vii. 9f.; xi. 13ff.; xxviii. 1ff.). But even this teaching does not confine reward and punishment merely to the personal destiny of the individual; on the contrary, it declares that the righteousness practiced by the individual and the community carries an entail of happiness and welfare for the community, just as for evil practices the individual and the community are punished. The happiness promised in the Torah and in the prophetic writings is not merely material and personal, but ideal conditions for the community are included: undisturbed peace, public welfare and social harmony, in which all participate and through which alone man's spiritual ascent is made possible.