DEUT1038 Despite its admiration of beauty, Judaism never developed a beauty cult similar to that of the Greeks and Romans. The struggle waged against paganism and its statuary motivated the strict biblical prohibition of some forms of plastic art (Exodus 20:4). The Judaic attitude to feminine beauty is somewhat ambivalent. On the one hand, there was an instinctive impulse to sing its praises in poetic phraseology. The biblical Song of Songs attests to that inspiration. Yet the Song of Songs Is atypical among the ancient sacred and secular Jewish literary works. Indeed, had it not been for the Rabbinical allegorical interpretation of the Songs of Songs as depicting a romance between God and his people, the book would never have been included in the canon. Feminine beauty was greatly admired, but its role in provoking lust, a cardinal sin, imposed a moral restraint upon the free expression of poets and singers. The biblical law regarding a pretty heathen captive of war [this verse] warned of the potential power of beautiful women to defeat religious scruples.

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT1041 See [[DEUT190]] Deuteronomy 5:18 slave BLOCH 203-4

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT1043 Respect for man also imposes a respect for his faith and religious practices. The rabbis asserted that "the righteous people of all nations have a share in the hereafter (Tosefta, Sanhedrin 13). Judaism was tolerant of all religions except paganism, with which it was incompatible. At the time when ancient Judea was a sovereign state and the nation had the jurisdiction to enforce its laws within the borders of its country, the practice of idolatry was proscribed. However, Jews never entertained a desire to forcibly root out hedonism in other countries. There were some occasions when, for humane reasons, the practice of idolatry was tolerated even in Israel. A captive pagan woman, brought home by a Jewish soldier, was permitted to continue her heathen worship for thirty days [this verse, Yevamot 48b]. According to Maimonides (Moreh Nevuchim 3:41), this dispensation was motivated by consideration for the plight of the captive woman in a desire to provide her with the solace that you might arrive from practicing her ancestral faith. At the end of thirty days, if the soldier had a change of heart, the woman was free to return to her home, without having been forced to renounce her faith (Nachmanides, this verse).

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT1059 "Be not among bibbers of wine, among gluttonous eaters of meat." - Proverbs 23:20. Gluttony is harmful to the human body and also degrades one's character. A reckless surrender to excessive appetites reflects greed, the pursuit of self-gratification, lack of self-control, and, above all, ill-manners.… The Bible regards gluttony as a symptom of deep-seated and pervasive corruption which may eventually seek an outlet in criminal activities. This assessment gave rise to the unique biblical law of the "rebellious son." This law is expanded in the following passage: [Deuteronomy 21:18–21]. The severity of the punishment of the glutton puzzled the rabbis and evoked intense rabbinic discussion. Rabbi Jose Hagalili (2nd cent.) wondered whether a boy was to be executed merely for the crime of gluttony. He resolved the question by attributing the biblical stringency to a psychological insight into the anatomy of gluttony. "The Torah foresaw his [the rebellious son's] ultimate destiny. For in the end, after dissipating his father's wealth, he will seek to satisfy his gluttonous appetite, but being unable to do so, he will go forth at the crossroads and rob" (Sanhedrin 72a).

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT1076 The Bible's opposition to the desecration of a body extends even to the corpse of a criminal. How much more should one be careful to avoid degrading the body of a law-abiding person. Tradition prescribes the proper conduct which constitutes honor of the dead. A corpse must not be left unattended. It should be watched up to the time of the burial to prevent its desecration by rodents (Berachot 18a; Rema, Yoreh Deah 373:5). The body should be washed and cleansed (Shabbat 151a). It should be swaddled in shrouds (ibid.). The virtues of a deceased should be lauded by eulogizers (Moed Katan 8a). It is the obligation of all people living in the community of the deceased to attend the funeral service (Berachot 18a) ... even people engaged in labor or in commerce should take time out to attend the funeral service (Moed Katan 27b).

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT1121 A man may not wear a woman's garments, nor a woman, the garments of a man [this verse]. The rabbis extended this prohibition to the performance of tasks normally the function of the opposite sex. Thus they barred women from bearing arms (Nazir 59a). The modern trend toward the equality of the sexes has blurred to some extent the distinct outward appearances of each gender. The preference for unisex styles, widely accepted, no longer offends one's sense of morality. Yet the basic ethical perception reflected in the biblical prohibition of altering the hereditary traits of nature continue to pose a challenge. (Continued at [[GEN733]] Genesis 9:11 destroy BLOCH 269)

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT1123 Women's license to self-beautification did not grant them a right to create the kind of beauty which is calculated to provoke lust. The distinction between demure and vulgar beauty is the dividing line between the ethical and the immoral. The pursuit of beauty, open to women, was barred to men. A male's use of cosmetics or jewelry normally worn by women is considered an act of effemination, banned by biblical prescription [this verse].

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT1130 Biblical consideration for animals was the basis for the following laws: … It is forbidden to remove a mother bird simultaneously with its fledglings or eggs from a nest. The mother bird must be sent away to spare it the sight of the taking of its young [this verse].

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT1163 Biblical consideration for animals was the basis for the following laws: … Animals of different species may not be harnessed together to form a team for the performance of labor (Deuteronomy 22:10). Rabbi Aaron of Barcelona (13th century) asserts that the teaming up of animals of different species, which do not normally mingle and are possessed of desperate traits, is an unnatural act highly stressful to them (Sefer HaChinuch 550). He bases this injunction on a broad-based principal which is equally applicable to human associations. Incompatible partners cannot conduct a successful business. For the same reason, committees composed of incompatible members will not function properly. He cautions against associating men of education, integrity, and reasonableness with individuals who lack these qualities.

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT1277 See [[LEV969]] Leviticus 25:14 wrong BLOCH 170-1

SHOW FULL EXCERPT