DEUT596 At the very beginning of the Torah, it states that the human being was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). Since God does not have any physical image, there are many interpretations of what this verse signifies. But it is clear that more than any other creature, man has the ability to imitate God's greatness and uniqueness through his actions. In fact, imitating God by following in His ways seems to be a prime directive of the Torah (Deuteronomy 28:9). Imitating Godly activities complement keeping the Torah's commandments [this verse]. How does a Jew, who is merely human, follow in God's footsteps when God is purely spiritual? One way to follow God is to imitate the "actions" of God in the Torah, says the Talmud. Thus, just as God visited the sick (visiting Abraham in Genesis 18:1), so too should each Jew visit the sick (Sotah 14a). Another Talmudic passage derives this commandment from a different verse (Exodus 18:20) (Bava Mezia 30b) The Midrash also uses the same verse to derive this Mitzvah–commandment, but stresses that it is inferred from the words "they shall go" in the verse, indicating that part of the commandment is to walk to visit the sick person (Midrash, Mechilta of Rabbi Yishmael, Amalek 2). Another Talmudic passage draws this commandment from yet another verse (Numbers 16:29) (Sefer Mitzvot Gedolot, positive Mitzvah 8).

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DEUT601 When the Torah commands the Jew to follow the ways of God, the Talmud asks how it is possible for a man of flesh and blood to be like the Creator of the universe. It answers that Jews are commanded to imitate God's characteristics [this verse, Deuteronomy 28:9, Sotah 14a]. Which characteristics of God are we meant to imitate? The answer is that we should perform His acts of kindness that show caring about other people, such as giving clothing to those that lack clothes, visiting the sick, and comforting the mourning. Later on that same Talmudic page says that the beginning of the Torah has the story of God's kindness to man (when God gave clothing to undeserving Adam and Eve) and also at the end of the Torah is an instance of God's kindness to a man (when God buries Moses), implying that everything in between these two stories should also be connected to kindness, as this is the essence of God and the Torah (Sotah 14a). The Torah teaches us (the word "Torah" technically translates as "that which teaches us") to follow God's lead and be kind always. In the weekday Shmoneh Esreh, the Silent Prayer, traditional Jews recite three times daily that God's ongoing kindness to all human beings in the world every day, all the time, is lauded (First and second blessings of the daily Shmoneh Esreh). In the first lesson, God is described as a God who grants great kindnesses constantly, and in the second blessing, God is described in many ways, but in particular as One who sustains the world economically, lifts those who have fallen, heals the sick, and frees those who are bound. Chofetz Chaim summarizes all of the above ideas and urges the Jew to imitate God by practicing these traits shown to man by God (Shemirat HaLashon 1:7).

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DEUT610 There is one area in which Judaism is absolutely intolerant. When ideas and actions that are completely antithetical to Jewish values are found within the Jewish community, the Torah in the book of Deuteronomy warns repeatedly to get rid of this in any form, using the words, to "remove the evil from your midst." [This verse, 17:7, 17:12, 19:19, 21:21, 22:21, 22:22, 22:24, 24:7] For the same reason, Judaism does not wish that non-Jews who live a lifestyle and belief system antithetical to Judaism should be living among Jews, as they will certainly influence their Jewish neighbors negatively. Therefore, when the Torah commands Jews not to bring an abomination into their homes, the commentaries suggest that this signifies the law not to rent or sell homes to idol worshipers who want to live within the Jewish community (Deuteronomy 7:26 with Rabbeinu Bechaye commentary). One of the 613 commandments for Jews is not to imitate the ways of non-Jews, especially the ways of the Egyptians and Canaanites, whose lifestyles are so antithetical to Judaism (Leviticus 18:3). Intolerance of idol worship and non-Jewish values is so strong that if Jews build a community of idol worshipers, it is a Torah Mitzvah, a Biblical commandment, to completely destroy that community, its inhabitants, and even its contents (Deuteronomy 13:13-19).

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DEUT617 The Talmud describes three types of individuals that God hates (and by extension, we, who are supposed to imitate God's ways, should also hate) (Pesachim 113 with Rashi commentary): 1) a person who is a hypocrite (who speaks one way but feels differently in his heart), 2) a person who has knowledge to exonerate someone in a court of law, but refuses to testify, and 3) a person who sees someone commit a terrible sin but cannot testify, since the testimony of one person has no validity in a Jewish court. Although nothing can legally be done to this person, it is permitted to hate him or her for this action. Another type of individual who may be hated is a person who tries to uproot Judaism and its values through his or her actions. The Torah speaks about this person in the parlance of the time, for what was common then--he who tries to get others to worship idols. This Jew may be hated and is not subject to the obligation to "love every Jew as oneself" (Deuteronomy 13:7-9 with Rashi commentary). Maimonides codifies this Jewish law regarding anyone who tries to uproot Judaism, and says that not only is a Jew not obligated to love this person (as every other Jew), but he or she may even hate this person (Maimonides, Sefer HaMitzvot, negative Mitzvah 17-18). Chinuch stresses the "importance" of hating such an individual even more than Maimonides does (Sefer HaChinuch, Mitzvot 457-8). Chafetz Chaim brings as examples of this idea two individuals in the Torah, Datan and Aviram, who continually try to undermine Moses and the Jewish people (Chafetz Chaim, Be'er Mayim Chaim 9).

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DEUT624 See [[NUM322]] Numbers 25:13 impassioned AMJV 168-9

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DEUT629 In the section of Midrash that discussed Jewish law, Sifri describes proper Jewish behavior in times of war. In addition to the prohibition to intentionally defeat the enemy by tactics of starvation (unless they resist all peace overtures), is also forbidden to kill the women and children in war, the "innocents" (Midrash, Sifri, Shoftim 56-57). Thus, even in obligatory war, a Jewish army should be sensitive not to cause collateral damage, whenever possible. It should be noted that this was written at a time when every other army in the world killed innocents indiscriminately, including women and children in the course of war, unless they were later "saved" for slave labor or other future (generally nefarious) uses by the soldiers. In accordance with the verses quoted above, Jewish law mandates that when fighting a conventional war, the Jews must first publicly declare their intentions to fight by sending public letters to the enemy (Maimonides, Hilchot Melachim 6:5). This allows the innocent civilians and those who do not want to fight to escape the battle scene. Unfortunately, as noted above, this tactic could not possibly be used in our situation [i.e., fighting terrorists who are located within civilian populations], since the element of surprise is a prerequisite for killing the terrorist. As soon as the Israeli army would warn the residence of an apartment house that it intends to kill the terrorist living there and that they should therefore leave the place, the element of surprise would be lost, and the terrorists would be able to escape along with the others. When fighting a Jewish war, Jewish law also forbids an army from completely surrounding the enemy (Maimonides, Hilchot Melachim 6:7). One of the reasons for this is to allow any civilians and those that do not want to fight to leave the camp or escape the city, thus preventing the bloodshed of innocent lives. Even when there is a Torah Mitzvah to completely destroy a city of idol worshipers by burning the city--Including all lives and all booty--according to the simple reading of the text, Nachmanides says that innocent women and children may not be killed (although not all opinions agree) (Deuteronomy 13:9 with Nachmanides commentary). Although this principle of not killing innocent people during a war seems obvious by twenty-first-century standards, the massacres that took place in Sudan and before that in Rwanda just a few years ago demonstrate that many nations even today do not abide by or practice this principle. At the time Nachmanides lived, and certainly in Torah times, no army observed these ethics in war except for the Jewish people. Similarly, Maimonides rules that in the course of any non--obligatory war, a Jewish army may not kill innocent women and children (Maimonides, Hilchot Melachim 6:5).

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DEUT642 See [[DEUT610]] Deuteronomy 13:6 death AMJV 355

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DEUT649 See [[LEV260]] Leviticus 18:25 vomit AMJV 211

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DEUT682 In describing the verse instructing the Jew to give ten percent of produce to the poor, the Torah repeats in the verse the verb for tithing: "Aser Ta'aser" [this verse]. The Talmud often gives a deeper explanation when any addition or repetition of a word occurs in a verse. On this verse, the Talmud states that one should tithe to the poor for the purpose of becoming rich (Ta'anit 9a). Since the letters of tithing and wealth are identical (Ayin, Shin/Shin, Resh), the verse can then be read, "Tithe so that you can attain wealth." This seems to imply that one's motivation in giving charity in Judaism is not to please God or follow His commands, but rather, in order that God reward monetarily the person for filling this commandment, and he receive back from God much more than was donated. This notion seems to contradict the overarching attitude towards serving God and performing commandments: a person should act as a servant (to God) without expectation of reward (Mishnah Avot 1:3). And yet, the Talmud clearly says that one's motivation in giving Tzedakah can be for material gain and expected wealth.

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DEUT728 … determining precedence [in giving tzedakah], even within categories, depends on how dire the situation is in each case. Rav Moshe Shternbuch…quotes Vilna Gaon on [this] verse "You shall not close your hands to the poor." When a person closes his or her hand and looks at one's fingers, they all appear to be the same length. It is only when the hand is opened that each person realizes that each finger is of a different length. This, the Torah is telling us not to close our hands to the poor and see each situation as equal. Rather, we are obligated to open our hands and see that each finger, situation, is of different length, need, and then we will be able to determine [which situation is more dire].

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