EXOD913 Between … accusations of ingratitude, the Bible describes all of the many kindnesses and benefits God has bestowed upon Israel, from their liberation from Egypt through all of the tribulations in the wilderness, that should have evoked thankfulness and loyalty. But arguments of this kind assume that somehow the moral obligation to show gratitude is acknowledged even by those who are prepared to repudiate the covenant and what it calls for. The frequent appeals to Israel to obey the covenant contain a covert argument suggested by the term "covenant," I.e., an agreement formally entered into by two or more parties. This is taken most seriously by the Bible as obligating, first, God, who has promised to bring these people into the promised land and preserve them, and second, the people collectively and individually, who freely committed themselves to the terms of the covenant. When the people proclaimed "we will do and we will obey" [this verse], the covenant became binding upon the community of Israel, "not only upon those that standeth here with us this day but also with him that is not here with us this day" --namely, our future generations to be born into the community of Israel (Deuteronomy 29:14). But this argument as well rests upon a presupposition that one ought to keep a promise, honor an agreement, stand behind one's word. Thus, while the Torah contains a moral code revealed by God to Israel, it is urged upon Israel because of moral principles of gratitude and promise-keeping, with the implication that these are somehow binding prior to the Siniatic covenant. This is consistent with the points made earlier that rabbinic tradition, in its concept of the seven mitzvot of the sons of Noah, assumed a basic morality known to all men. However, it is nowhere stated that the original Noahide mitzvot were formally accepted or a covenant entered into, so that primal man might have raised the question: "Why ought I to obey the commands of my creator?" One could, of course, respond in terms of reward and punishment, but that would involve considerations of prudence rather than morality. The only answer that suggests itself is the factor of gratitude: man ought to obey his creator out of gratitude for the gift of existence. But how do we know that a person ought to show gratitude to his benefactor? If we accept the proposition that a moral "ought" cannot be logically derived from "is" premises, then we are compelled to say that somehow these basic moral principles, such as gratitude and promise-keeping, are self-evident in the sense that any rational human being who understands the meaning of these words will immediately perceive an intrinsic relation of fittingness between the emotions we call gratitude and the person we call benefactor. This relation of fittingness is what we refer to as right in the moral sense and this must be said to incorporate the concept of "ought." For it would appear to be a self-contradiction to say: "I know this is right, but I don't think I ought to do it." But if to perceive the right is to perceive the ought, which is the moral obligation to do the right, then to acknowledge the self-evidence of certain right relationships is to acknowledge the self-evidence of certain moral obligations. Returning now to the observation that the ultimate appeal of the Bible seems to be to gratitude and promise-keeping, we are led to the conclusion that in Judaism the self-evidence of these moral obligations is assumed. Logically speaking, it is not the case that I do what is right because this is obedience to God but rather I obey God because it is right to do so. The teaching "derekh eretz precedes the Torah" may be interpreted not only in a chronological sense but in a logical sense. This is strongly implied by the following rabbinic teaching: "Why were the Ten Commandments not given at the beginning of the Torah? This may be compared to a person who came to a land and said to the inhabitants, "I will rule over you." The inhabitants replied, "What have you done for us that you should rule over us?" Upon which the stranger built for them a wall, brought in water, led them in battle, and then said again, "I will rule over you." They replied, "Yes, yes." So, too, the Almighty liberated Israel from Egypt, split for them the sea, caused manna to fall, and brought forth water. Then He said to them, "I will rule over you." They answered, "Yes, yes."(Mekhilta on Exodus 5). The suggestion here is that acceptance of the commandments is based upon gratitude for services rendered.
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