GEN649 The Torah has a skeptical view of human nature, although it is by no means hopeless about people’s capacity to change and improve.  In Genesis, God, disappointed by humankind’s propensity for violence and dishonesty, laments [this verse].  This does not mean that we are born bad, or as certain Christian groups believe, damned (hence the need for baptism), but it also means that we are not born good (and corrupted by society, as Enlightenment thinkers taught).  Rather, human beings are born morally neutral, with strong inclination toward evil. Children, for example, are born self-absorbed, and have to be educated toward sharing, empathy, and generosity.  … Because of the Bible’s assumption that human nature cannot be relied upon to ensure that people do what is right, Jewish law does not issue general edits on matters of ethics, such as “Be generous,” when it comes to giving to charity.  If there were no specific guidelines on how much to donate, many people would regard themselves as having fulfilled this command by giving small sums of money to other in need.  Hence Jewish law speaks of donating between ten and twenty percent of one’s net income to charity. Jewish law prescribes numerous other ethical acts, the practice of which refine our natures and lead us to goodness. The Jewish view of human nature would seem to be “Do good and you will become a good person in spite of yourself.”  Therefore, at the heart of Judaism’s teaching on how to improve our character is the mitzvah (commandment), the obligatory deed.  TELVOL 1:33-4