GEN964 Why did our forefathers earn the right to this world, to the Messianic era, and to the world to come? – because they habituated themselves to giving charity.   Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses, Aaron, David and his son, Solomon, were praised only for their charity.   From where do we learn concerning Abraham? – As it is said [this verse].  AHAVCH 155

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

GEN961 We are obligated to be more observant of the commandment of charity than of any other positive commandment, for charity is the sign of the righteous of the seed of Abraham, as it is written [this verse].   Mishneh Torah, Laws of Gifts to the Poor 10:1 (By Uzi Weingarten and the Editors) DORFF-RUTTENBERGSOC 6

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

GEN962 We often find [God] identified to us by way of our forefathers, as it says “Y-H-V-H, the God of your forefathers, the God of Avraham, the God of Yitzchak, the God of Ya’akov, has sent me to you.  This is My Name for all eternity” Exodus 3:15.   The reason for this is that He is identified to us through that which has given us knowledge of him, namely, the tradition of our fathers, from whom we have inherited [knowledge of] His ways, as it says: [this verse].   DUTIES 1

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

GEN965 Are Jews guilty of arrogant pretensions to racial or at least spiritual superiority? Is this the reason that Jews have historically been so insular? Do they really believe themselves to be closer to God than all other nations? The answer is an emphatic no. Chosenness implies greater responsibility, with penalties as well as rewards; “You only have I singled out of all the families of the earth; therefore I will visit upon you all your iniquities.” The choice of the children of Israel as God’s people was not because of their power or merit. Nor was it designed to isolate them from the other nations of the world. To say that the concept of chosenness is arrogant behavior on the part of the Jews is a gross misrepresentation. On the contrary, it is a humbling device. The Jews were not merely chosen as God’s special people, as if the Almighty was playing favorites.   They were chosen for a mission. And that mission was to spread the knowledge of the Creator and His expectations of man to all nations. … The bible never uses the word chosen in relation to the Jews as an adjective, but rather as a verb, thereby conveying the idea that they were chosen for a purpose.  God has no favorite nations. Consider, “No, for I have chosen him, that he may charge his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice: so that the Lord may bring about for Abraham what he has promised him” [this verse] Amos 3:2.   BOTEACH 277

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

GEN967 Jewish ethics is, of course, not only about avoiding wrongdoing.   Rather, we have a greater mandate to go beyond the ethics of the “do no harm” principle and the responsibility to repair the world from its brokenness.  We are asked to partner with others to help meet our potential for moral leadership.   As a nation, we are commanded to commit to being laasot tzedakah u’mispat—a nation enacting justice.   Setting positive examples that cultivate leadership in our communities is vital to the Jewish moral enterprise and to the creation of a vibrant, just society.   (By Shmuly Yanklowitz) DORFF-RUTTENBERGSOC 19

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

GEN968 Within Judaism there have been divergent currents of thought, but on this one point there has always been agreement and an ever increasing insistence, namely, that piety and the fear of God are grounded in moral action and that man can only apprehend God as he realizes that in the fulfillment of the good lies the raison d’etre of his existence.   FOJE 20

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

GEN966 “Atonement by Repentance” is a cardinal teaching. An important day in the year (Yom Kippur) is dedicated to this belief.   No vicarious savior, no miracle or sacrament can achieve for him what only his own life and conduct can do. This goal is advocated for the whole of mankind as well as for each individual. The true purpose of existence and the real nature of faith are to be found only in the dispensation of goodness and in the amelioration of suffering. To spur the Jew on this Elijah-like task of succor and reconciliation, the moral commandments have been given – sign-posts at every turn of his path, admonishing, encouraging the pilgrim on his progress.   This is what Judaism means to the thoughtful Jews – a task to be fulfilled and a mission to be borne. As a nation, Israel will survive on its own land if it displays a readiness to serve mankind and a determination to fulfill itself through ethical conduct in diplomacy and statecraft. No other guarantee for the survival of our nation is valid; no other raison d’etre of our individual lives is deserving of consideration.   [this verse; Isaiah 1:16-17, 41:1; Jeremiah 31:31-33; Micah 6:8; Psalm 15, 24:3-5; Proverbs 8:13; Job 28. ]. LEHRMAN 169-70

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

GEN974 Judaism’s greatest blessing for a person is a family that follows in his or her footsteps.  One of the blessings in the morning prayers with which we beseech God is that Torah should be sweet not only in our mouths, but in the mouths of our children, grandchildren, and all those that are born from our family.   Taanit 5b. Thus, the continuity of Judaism through family is paramount in Judaism.  Although he did not succeed in achieving the perfect, united family, Abraham understood its importance, and God recognized Abraham’s greatness for understanding its significance (more important than all the other things he did in his life).   [This verse]. Specifically, when God wanted to destroy the city of Sodom, the Almighty said I cannot hide my plans from Abraham, not because he is righteous or has withstood my tests, but because he will instruct his children after him to uphold the commandments of God.   AMEMEI 71  

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

GEN972 In pointing to nearly every admirable individual both in the Scripture and in the Talmud, the role models of Jewish life were based almost solely on how they interacted with other human beings, and not on how they interacted with God.  The very first Jew, Abraham, is singled out for being special because he would teach his children (and they would in turn teach their children, until today) about kindness and the importance of justice and righteousness.   This verse is placed in the Torah right before Abraham argues with God about the five cities of evil people (including Sodom) that God was about to destroy, when Abraham convinced God not to destroy them if there were only ten righteous men living in the cities.  And Abraham had never even met any of the people in these cities who would shortly die!   Almost every other leadership figure in the Torah is also described in terms of man-to-man kindness, and not piety to God.  AMJV 155-6

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

GEN971 At the outset, it must be pointed out that Judaism extols the proper upbringing of children above all virtues. Indeed, it was this very mitzvah that served as the consideration of the Covenant that was established between Almighty God and Abraham. In the words of the Torah: “Ki y’dativ” – “I love him (says the Almighty of Abraham) for he instructs his sons and his daughters [Some commentators say that bonov has reference to “sons” while beiso refers to “daughters.”] so that they will follow the path of God in practicing righteousness and justice. [this verse]   It should be emphasized that insofar as laws affecting the behavior of women are concerned, a father is just as obligated to teach these precepts to his daughter as he is to teach Torah to his son.   BUILD 11

SHOW FULL EXCERPT