R. Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin, Meshiv Davar,Leviticus 19:14
Suggested Discussion Questions
1. What is the relationship between maintaining harmony and caring for the disabled?
2. How does human behavior reflect upon God? Is this a concrete argument for social justice and activism?
Rambam, Laws of Kings 10:12
Translation | Original |
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Our sages commanded us to visit the non-Jewish sick and to bury the non-Jewish dead along with the Jewish dead, and support the non-Jewish poor along with the Jewish poor for the sake of peace. As it says, “God is good to all and God’s mercies extend over all God’s works” (Psalms 145:9), and “[The Torah’s] ways are pleasant and all its paths are peace” (Proverbs 3:17). [AJWS translation] |
אפילו העכו"ם צוו חכמים לבקר חוליהם, ולקבור מתיהם עם מתי ישראל, ולפרנס ענייהם בכלל עניי ישראל, מפני דרכי שלום. הרי נאמר טוב ה' לכל ורחמיו על כל מעשיו, ונאמר דרכיה דרכי נועם וכל נתיבותיה שלום.
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1. What does it meant to do something for the sake of peace? What other reasons are there to do things?
2. Why do you think that it becomes a Jews responsibility to take care of the non-Jewish sick, etc?
Deuteronomy 4:9
רַק הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ וּשְׁמֹר נַפְשְׁךָ מְאֹד פֶּן תִּשְׁכַּח אֶת הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ וּפֶן יָסוּרוּ מִלְּבָבְךָ כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ וְהוֹדַעְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ וְלִבְנֵי בָנֶיךָ:
Suggested Discussion Questions
1. Who are the players in this text – seen and unseen?
2. What power dynamics are at play?
3. What social justice themes emerge from this text?
Leviticus 25:35
1. Is it saying that there is no separation between your brother and a stranger?
Isaiah 1:17
1. Why isn't the "stranger" mentioned here?