However, they accept that some criminals are so dangerous, society needs to be protected from them and they need to be in prison. The welfare of those in prison is of key importance and many Jews may campaign for prison reform, visit prisoners or vote for a political party that reflects their views on treating people equally. Most Jews believe that criminals can be reformed and that the justice system should reflect this. There are many statements in the Torah and the Tenakh about treating people fairly and maintaining fair justice systems:.
What does Judaism say about crime? The Code consists of the seven laws listed in the Talmud : believe and trust in God - prohibition of idolatry respect the sanctity of life - prohibition of murder Respect the rights and property of others - prohibition of theft respect family values - prohibition of sexual immorality respect and praise God - prohibition of blasphemy respect animal rights - prohibition of eating flesh taken from an animal while it is still alive responsibility for society - establishment of courts of law Most Jews also accept that human beings have free will and that crime is often caused by humans misusing their free will and not doing what is morally right.
Gerama and Garme. Agunah Abandoned Wife. Different Kind of Hostage. Business Ethics. Ransoming of Captives. Consumer Protection. Contempt of Court. Environmental Sciences. Law and Morality. Medical Ethics. The rabbis seem to teach that the condition of sin is subsequent to an act of sin. The Bible seems to indicate that we commit sin because we are sinners. The most common of these opinions is that of the yetzer ha tov and the yetzer ha ra the good inclination and the evil inclination.
This concept states that we have the potential for both good and evil and that it is up to us to choose. However, this view is often expressed more as a tip of the hat to Jewish folklore than as a true problem in need of a solution. Like the "evil eye," it is part of our tradition, not part of our present reality. Many views of sin that are espoused by the jewish community today often parallel non-Jewish thought, whether inspired by psychology or the many variations of New Age religion or philosophy.
The former seeks to shift blame while the latter denies the problem. In New Age thought we are all part of God, rather than the biblical view of a Creator separate from his creation. The nature of good and evil has been discussed and debated since the dawn of philosophy. In our time the notion of evil is often explained away or relabeled. Allan Bloom, in his book, The Closing of the American Mind , recognized this tendency among modern American university students.
When asked who they thought was evil, their only response was Adolph Hitler. Bloom remarked,. They have no idea of evil; they doubt its existence. Hitler is just another abstraction, and item to fill up an empty category.
Although they live in a world in which the most terrible deeds are being performed and they see brutal crime in the streets, they turn aside. Perhaps they believe that evil deeds are performed by persons who, if they got the proper therapy, would not do them again—that there are no evil deeds, not evil people.
There is no inferno in this comedy. It is easy to recognize sins of the very sinful; murderers, rapists and child molesters immediately come to mind. These acts remain distant from us, usually foreign to our own experiences.
The evening news presents us with radical examples of sin, causing us to wonder how and why such evil still exists "in this day and age. Our age of advanced technology has not found a way to deal with the age-old problems of the human heart. Bigotry, hatred and greed still abound.
The political process also offers us a unique glimpse into the human condition. No candidate ever comes through the mudslinging sessions without ending up all muddy.
Even the best are less than spotless. Dirt is always disclosed to reveal the "true identity" of the opponent. It then becomes our choice of the lesser of two evils. Does the political process create their problems, or does it merely spotlight the imperfections?
What is it that gets "brought out" anyhow? Where does it come from, and why do we spend so much time denying it, covering it up or accusing others of having more of it than we do? Our imperfections were dismissed because they were seen as "only human. Psychologists today have begun to acknowledge this. Surely, we are not all okay—we have seen the enemy and it is us.
What about the people who do not commit the "big" sins, who are not in the political or social spotlight and who do not even come from "dysfunctional" families? In the eyes of the larger community they are okay, perhaps even righteous. But the most dangerous sins are the ones that are unseen by others, the ones that fester in our hearts, for which we remain unrepentant. All "okay, nice and righteous" people fall into this category.
It may involve the choices made to protect our egos even at the expense of others. Or it may involve our desire to have our own needs met on demand as if we deserve something in this life.
It might also come about as we defame or judge others, as if we ourselves are in a position to judge. Some of us might take credit for good deeds or talents given by God as though we deserve glory and God doesn't. And what about the "little white lies," as well as the not-so-little ones?
Which person does not decide that his or her way of following God or not following God is acceptable or good enough in their own sight? All of these are subtle ways of saying to God, "My will, not your will, be done! We all experience and understand that sin is a problem whether or not we deny it, relabel it, or disagree on its point of origin. This is a reality we all must face.
God sent the Hebrew prophets to hold a mirror that shows us as we are, as well as how we act. In this video, Rabbi Deborah Waxman offers a High Holiday message of hope in spite of the problems confronting the world and the personal travails we all face. It begins with a letter to parents suggesting themes to think about during the holiday season. Phone Email Click here to contact us. Skip to main content.
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