Babylonian Talmud

Rodkinson 1918 — source 20, scan section 30

duties. They say, "The world (human society) rests on three things — on justice, on truth and on peace." Justice. The principle of justice in the moral sense is expressed in the following rules : " Thy neighbor's property must be as sacred to thee as thine own." "Thy neighbor's honor must be as dear to thee as thine own." Hereto belongs also the golden 88 THE HISTORY OF THE TALMUD. rule of Hillel: "Whatever would be hateful to thee, do not to thy neighbor." Truth and Truthfulness. The sacredness of truth and truthfulness is expressed in the sentence : "Truth is the signet of God, the Most Holy." " Let thy yea be in truth, and thy nay be in truth." "Truth lasts forever, but falsehood must vanish." Admonitions concerning faithfulness and fidelity to given promises are: "Promise little and do much." "To be faith- less to a given promise is as sinful as idolatry." "To break a verbal engagement, though legally not binding, is a moral wrong." Of the numerous warnings against any kind of de- ceit, the following may be mentioned: "It is sinful to deceive any man, be he even a heathen," "Deception in words is as great a sin as deception in money matters." When, says the Talmud, the immortal soul will be called to accoimt before the divine tribunal, the first question will be, " Hast thou been honest and faithful in all thy dealings with thy fellow-men? " Peacefulness. Peace and harmony in domestic life and social intercourse as well as in pubHc affairs are considered by the Talmudic sages as the first condition of human welfare and happiness, or as they express it: "Peace is the vessel in which aU God's blessings are presented to us and preserved by us." "Be a disciple of Aaron, loving peace, and pursuing peace." To make peace between those in disharmony is regarded as one of the most meritorious works that secure happiness and bliss here and hereafter. As virtues leading to peace, those of mildness and meek- ness, of gentleness and placidity are highly praised and recom- mended. "Be not easily moved to anger." "Be humble to thy superior, affable to thy inferior, and meet every man with friendliness." "He who is slow to anger, and easily pacified, is truly pious and virtuous." "Man, be ever soft and pliant like a reed, and not hard and unbending like the cedar." "Those who, when offended, do not give offence, when hearing slighting remarks, do not retaliate — they are the friends of God, they shall shine forth like the stin in its glory." ETHICS. 80 Charity. The last of the principal duties to fellow-men is charity, which begins where justice leaves off. Professor Steinthal, in his work on General Ethics, remarks that among the cardinal vir- tues of the ancient philosophers we look in vain for the idea of love and charity, Vv^hereas in the teachings of the Bible, we generally find the idea of love, mercy and charity closely con- nected with that of justice. And we may add, as in the Bible so also in the Talmud, where charity is considered as the highest degree in the scale of duties and virtues. It is one of the main pillars on which the welfare of the human world rests. The duty of charity (Gemilath Chesed) extends farther than to mere almsgiving (Tzedaka). "Almsgiving is practised by means of money, but charity also by personal services and by words of advice, sympathy and encouragement. Alms- giving is a duty towards the poor only, but charity towards the rich as well as the poor, nay, even towards the dead (by taking care of their decent burial)." By works of charity man proves to be a true image of God, whose attributes are love, kindness and mercy. "He who turns away from works of love and charity turns away from God. ' ' ' ' The works of charity have more value than sacrifices ; they are equal to the performance of all religious duties." Concerning the proper way of practising this virtue, the Talmud has many beautiful sentences, as : " The merit of chari- table works is in proportion to the love with which they are practised." " Blessed is he who gives from his substance to the poor, twice blessed he who accompanies his gift with kind, comforting words." "The noblest of all charities is enabling the poor to earn a livelihood." He who is unable to give much shall not withold his little mite, for "as a garment is made up of single threads, so every single gift contributes to accom- plish a great work of charity." Duties concerning Special Relations. Besides these principal duties in relation to fellow-men in general, the Talmud treats also very elaborately of duties con- cerning the various relations of life. Not intending to enter 90 THE HISTORY OF THE TALMUD. here into all details, we shall restrict ourselves to some of its ethical teachings in reference to the domestic relations, and regarding the relation to the country and the community. The Conjugal Relation. "First build a house and plant a vineyard {i.e., provide for the means of the household), and then take a wife." " Let youth and old age not be joined in marriage, lest the purity and peace of domestic life be disturbed." "A man's home means his wife." " Let a man be careful to honor his wife, for he owes to her alone all the blessings of his house." " If thy wife is small, bend down to her, to take counsel from her." "Who is rich? He who has a noble wife." "A man should be careful lest he afflict his wife, for God counts her tears." "If in anger the one hand removed thy wife or thy child, let the other hand again bring them back to thy heart." "He who loves his wife as his own self, and honors her more than him- self, and he who educates his children in the right way, to him applies the divine promise: Thou shalt know that there is peace in thy tent." "Tears are shed on God's altar for the one who forsakes the wife of his youth." "He who divorces his wife, is hated before God." Parents and Children. "Parental love should be impartial, one child must not be preferred to the other." "It is a father's duty not only to provide for his minor children, but also to take care of their instruction, and to teach his son a trade and whatever is neces- sary for his future welfare." "The honor and reverence due to parents are equal to the honor and reverence due to God." "Where children honor their parents, there God dwells, there He is honored." Country and Community. Regarding duties to the country and the community, the Rabbis teach: "The law of the country is as sacred and bind- ing as God's law." " Pray for the welfare of the government ; without respect for the government, men would swallow each ETHICS. 91 other." "Do not isolate thyself from the community and its interests." "It is sinful to deceive the government regard- ing taxes and duties." "Do not aspire for public offices; but where there are no men, try thou to be the man." " Those