Anna Rubino

SLA 150 45
Dr. Leap
November 5, 2022

Judaism and Social Justice

Introduction

One of the most predominant emphases, in Jewish teachings, is the significance of

justice. According to Hill (1998), the Jewish God (Yahweh) has exhorted His people to enforce
justice and righteousness as early as the Exodus from Egypt in 1250 BCE (p. 232). The Torah, or
Law, of God provides an outline of rules and principles to guide the behaviors of the Jewish
people (Hill, 1998, p. 232). The Torah establishes a moral standard for members of Judaism, in
which, justice is a central motif. Additionally, one of the foundational Creeds, or “…the wide
variety of ways in which people…express what matters most [to] them,” is that “…Yahweh is
not only a God of history but a God of justice. Yahweh does not tolerate injustice… (Hill, 1998,
p. 174, 234).” Empirical evidence suggests that people in the present-day United States culture
do not always practice moral righteousness, especially in their treatment of people from differing
races, religions, and beliefs.

Insights from Judaism on Social Justice

The principles of Judaism have much to say on the topic of social justice. According to
Core Ethical (2018), “Judaism may be described as an ‘ethical monotheism’…” which means
that Yahweh is the one, and only, God and it is He who oversees and dictates the moral standards
in which all people must abide by. These moral standards are communicated to His people
through the Torah. For example, Jewish followers emphasize the significance of accepting
foreigners, minorities, and other generally unwelcomed people due to their history of
enslavement in Egypt (Core Ethical, 2018). Because of the persecution the Jewish people
endured, resulting from their religious affiliation, the teachings of the religion stress the
importance of accepting “outsiders” to prevent the historical monstrosity of exclusion from
reoccurring.

Analogously, another central concept in Judaism is that of Tikkun Olam, or “repairing the
world.” According to Core Ethical (2018), as is “…articulated by the Prophets… [Tikkun Olam
is] the idea that each of us can make our contribution to making the world a better place.” This is
typically achieved by “advancing social justice” and “protecting the rights of other minority
groups.” It is through this expression of general acceptance that people will demonstrate love,
thus fostering a more righteous and just culture.

Jewish Code and Social Justice Implications

The major Code, or “moral guidelines”/” ethical codes,” of Judaism is stated in the Ten
Commandments (Hill, 1998, p. 176-177). According to the text, seven out of the Ten
Commandments reference the importance of practicing just actions toward another (Hill, 1998,
p. 234). Judaism calls its people to love and respect others, which leads to a society that
promotes justice. A blog from Richard H. Schwartz bolsters this concept by saying, “The pursuit
of a just society is one of the most fundamental concepts of Judaism (Schwartz, 2017).” He goes
on to state that the current condition of today’s culture results in an urgency to practice
righteousness. People must be proactive, rather than passively waiting for an opportunity to
promote acceptances and to support others, in implementing social justice.

Judaism’s Contribution to Social Justice

The teachings of Judaism promote peace among people. Respect, acceptance, and
kindness are the pillars of the faith. Even those who do not identify with the Jewish faith, nor
actively practice, can use the principles of Judaism to promote a more peaceful existence.
According to Faith, Religion, & Theology, Judaism has three major contributions to global
responsibility. These include hope, human responsibility, and the centrality of justice (Hill, 1998,
p. 236). Given the circumstances of the world today, the text states that the most important of
these contributions is the message of hope, or the idea of optimism, even amid sufferings.
Society can find hope in the fact that Yahweh does not forsake His people, nor does He abandon
His people in turbulent times. The idea of hope also encourages people to remember that the
world is good, even when the circumstances are not, because God created the world and said it
was good (Hill, 1998, p. 236).

The second contribution, human responsibility, represents the idea that while we rely on
God and His provisions for His people, He relies on His people to act justly and to obey the
principles elucidated in the Torah. While Yahweh is the leader of His people, it is their job to
implement the laws of their leader (Hill, 1998, p. 236-237).

Finally, the centrality of justice represents the idea that humans must maintain justice at
the center of all their actions to achieve global responsibility. Hill (1998) states that, “…
humanity will never attain shalom (peace) without tzedakah (justice) (p. 237).” People are called
to act rightly in all their actions, thoughts, and words to promote a more peaceful existence.

Personal Reflection on Judaism

I found the versatility and applicability of the principles and teachings of Judaism
surprising. I have always considered the Christian Bible to be a moral compass. Regardless of
what one believes within the contents of the Bible, it serves as an outline to guide our actions and
thoughts. The Jewish teachings fall in the same category in that, regardless of whether someone
claims Judaism as their religion, the teachings can be applied to every person’s life. The goal
among all people should be coexistence and acceptance, which ultimately leads to peace. The
teachings of Judaism contribute to greater existence among people.
References

Core Ethical Teachings of Judaism. (2018). [Review of Core Ethical Teachings of Judaism].
Israel & Judaism Studies; NSW Jewish Board of Deputies. https://www.ijs.org.au/core-
ethical-teachings-of-judaism/

Hill, B., Knitter, P. F., & Madges, W. (1998). Faith, religion & theology: a contemporary
introduction. Twenty-Third Publications.

Schwartz, R. (2017, October 17). Jewish Teachings on Social Justice [Review of Jewish
Teachings on Social Justice]. The Times of Israel. https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/jewish-
teachings-on-social-justice/