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Midrash from Rabbi Spivack

Midrash from Rabbi Spivack

From time to time, the Rabbi will contribute Midrash on various topics.

Basic Values of Judaism (December 24, 2004)
Last time I wrote about inspiration. Now I would like to write about the basic values of Judaism.

When we speak about the Eternal we usually think about oneness. After all, we know that the Ten Commandments in the Hebrew Bible begins with: I am the Lord thy God; and elsewhere: Hear, O Israel, the Lord thy God, the Lord is One.

But Judaism is unique among the monotheistic religions in teaching that "One" really means unique; in fact so unique as to be indefinable. Despite all of the efforts of the human mind, we can never completely understand this quality of uniqueness.

Yet, what comes through in the Torah is a Creator intimately caring about humanity, demanding justice, peace and pity for the unfortunate, and ready to hear the prayers of human beings.

Judaism has been the source of ideas about God and godliness, proclaiming that we should be holy because the Eternal is holy.

Next time I would like to write a few lines on the meaning of holiness.