LOVE the STRANGER Exodus 22:20-23/Deuteronomy 10:18-19
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THE ETHICAL TORAH: THE SAGES SPEAK No. 14 in series LOVE THE STRANGER Exodus 22:20-23/Deuteronomy 10:18-19 Excerpts from the mussaria.org website, a compilation of Jewish ethical commentaries throughout the ages Compiled by Rabbi Arthur J. Levine, Ph.D., J.D. 2 TITLES IN THIS SERIES 1A/B The Golden Verse: Love Your Neighbor (Leviticus 19:18) 2 Imagining Man: In Our Image (Genesis 1:26-28) 3 Open Your Hand (Deuteronomy 15:7-11) 4 Talebearer/Standing Idly By (Leviticus 19:16) 5 Sin Crouches at the Door (Genesis 4:6-10) 6 Hear, O Israel (Deuteronomy 6:5-7) 7 Rebuke Thy Neighbour (Leviticus 19:17) 8 Keep Far from Falsehood (Exodus 23:1,2,7) 9 Do Not Follow Your Heart; You Shall Not Covet (Numbers 15:39, Ex. 20:14; Deut. 5:18) 10 Honoring Parents (Exodus 20:12/Leviticus 19:3/Deuteronomy 5:16) 11 Keep the Way of the Lord (Genesis 18:19) 12 Stumbling-Block Before the Blind (Leviticus 19:14) 13 Not Good to Be Alone; They Shall Be One Flesh (Genesis 2:18, 2:22-24) 14 Love the Stranger (Exodus 22:20-23/Deuteronomy 10:18-19) 15 Whosoever Sheddeth Man’s Blood (Genesis 9:5-6) 16 Return Your Enemy’s Ox; Help Him Unburden It (Exodus 23:4-5, Deuteronomy 22:1-4) 17 Will Not the Judge of the World Do Justly? (Exodus 18:23-27, 32-33) 18 Set Apart; Choose Life (Leviticus 18:3-5, 20:24-26; Deuteronomy 30:19-20) 19 The Imagination of Man’s Heart Is Evil (Genesis 6:5, 8:21) 20 Do Not Wrong Your Neighbor (Leviticus 19:13; 25:14, 17) 21 You Shall Be Holy (Ex. 19:6, 22:30; Lev. 10:3, 11:44-5, 19:2, 20:26; Deut. 10:13, 14:21) 22 Walk in His Ways (Deuteronomy 10:12, 13:5, 13:18; 28:9) 23A/B Judge Righteously; Pursue Justice (Exodus 23:2,3, 6; Lev. 19:15, 24:22; Deut. 1:16-17) 24 Everything That He Had Made … Was Very Good (Genesis 1:31) 25 For You It Shall Be Food (Genesis 1:29; Leviticus 11:3, 19, 43-45, 47; Deut. 14:21) 26 Do the Right and the Good (Exodus 15:26; Deuteronomy 6:18; 12;28) 27 The Breath of Life … A Living Soul (Genesis 2:7) 28 In What Else Shall He Sleep? (Exodus 22:24-26; Leviticus 25:36–37, Deut. 23:20–21 29 To Work and to Guard It (Genesis 2:15) 30 Let Your Brother Live; Do Not Oppress a Laborer (Lev. 19:13; 25:35; Deut. 24:14-5) mussaria.org 3 INTRODUCTION The mussaria.org website (aka “theethicaltorah.com”) compiles thousands of verbatim excerpts from Jewish ethical commentaries and organizes them by Torah verse. The website provides powerful and flexible “search” and other tools intended primarily to aid the study and teaching of ethics based in the Torah [aka the Pentateuch; “The Five Books of Moses,” being the first five books (Chumash) of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) and of the “Old Testament”], including .(sermons) רבד י ות הר the writing of This “eBooklet” series makes some of the website’s ethical materials more easily accessible by 1) highlighting Torah verses that have attracted the particular attention of Jewish ethicists, and 2) gathering excerpts from Torah verses addressing the same or similar subjects. (As to the latter, the eBooklets do not attempt a comprehensive by-subject compilation of excerpts. Moreover, many topics are addressed in multiple eBooklets. In a few cases, excerpts appear in multiple eBooklets to increase the likelihood that the reader will see them). The excerpts in this eBooklet are generally limited to those in which the authors specifically referenced (one of) the subject verse(s). Many topics are addressed in multiple verses and eBooklets. Searching the mussaria.org website using alternative keywords (and keyword stems with the * wildcard symbol) may produce additional relevant excerpts. A List of Source Keys, a Glossary of Hebrew/Aramaic terms, a Principal Verse Index, and a Topical Index appear following the excerpts in each eBooklet. Underlining and bolding within excerpts is mine, intended as a highlight aid to the reader. Also, wherever the author has spelled out the name of the Divinity, I have changed it to “G-d” and/or "L-rd,” in conformance with traditional Jewish practice not to write the Divine name. The author’s punctuation is generally retained throughout. ã 2021 Arthur J. Levine. All rights reserved. For copyright information regarding the use of the commentary excerpts in this eBooklet and in the mussaria.org website, see: https://mussaria.org/A-Word-About-Copyright It is my hope that increased attention to these verses will promote the ethical behavior that is central to Judaism and, indeed, to personal, family, and societal harmony. I wish you many blessings. Rabbi Arthur J. Levine, Ph.D., J.D. ברה ד ״ ר רהא ן ב ן כדרמ י לה ו י Fullerton, California March 2021/Adar 5781 mussaria.org 4 LOVE THE STRANGER; DO NOT WRONG THE ORPHAN AND WIDOW Exodus 22:20-231/Deuteronomy 10:18-19 גור הנות־אל אלו נצחלת ו יכ םירג־ יה םתי ץראב ׃םירצמ ץראב םתי יה םירג־ יכ ו נצחלת הנמלא־לכ ו םותי אל נעת ו ן ׃ןונתא ויוהמאל הנע־םא הנעת ותא כ י קעצ־םא י קעצ לא י עמש עמשא ותקעצ ׃ תע מאעש אקציקצם יכ ת נתהעם חוהר יפא יתגרהו םכתא ברחב יהו ו םכישנ נמלא תו נבו י םכ םי׃מתי *** שעה טפשמ םותי הנמלאו בהאו רג תתל ל ו םחל ׃הלמשו םחל ו ל תתל רג בהאו הנמלאו םותי טפשמ שעה םתאובה רגה־תא יכ םירג־ יה םתי ץראב צמ ר י ם ׃םירצ 20 And a stranger shalt thou not wrong, neither shalt thou oppress him; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. 21 Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. 22 If thou afflict them in any wise—for if they cry at all unto Me, I will surely hear their cry—23 My wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. … 18 He doth execute justice for the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. 19 Love ye therefore the stranger; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. I. Do Not Wrong the Orphan or Widow (1-28) A. Emulating the Divine (1-6) B. Protecting the Weak and The Vulnerable (7-17) C. What Constitutes to Do “Wrong”? (18-24) D. Cultivating Compassion (25-28) II. You Were Slaves (29-36) III. Anger (37) IV. Love the Stranger (38-50) Note: Underlining and bolding have been added. Excerpts addressing issues in multiple categories are placed under their predominate category. // // 1 Numbered Exodus 22:21-24 in most Christian bibles. mussaria.org 5 I. DO NOT WRONG THE ORPHAN OR WIDOW A. Emulating the Divine 1. In the Sages' view, humility is an attribute of the Almighty Himself. There is a moving Talmudic passage, included in our prayers at the end of the Sabbath: Said R. Yohanan: In every instance where you find a mention of the Holy Blessed One's greatness, there you will also find His unassuming modesty. ... It is written in the Torah, "the L-rd your G-d is G-d of gods and L-rd of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome G-d who will not be partial nor take a bribe"; and immediately afterwards it is written, "He achieves justice for the orphan and the widow, and loves the stranger, in giving him bread and clothing"… [Deut. 10:17-18, T.B. Megillah 31a]. Great in transcendent majesty is He, says the Torah -- and at once it assures us that no pride blocks His deep concern for those who need Him. So does the true Torah scholar become: his mind and vision are opened to soar to the heights and understand the loftiest and deepest matters of existence; yet he walks humbly among his fellow-men, ready to be concerned and give his help. SINAI3 272 2. The spirit of philanthropy and consideration for others, which marks most of the provisions of the [Deuteronomic] Code, breathes also from the introductory sections of Deuteronomy. Characteristic of the entire book is the following application of the doctrine of G-d's impartial justice: "He doth execute justice for the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. Love ye therefore the strangers; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt" (Deuteronomy 10:17-19). COHON 207-8 3. While benevolence may be as universal as humanity; the Torah made benevolence a positive religious obligation. G-d himself "executes justice for the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. Love ye therefore the strangers; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt" (Deut. 10:18-9). Philanthropy must mitigate the ills that grow out of social inequality and economic distress. As a phase of justice, its practice constitutes a duty both to G-d and man. What G-d desires of man, says the author of Isaiah 58, is not a fast of self-mortification, of gestures of woe and of humiliation but a fast which quickens the sense of tzedakah in its double aspect of justice and effective beneficence. COHON 222 4. Our G-d, though unique and supreme, is humble enough to be involved with ordinary people.