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Essay on The Core Ethical Teachings of Judaism

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The core ethical teachings of Judaism are the Commandments of the Torah, the Prophetic Vision and the Book of Proverbs. These ethical teachings are all ultimately derived from the Jewish Bible or Tanakh. The importance of these teachings are to provide Jewish adherents with informed moral choices. One of the most important ethical issues that a Jewish adherent may face is pollution, decisions must be made in favor of methods that involve less rather than greater destruction to the earth because according to Bal Toshkit in the Prophetic Vision, the destruction of God’s creation is prohibited.

The commandments of the Torah provide Jewish adherents with ethical and moral teachings of Judaism. The commandments of the Torah contain: the 613 …show more content…

The prophetic vision or Tikkun Olam is a Jewish principle of a commitment to social justice and social order. The phrase Tikkun Olam means ‘the repairing of the world’ and refers to the righting of wrongs and giving of charity and compassion. Tikkun Olam underpins a Jewish way of life that works towards a time of peace not only putting an end to war, but a time where everyone experiences success, health and justice. Today Tikkun Olam can be performed by adherents by giving tzedakah or gemilut chasadim. Tzedakah requires the giving away of a material possession, the type or amount of the possession is up to the adherent. Gemilut chasadim is the giving of a person’s time and energy, gemilut chasadim is considered the more important of the two, examples of gemilut chasadim include: feeding the hungry, providing hospitality, visiting the sick, and clothing the naked. It is stated that "There shall be no needy among you" (Deuteronomy 15: 4) meaning that the rich should donate to those less fortunate through tzedakah and gemilut chasadim, so that there are no less fortunate people. In order for adherents to follow and achieve the principles of the Tikkun Olam which are repairing the world, an adherent must be charitable and compassionate through tzedakah or gemilut chasadim.

The Book of Proverbs contain ethical and moral instructions that stresses wisdom,

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