Chapter 28 Part 2

Jewish Justice

“Justice is care for the vulnerable, these people on the margins of society?”

“Ultimately, yes. In the days of the early tribes of Israel, these four groups relied on the help of the tribe for their survival. The mishpat, or justness, of a society is evaluated by how it treats the vulnerable. Any neglect is not only a lack of charity but a violation of justice. Jews believe this because as God loves us equally, so should we. When Jews say that we are to do justice, we mean we are fulfilling the obligations of mishpat that God has placed on us.”

Jude was not a spiritual man. Despite being the son of Martin Royer, he preferred not to dwell on matters of faith. To look too closely at the teachings of his faith only reminded him of the great sins he must answer for someday.

“Justice is dependent on God?” he slowly asked, his suspicions and fears emerging again.

“Justice reflects God, Mr. Royer,” said Mrs. Gratz. “In the Psalms, God is introduced as a father to the fatherless and a defender of widows. God identifies with the powerless and wants us to support them. The Torah also give us many reminders that God is the defender of the poor and dispossessed. When we do justice, we are acting for God on this earth.”

“The quartet of the vulnerable are invisible in the other ancient justices,” Jude commented. He realized it was also a justice already familiar to him. He could see this attention to the plights of the poor in the Christian teachings at the plain country church he attended with his family, and in his father’s lectures. The world of the Greeks and Romans became distant once more. But he was still cautious, needing to learn more before he could ever trust a justice from God.

Mrs. Gratz patted his knee. “There is a second concept to Jewish justice too. While we must have a lasting concern for the poor, there is more to justice than mishpat. This is explained by a Hebrew word that can be translated as ‘being just,’ or ‘being righteous.’ The word is tzadeqah. When the rabbi speaks of tzadeqah, he is speaking of a life of just relationships among men.”

“Do you mean as in virtues?”

“You are thinking of a righteousness that tells you to be a virtuous person through the correct personal behavior?”

Jude nodded, thinking of the Greek cardinal virtues.