Transcript Judaism and Peace - Plymouth State University

The first focus in life here on earth is
to be at peace with all men ~~ Rabbi
Joel Ben Abraham Shemariah
Leo R. Sandy
Judaism and Peace

Judaism dates back almost four thousand years,
beginning in the ancient near eastern region of
Canaan where Israel and the Palestinian territories
are now located

Judaism is a tradition grounded in the religious,
ethical, and social laws as they are articulated in the
Torah — the first five books of the Hebrew Bible

The four main movements within Judaism today are
Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and
Reconstructionist, respectively ranging from
traditional to liberal to religiously progressive in their
application of Torah
Judaism cont’d

Judaism tends to emphasize practice over belief.
Jewish worship is centered in synagogues. Jewish
religious leaders are called rabbis, who oversee the
many rituals and ceremonies essential to Jewish
religious practice
Judaism cont’d

“the norm of peace is announced as that to which
humankind – born of the dust of the earth – must
aspire if it is to realize a dimension of spiritual
existence that is, and has eternally been, the ultimate
criterion for its achievement of a life lived in God’s
image. Indeed, it is the very essence of the prophet’s
mission to awaken this aspiration to the life of the
spirit in ancient Israel” (Gordon & Grob, 1987,p. 33).
Judiasm cont’d

Also, in the rabbinic tradition as stated in Sanhedrin,
37a, “Therefore one man was created…to teach you
that he who kills one soul, of him it is said that it is as
if he had killed an entire world for he destroys all that
would have come from that one person, and he who
saves the life of one person, of him it is as if he had
saved an entire world” (Gordon & Grob, 1987, p.34).
(This compares nicely with a passage from the Holy
Qur’an, 5:33: “The taking of one innocent life is like
taking all of Mankind... and the saving of one life is
like saving all of Mankind”)
Judaism cont’d

Judaism has a long history in the promotion of peace
and social justice. For example, a major mantra and
inspiration of the world-wide peace movement has its
origins in Judaism: “They shall beat their swords into
plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither
shall they learn war any more”

“the norm of peace is announced as that to which
humankind – born of the dust of the earth – must aspire if
it is to realize a dimension of spiritual existence that is,
and has eternally been, the ultimate criterion for its
achievement of a life lived in God’s image. Indeed, it is
the very essence of the prophet’s mission to awaken this
aspiration to the life of the spirit in ancient Israel”
(Gordon & Grob, 1987)
Judaism cont’d

Judaism tends to emphasize practice over belief.
Jewish worship is centered in synagogues, which
completely replaced the Second Temple after its
destruction in 70 C.E. Jewish religious leaders are
called rabbis, who oversee the many rituals and
ceremonies essential to Jewish religious practice
Judaism cont’d

From the Genesis Rabbah (38:6) it is stated that
“Great is peace, because if the Jews were to practice
idolatry, and peace prevailed among them at the
same time, God would say, ‘I cannot punish them,
because peace prevails among them”’ (Gordon &
Grob, 1987, p. 35).

Shalom “derives from a Hebrew root meaning
‘wholeness’ or ‘completeness, the state of positive
well-being that…is our task as God’s workers to help
realize” (Gordon & Grob, 1987, p. 42)
Judaism cont’d

The resolution of conflict through nonviolent means
is best expressed in Psalm, 99:4 (Tanhuma Yashon,
Mispatim I): Two donkey-drivers who were walking
by the way hated each other. One of their donkeys sat
down. His companion saw it, and passed on. When
he had passed, he thought: It is written in the Torah,
‘if you see the ass of one who hates you…you shall
surely help him to lift it up’. Immediately, he
returned and loaded with him. He (the former) began
to say to himself: So-and-so is thus my friend and I
did not know. Both entered an inn and ate and drank.
Who is Responsible for making that peace? The fact
that the latter looked into the Torah. Accordingly, it is
written: ‘Thou has established righteousness’”
(Gordon & Grob, 1987, p. 39).
Judaism and Peace

Tikkun Olam is also a phrase that highlights the
peaceful nature of Judaism. It “ literally means ‘world
repair.’ It is commonly used to refer to the pursuit of
social action and social justice

Judaism, like other major religions, has a mandate to
seek peace and justice in the world , and it calls on all
of us to make strong efforts in that endeavor because
of and regardless of religious orientation.

The great majority of Jews are peaceful people
thereby giving testimony to Judaism as a peaceful
religion
Judaism and Peace

Jewish Voice for Peace is an active peace and social justice
organization: https://jewishvoiceforpeace.org/

Fr. Bruno Hassar, a Catholic priest, founded Neve
Shalom/Wahat al-Salam, an interfaith village where Jews, and
Arabs live, learn, and work together: http://wasns.org/

Rabbi Michael Lerner has been a strong voice for peace and
social justice: http://www.tikkun.org/nextgen/

Judaism and Peace:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judaism_and_peace
Judaism cont’d

Other organizations include
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Brit Tzedek v’Shalom Center for Jewish Nonviolence
Jews for Justice for Palestinians
Neturei Karta: Jews United Against Zionism Rabbis for Human Rights
Refuser Solidarity Network
Quotes

By three things is the world sustained: justice, truth
and peace ~~ Avot 1:17

The work of righteousness shall be peace ~~ Isaiah
(Yesha’yahu) 32:17


Who is a hero? The man that turns an enemy into a
friend ~~ Avot Derabbi Nathan
If you cannot find peace within yourself, it profits
not to seek it elsewhere ~~ S. Hurvitz
Videos

Why Do We Say Shabot Shalom?

What is Judiasm?
References

Why do we say Shabbat Shalom?. Retrieved from
http://www.aish.com/v/sp/Why-Do-We-SayShabbat-Shalom.html

Gordon, H., & Grob, L.(Eds) (1987). Education for
peace. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis

Perkins, R., Sandy, L., & Green, A. PeaceTalk.
Unpublished manuscript

What is Judiasm? Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buhBtLWzSU
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