‘Good’ is first learnt through our physical enjoyment of the world. We know what feels ‘good’.
Some remain at that animal level. From this we advance to appreciating abstract or moral good. However, the mature mind soon grasps that ultimate abstract good – a feeling of personal achievement.
We were hard-wired to feel the exhilaration of this. Thus the next step is how that ‘good’ feeling of personal achievement is to be accomplished at its highest level.
It needs effort and challenge, for we are all aware that merely being a passive beneficiary – a cow in a field – ultimately destroys a person. Spoilt children are an unnecessary tragedy – and they soon learn this to their parents’ shame.
We need to feel that we have made an effort and done our best. And there must be that endeavour. Indeed, free handouts are called the ‘bread of shame’ in the Talmud.
One concept of ‘Hell’ is the intense shame of not having earned our existence.
Of course, a person can say that he is happy to receive free handouts and avoid any effort. However this brazenness means that he has excluded himself from the system and indeed he is left to float through life – smugly pleased to be a meaningless accident of fate.
He may even be a ‘good’ person. But he has missed achieving his highest purpose and understanding that last ‘Why?’ He can honestly ask, ‘Why was I here?’ Perhaps for others to learn from.
How to Activate the System of Achievement
How should the rest of us activate the system – achieve that prize – that feeling of achievement? At a simple level, we could choose to be a heroic doctor, mountaineer or suicide bomber. But how can we be sure these are the ultimate ‘good’? All man-made definitions have failed.
We must ensure that we have an irrefutable frame of reference. Jews have precisely this, personally given to your family by its Creator. It is all there. The Torah as explained by the Oral Law. Judicially proven beyond any reasonable doubt.
This is a balanced system of ‘good’ within moral boundaries not invented by man. Simply being kind and forgiving to all, in any circumstances has produced our sick, selfish society – ‘You must allow my sins, because I allow yours.’ This is the ultimate definition of chaos and merely a polite version of the law of the jungle.
Eye For An Eye Explained: ‘Morality’ versus ‘Good’
It is the Talmud that establishes that the Torah’s ‘an eye for an eye’ must be meant metaphorically. A totally blind person guilty of deliberately blinding another would be impossible to punish. He has no eye to remove.
Further, a one-eyed man who injured another by blinding one of his two eyes would have to be punished ‘an eye for an eye’ – by losing his only eye. He would be rendered totally blind. The Talmud states this is barbaric nonsense.
Thus ‘an eye for an eye’ had to mean monetary compensation. This is not special pleading – but a quotation from the Talmud of 2000 years ago which itself was quoting from an Oral Law already in force for over a millennium before that.
And this humane law was followed for 3000 years whilst the British still were cheerfully cutting off hands and splitting noses. The claim that ours is a ‘lex talionis’ – law of retribution – is a slanderous lie made up by hypocrites, who spread their faith through torture.
Track Record of The Merciful, “Civilized” Nations
The Vatican’s Mother Church of Genocidists who, by their own account, killed up to 100 – 150 million over two millennia made up this libel. Well, what can you expect?
The concept of retribution was created by the Sumerians – Hammurabi et al – and has been enjoyed ever since by every ‘civilisation’ except us. It is the opposite of Jewish Law.
There is not one example of retribution – that is the offender should suffer, in crude revenge exactly that which he carried out. His punishment is always only to repay, compensate or wipe out the spiritual effect. There is severe punishment but never revenge by the Jewish Court.
One death sentence, in private, in 70 years earned those judges the title – ‘A Deadly Court’. In Britain, there were 5000 public executions – in good weather – in the 70 years between 1770 and 1840.
Which law is compassionate; which sensitive; which healing of society? The law that executed, after utterly exhaustive consideration, one single murderer in private or that which executed 5000 men, women and children in eagerly enjoyed public spectacles?
So we see that indeed, Talmudic law is the opposite of lex talionis. And do not ask an aboriginal American about the Pilgrim Fathers’ morality, or non-Catholic about the Vatican.
Then How Come We ‘Sin’?
You may ask that we said before that Jews have ‘no choice’ – Sinai is a fact. We now know the plan and the results – so what choice is there? Who dare disobey?
However, obviously, this cerebral knowledge is no guarantee for perfect behaviour because there is also the irresistible power of the animal side of man.
If we were created able only to be ‘good’, then clearly the entire Freewill system would be defeated. There would be only mechanical obedience and no earned reward.
The Cost Of This ‘Good’
For real Freewill we must have that ultimate question to ask; ‘Why pain? It is unfathomable that the cost of this ‘freedom to choose’ is the immeasurable pain and evil we witness. Why should innocent creatures suffer to give me Freewill?’ Freewill includes being free to scream this question at Heaven.
The answer is however unsatisfactory for anyone unable to accept that we are created for an uncomfortable purpose.
And we cannot simply blame mankind; the ‘natural’ world itself has a default that involves constant, inevitable pain. This endless torrent of suffering caused by Nature afflicts every creature – illness, tsunamis, starvation, drought.
Surely these are cruel? Nature’s impassive brutality further goads us to question the System. We cannot deny Sinai but we can always rebel.
Further, this allows greedy, oppressive Man to turn morality on its head and say, ‘I do no worse than Mother Nature. Look at animals’ behaviour and the natural disasters.’ All these are far worse than anything mankind has done. This ‘natural’ suffering provides both endless excuses and challenges.
‘Easier Not To Have Been Created’ – Talmud Eruvin 13b
So we come to the simplest point. The atheist often says, ‘There cannot be any god – because such a perfect entity would create a perfect world of perfect happiness.’
In parallel, equally logically, Jews can ask, ‘We know there is the Creator from Sinai, so we know He exists but why did He create? Why present us with such insuperable challenges? Would it not have been kinder not to create us if this is the pitiless world in which He has placed us?’
Well, this is a famous and ancient debate in the Talmud. It recounts an ancient dispute in great detail. The two great academies in Babylon, of Hillel and of Shammai, stage the debate and it rolls on for two and a half years!!
The Talmud actually concludes that it would have been ‘more comfortable’ for us not to have been created. Not ‘better’ but ‘easier’ – ‘more comfortable’.
Since We Are Already Here – Let’s Do Our Best!
Since everything the Maker does is ‘good’, the Talmud does not say, ‘It would have been ‘better’ for man not to have been created’, it says – ‘It would have been more comfortable for man not to have been created.’ Why go through all this?
And, the Talmudic Sage who states this says that we are bound to fail. Man is simply too weak – Life is a trap – not an opportunity.
The other side of the argument, that it is more comfortable for us to have been created, holds that the opportunity for spiritual gain is worth it, even if Life seems ‘too’ tough.
The Talmud concludes by wryly noting that – you know – we are here! Comfortable – easier – or not, we must make the right choices and get on with life! Yes, it would have been easier not to have been created – but now I am here – ‘a choice I have?!’ Make the best of it – and win by doing that!
Evil and Good
Part of the Creator’s ‘good’, indeed, is His allowing evil. The suffering is incalculable – so the gain must obviously be incalculable – because that is how the Creator made the world.
If it were ‘calculable’ then we would understand pain and there would be no challenge. In this the Jew has absolute faith. [Yes, yes. I know – but this is a different sort of ‘faith’ – not in His existence – rather in His system.]
Thus he submits himself to his purpose in the certain knowledge that this is all meant to happen. Life is not meant to be understandable – beyond that sobering fact. You will never understand fully.
This is especially when faced with the inexplicable – the evil men who ‘bask in a wonderful old age surrounded by their children’.
Such hypocrites teach me that part of the system is that I am to be challenged by them to wonder and rebel – as part of my proud purpose.
But there is much more to say about why we must witness a world of incredible suffering. The complexity of our brains is inexplicable – and the questions we ask thus must have a greater purpose.
As mentioned – to catch the odd mammoth we scarcely need our brains. We are created with an intellect – unnecessary for mere survival – to wonder and question and rebel.
Why? To give this very challenge.
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