Before Pirkei Avot: Ethics and the Prophets

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Jeremiah by Michelangelo.

In numerous Western languages, the term “prophet” is often misunderstood and thus misused. Mostly it refers to someone who is able to make predictions. In Hebrew, however, the term navi means a spokesperson.

Our tradition distinguishes between two categories of prophetic books:
- Former Prophets or Nevi’im Rishonim [נביאים ראשונים], which include the narrative books.
- Latter Prophets or Nevi’im Aharonim [נביאים אחרונים], which mostly contains prophecies, often in the form of biblical poetry.

Repeatedly, the Prophets address the Israeli people reminding them that God expects them to mend their ways and lead an ethical life. Time after time, they emphasize the significance of the ethical over the ritual.

With what shall I approach the Lord,
Do homage to God on high?
Shall I approach Him with burnt offerings,
With calves a year old?
Would the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
With myriads of streams of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
The fruit of my body for my sins?
Man has told you what is good.
But what does the Lord require of you?
Only to do justice
And to love goodness,
And to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:6-8).

Rabbi Telushkin sees two reasons why we often associate religious observance”with the performance of ritual rather than ethical acts, although both are mandated by Jewish law”
- Ritual laws such as kashrut or Shabbat emphasize our uniqueness as Jews more than Judaism’s commitment to honesty and fairness. In other words, ritual laws make us feel more Jewish than ethical ones.
- Ritual rules seem easier to observe. Thus some ethical laws make us feel very inadequate in that we know we will never be able to observe them fully. Lashon hara, the prohibition in Jewish Law of speaking ill of others, is virtually impossible to observe at all times and in all circumstances.

For the Prophets, we make a sham of Judaism if we forget that ethical behavior is as important as ritual observance. Jeremiah reminds us that God only wanted sacrifices in that they were meant to gain his forgiveness by bringing us closer to him in order that we should act more fairly, not merely gain atonement. Similarly we should keep in mind that the Hebrew root of the word korban (sacrifice) means closeness.

Let not the wise man glorify in his wisdom;
Let not the mighty man glory in his might;
Let not the rich man glory in his riches.
But one should glory only in this: That he understands and knows
Me, that I am the Lord, Who exercises mercy, justice and
rightousness on the earth. For in these I delight, says the Lord. (Jeremiah 9:2-23)

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