Divine Command Ethics: Jewish and Christian

This book analyses the response of the classic texts of Jewish tradition to Plato's 'Euthyphro dilemma': does God freely determine morality, or is morality independent of God?

Acknowledgements

xi

Explanation of abbreviations

xii

Introduction

1

(2)

1 Divine Command Theory and The Shared Moral Universe of God and Humanity: the analytical framework of the project

3

(23)

1.1 Introduction

3

(1)

1.2 Some interpretations of DCT

4

(15)

1.2.a God's command as a necessary condition of morality

5

(1)

1.2.b Interlude: divine command and divine will

6

(2)

1.2.c God's command as a sufficient condition of morality

8

(2)

1.2.d DCT as an epistemic thesis

10

(5)

1.2.e DCT as a semantic thesis

15

(4)

1.3 Some interpretations of SMU

19

(4)

1.3.a 'Necessary condition' SMU

20

(1)

1.3.b 'Sufficient condition' SMU

21

(1)

1.3.c Epistemic SM U

21

(1)

1.3.d SMU as the notion that God is bound by morality

22

(1)

1.4 The appropriateness of raising the DCT/SMU issue in a Jewish context

23

(3)

2 Analytic discussion of positions on DCT and SMU in philosophy and contemporary Jewish thought

26

(24)

2.1 Introduction

26

(1)

2.2 DCT and SMU in the history of philosophy

27

(9)

2.2.a Ockham

27

(2)

2.2.b Martin Luther and John Calvin

29

(2)

2.2.c Other philosophers

31

(1)

2.2.d 'Modified' DCT

32

(4)

2.3 DCT and SM U in contemporary Jewish thought

36

(14)

2.3.a Yeshayahu Leibowitz

37

(3)

2.3.b Immanuel Jakobovits

40

(1)

2.3.c Marvin Fox

41

(1)

2.3.d Aharon Lichtenstein

42

(2)

2.3.e David Hartman

44

(1)

2.3.f Shubert Spero

45

(1)

2.3.g Abraham Joshua Heschel

46

(1)

2.3.h Lenn Goodman

47

(1)

2.3.i Further supporters of SMU in contemporary Jewish thought

48

(2)

3 Biblical texts

50

(22)

3.1 Introduction

50

(1)

3.2 The legitimacy and desirability of examining biblical texts

51

(2)

3.3 Biblical texts

53

(17)

3.3.a Torah as Covenant

53

(2)

3.3.b Genesis 3:5 and 3:22

55

(4)

3.3.c Genesis 18:17-33

59

(7)

3.3.d Genesis 20:2-7

66

(1)

3.3.e The Book of Genesis's assumption of the moral knowledge of some of its personalities: Carlebach's argument

67

(2)

3.3.f Deuteronomy 4:6-8

69

(1)

3.3.g Micah 6:7-8

69

(1)

3.3.h Biblical treatment of theodicy

70

(1)

3.4 Conclusion

70

(2)

4 SMU: Rabbinic texts and concepts and post-Talmudic rabbinic thought

72

(31)

4.1 Introduction

72

(1)

4.2 Rabbinic texts

73

(12)

4.2.a Tractate Yoma 67b

73

(3)

4.2.b Tractate Shevuot 39a

76

(4)

4.2.b(i) Pre-Sinaitic challenges

77

(1)

4.2.b(ii) Post-Sinaitic challenges

77

(1)

4.2.b(iii) Talmudic challenges

78

(2)

4.2.c Leviticus Rabbah 32:8

80

(1)

4.2.d Tractate Eruvin 100b

81

(2)

4.2.e Tractate Gittin 59b

83

(1)

4.2.f Sagi's analysis of the Talmudic treatment of mamzerut

83

(2)

4.3 Rabbinic concepts

85

(2)

4.3.a Derekh eretz

85

(1)

4.3.b The Seven Noahide Laws

86

(1)

4.4 SMU in post-Talmudic rabbinic thought

87

(15)

4.4.a Introduction

87

(1)

4.4.b Saadia Gaon

87

(3)

4.4.c Nissim Gaon

90

(1)

4.4.d Maimonides

91

(5)

4.4.e Rabbi Judah Halevi

96

(1)

4.4.f Nachmanides

97

(1)

4.4.g Rabbi Meir Halevi Abulafia

98

(1)

4.4.h Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook

98

(2)

4.4.i Rabbi Meir Simhah Hakohen of Dvinsk

100

(2)

4.5 God's moral nature

102

(1)

4.6 Conclusion

102

(1)

5 Divine Command Theory in the texts of Jewish tradition

103

(17)

5.1 Introduction

103

(1)

5.2 Rabbinic texts

103

(7)

5.2.a Tractate Yoma 22b

103

(3)

5.2.b Tractate Berakhot 33b

106

(2)

5.2.c Tractate Kiddushin 31a

108

(2)

5.3 Post-Talmudic rabbinic thought

110

(9)

5.3.a Don Isaac Abarbanel

110

(2)

5.3.b Rabbi Ovadiah of Bertinoro

112

(1)

5.3.c Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Levin

113

(2)

5.3.4 Rabbi Abraham Isaiah Karelitz ('Hazon Ish')

115

(2)

5.3.e Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook

117

(1)

5.3.f Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch

117

(2)

5.4 Conclusion

119

(1)

6 The Akedah: Genesis 22 and DCTISMU

120

(14)

6.1 Introduction

120

(1)

6.2 Genesis 22; the biblical text as it stands

120

(9)

6.3 Interpretations of Genesis 22 in rabbinic and post-Talmudic rabbinic thought

129

(5)

7 DCTISMU and the commandment to wipe out Amalek

134

(17)

7.1 Introduction

134

(1)

7.2 The biblical commandment to exterminate Amalek as it stands

134

(2)

7.3 Interpretations of the commandment to wipe out Amalek in rabbinic and post-Talmudic rabbinic thought

136

(15)

7.3.a Traditional Jewish exegesis of the biblical text

136

(7)

7.3.b Halakhic treatment of the Amalek commandment

143

(8)

Concluding reflections

151

(4)

Notes

155

(41)

Bibliography

196

(9)

Index

205

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Divine Command Ethics: Jewish and Christian Perspectives

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Divine Command Ethics: Jewish and Christian Perspectives

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