David Koberstein
Active member
The Bible regards human beings as distinctive because they alone are created, "in God's image."
A characteristic that endows human life with an inherent sanctity. Having being created "in God's
image," people are to try to imitate God's actions. Such behavior is commonly known by the Latin
term imitatio dei (imitating God), an idea derived from Deuteronomy 28:9: "The Lord will establish
you as his holy people, as he has sworn to you, if you shall keep the commandments of the Lord
your God, and walk in His ways."
The Rabbis point to several instances in the Torah of divine behavior that human beings are expected
to emulate. For example, because God is depicted as clothing the naked---"And the Lord God made
garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them" (Genesis 3:21)---Human beings should do
likewise and provide clothing for the poor.
Because God visited the sick---"The Lord appeared to [Abraham] by the terebinths of Mamre" (immediately
following Abraham's circumcision at the age of ninety-nine; Genesis 18:1)---we should visit and comfort the
sick. This important commandment acquired a special Hebrew name, bikur holim (visiting the sick) Within
Orthodox Jewish communities, one often finds Bikur Holim societies whose members make regular visits
to hospitals, where they often see patients who have no other visitors.
Because God buried the dead---"He buried [Moses] in the valley of Moab" (Deuteronomy 34:6)---one should
help bury the dead, particularly the poor, on whose behalf money must be collected to purchase a plot.
The Rabbis regard burial as the highest ethical act because it is done without any expectation that the
"recipient" will repay the good deed (in Hebrew, chesed shel emet, a true act of loving-kindness). Likewise
it is the highest form of imitation of God, since all of God's acts are done without expectation, or need of
repayment.
"To walk in His ways" means to ask oneself before performing a deed: "Is this what God would want me
to do? Is this the Godly way to act?
Shalom
A characteristic that endows human life with an inherent sanctity. Having being created "in God's
image," people are to try to imitate God's actions. Such behavior is commonly known by the Latin
term imitatio dei (imitating God), an idea derived from Deuteronomy 28:9: "The Lord will establish
you as his holy people, as he has sworn to you, if you shall keep the commandments of the Lord
your God, and walk in His ways."
The Rabbis point to several instances in the Torah of divine behavior that human beings are expected
to emulate. For example, because God is depicted as clothing the naked---"And the Lord God made
garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them" (Genesis 3:21)---Human beings should do
likewise and provide clothing for the poor.
Because God visited the sick---"The Lord appeared to [Abraham] by the terebinths of Mamre" (immediately
following Abraham's circumcision at the age of ninety-nine; Genesis 18:1)---we should visit and comfort the
sick. This important commandment acquired a special Hebrew name, bikur holim (visiting the sick) Within
Orthodox Jewish communities, one often finds Bikur Holim societies whose members make regular visits
to hospitals, where they often see patients who have no other visitors.
Because God buried the dead---"He buried [Moses] in the valley of Moab" (Deuteronomy 34:6)---one should
help bury the dead, particularly the poor, on whose behalf money must be collected to purchase a plot.
The Rabbis regard burial as the highest ethical act because it is done without any expectation that the
"recipient" will repay the good deed (in Hebrew, chesed shel emet, a true act of loving-kindness). Likewise
it is the highest form of imitation of God, since all of God's acts are done without expectation, or need of
repayment.
"To walk in His ways" means to ask oneself before performing a deed: "Is this what God would want me
to do? Is this the Godly way to act?
Shalom
