What are Jewish ethics and morality practices?

Answer 1

All the laws of the Torah, which include business ethics, courtesy, honesty, etc.

"Do not do to your fellow what what you dislike (being done to you)." Talmud, Shabbat 31a.
The moral imperatives of justice, ethics and morality were taught in detail by the Torah and the Jewish prophets, so that they are religious ideals and obligations, rather than just good behavior. We are obligated to care for the poor (Deuteronomy 15:7-8), the widow, orphan and stranger (Exodus 22:20-21), the Levites (Deuteronomy 12:17-19) and the landless. We are also warned against corruption, bribery, misuse of power, and mistreatment of workers. The Torah specifies rights for women and other groups. The Torah teaches the ideal of justice for the benefit of society and the moral guidance of the individual.

Answer 2

• Judaism has an all-enveloping and passionate dedication to the ideal of justice. The moral imperatives of justice, ethics and morality were taught by the Torah and the Jewish prophets, so that they are religious ideals and obligations, rather than just good behavior. We are obligated to care for the poor (Deuteronomy 15:7-8), the widow, orphan and stranger (Exodus 22:20-21), the Levites (Deuteronomy 12:17-19) and the landless. We are also warned against corruption, bribery, misuse of power, and mistreatment of workers. The Torah specifies rights for women and other groups. The Torah teaches the ideal of justice for the benefit of society and the moral guidance of the individual. The relevant verses are mixed in with other Torah-topics so that the message is imbibed as part of the whole.

• Judaism addresses in depth and in detail the obligations of the individual and the community to other individuals. A Jew has a legal obligation to help someone in need (e.g. Leviticus 19:16, Exodus 23:5); and to be a bystander in such a case is a Torah-violation. Tradition states that every Jew should exhibit the characteristic of chesed, meaning the ability to go beyond the requirement of the law to help others. The Talmud states that mercy and kindness should be among the defining traits of every Jew (Talmud, Yevamot 79a).

• Personal Relationships: The rabbis stressed the necessity for people to help each other. In order to survive, all human beings must practice mutual aid. Rabbi Akiva qualifies that the initial duty of every person is to him/herself in order that s/he then be able to care for others.

• Compassion, humility, a charitable spirit, forgiveness and good manners are also desirable qualities of the Jew in personal relationships. The Jewish sages specified in detail the attributes which are expected of us.

• Work and Business Ethics: Being ethical in business is an essential value in Judaism; such as paying workers on time (Leviticus 19:13), keeping honest weights and measures (Leviticus 19:36), and repaying damages (Exodus 22:4-5). These laws are discussed at great length in the Talmud. The Forefathers themselves were the earliest examples of this kind of carefulness, which has permeated the Torah ever since (for example, Genesis ch.31, and Rashi commentary on Genesis 24:10.)

• Environmental Ethics: Judaism has a heightened sensitivity to the world around us, reflected in the Torah and by the Rabbis and their later rulings. Judaism created specific laws in this area that predated modern laws by thousands of years. For example, the Talmud rules that there must remain distance between industrial and rural areas to create a healthy ecological balance. Garbage must not pollute public property. Maimonides states that causing air pollution through smoke, dust, and noxious smells is not permitted even if no one protests. Water must not cause damage or pollution. Noise must not create a nuisance to the human environment.

• The laws of sh'mittah, by which the land must lie fallow every seventh year (Leviticus ch.25), are to preserve the earth and maintain its fertility. These laws are observed in Israel to this day, by religious farmers.

Answer 3

Social Ethics

• Judaism has an all-enveloping and passionate dedication to the ideal of justice. The moral imperative of justice was taught by the Jewish prophets. Moses taught the ideal of justice for the elimination of social inequities and for the moral guidance of the conduct of the individual. Personal and moral conscience are awakened by the indoctrination of the ethical values of justice, truth and peace.

• Judaism also addresses in depth the obligations of the individual to other individuals. A Jew has a legal obligation to help someone in need, and to be a bystander in such a case is a Torah violation. Tradition states that every Jew should exhibit the characteristic of chesed,the ability to go beyond the requirement of the law to help others. That is why Jews are so often at the forefront of human rights movements and generally helping others. The Talmud states that mercy and kindness should be the defining qualities of every Jew.

Personal Relationship

• The rabbis stressed the necessity for people to help each other. In order to survive, all human beings must practice mutual aid. Rabbi Akiva argued that the prior duty of every person is to him/herself in order that s/he be able to care for others.

• The ideal Jew should be gentle in thought, word, outlook, feeling and action; not merely in manner. In traditional Jewish thought the opposite of gentle is angry. The Bible tells us that "He who gives way to his anger shall be considered in thine eyes as an idolater." Gentleness in response to provocation and insult is another ideal. This is illustrated by the Talmudic saying "If others speak evil of you, make no answer."

• Compassion, humility, a charitable spirit, forgiveness and good manners are also desirable qualities of the Jew in personal relationships.

Work and Business Ethics

• Being ethical in business is an essential value in Judaism. Dealing honestly in business is considered more important by the Talmud than Shabbat observance, kashrut observance, or how much charity you give. The Talmud also states that the path to Jewish wisdom can be through the business world. The Midrash states that to be honest in business is considered as if you were to fulfil the entire Torah. Maimonides understood that being ethical in business is a vital component in being a Torah scholar. In fact, the punishment for not dealing fairly in business is equal to the punishment for adultery.

Environmental Ethics

• Judaism has a heightened sensitivity to the environment, reflected by the Torah, and the Rabbis and their later rulings. Judaism created specific laws that are more sophisticated than most of the environmental laws that exist today.
• Any use of the natural world or its resources that satisfies a legitimate human need is not considered destructive. A monetary benefit is considered a human need. This was agreed to and codified as law by Maimonides. Also, when the environment would be harmed without destruction taking place, it becomes legitimate. If when performing a mitzvah destruction occurs, it is considered legitimate. Two examples of this are the tearing of one's shirt as a sign of mourning, and the burning of chametz before Passover.
• The laws of sh'mittah, where the land must lie fallow every seven years, are to preserve the earth and make it more fertile. It is dictated that there must remain distance between city and rural areas to create a healthy ecological balance. Garbage must not pollute public property. Maimonides states that damage causing air pollution through smoke, dust, and noxious smells is not permitted even if no one protests. Water must not cause damage or pollution. Noise cannot create a hazard to the human environment.
• The Midrash states that once the world is destroyed, the damage is irreparable. It is our ethical responsibility to prevent this happening.

Hope this helps!

Answer 4

Social morality

• Judaism has an all-enveloping and passionate dedication to the ideal of justice. The moral imperatives of justice, ethics and morality were taught by the Torah and the Jewish prophets, so that they are religious ideals and obligations, rather than just good behavior. The Torah teaches the ideal of justice for the benefit of society and the moral guidance of the individual. The relevant verses are mixed in with other Torah-topics so that the message is imbibed as part of the whole.

• Judaism addresses in depth and in detail the obligations of the individual to other individuals. A Jew has a legal obligation to help someone in need (e.g. Leviticus 19:16, Exodus 23:5); and to be a bystander in such a case is a Torah-violation. Tradition states that every Jew should exhibit the characteristic of chesed, meaning the ability to go beyond the requirement of the law to help others. The Talmud states that mercy and kindness should be among the defining qualities of every Jew (Talmud, Yevamot 79a).

Personal Relationships

• The rabbis stressed the necessity for people to help each other. In order to survive, all human beings must practice mutual aid. Rabbi Akiva qualifies that the initial duty of every person is to him/herself in order that s/he then be able to care for others.

• Compassion, humility, a charitable spirit, forgiveness and good manners are also desirable qualities of the Jew in personal relationships. The Jewish sages specified in detail the forms of behavior which are expected of us (see the attached Related Link).

Work and Business morality

• Being ethical in business is an essential value in Judaism. Dealing honestly in business, and avoiding causing damages, are discussed at great length in the Talmud. The Forefathers themselves were the earliest examples of this kind of carefulness, which has permeated the Torah ever since. (See for example Genesis ch.31, and Rashi commentary on Genesis 24:10.)

Environmental morality

• Judaism has a heightened sensitivity to the world around us, reflected in the Torah and by the Rabbis and their later rulings. Judaism created specific laws in this area that predated modern laws by thousands of years.
• The laws of sh'mittah, where the land must lie fallow every seven years (Leviticus ch.25), are to preserve the earth and make it more fertile.These laws are observed in Israel to this day, by religious farmers.
• It is dictated that there must remain distance between industrial and rural areas to create a healthy ecological balance. Garbage must not pollute public property. Maimonides states that damage causing air pollution through smoke, dust, and noxious smells is not permitted even if no one protests. Water must not cause damage or pollution. Noise must not create a nuisance to the human environment.

Answer 5

Social Ethics

• Judaism has an all-enveloping and passionate dedication to the ideal of justice. The moral imperatives of justice, ethics and morality were taught by the Torah and the Jewish prophets, so that they are religious ideals and obligations, rather than just good behavior. We are obligated to care for the poor, the widow and orphan, the stranger and sojourner, the Levites and the landless. We are also warned against corruption, bribery, misuse of power, and mistreatment of workers. The Torah specifies rights for women and other groups. The Torah teaches the ideal of justice for the benefit of society and the moral guidance of the individual. The relevant verses are mixed in with other Torah-topics so that the message is imbibed as part of the whole. See also: Judaism's influence

• Judaism addresses in depth and in detail the obligations of the individual and the community to other individuals. A Jew has a legal obligation to help someone in need (e.g. Leviticus 19:16, Exodus 23:5); and to be a bystander in such a case is a Torah-violation. Tradition states that every Jew should exhibit the characteristic of chesed, meaning the ability to go beyond the requirement of the law to help others. The Talmud states that mercy and kindness should be among the defining traits of every Jew (Talmud, Yevamot 79a).

Personal Relationships

• The rabbis stressed the necessity for people to help each other. In order to survive, all human beings must practice mutual aid. Rabbi Akiva qualifies that the initial duty of every person is to him/herself in order that s/he then be able to care for others.

• Compassion, humility, a charitable spirit, forgiveness and good manners are also desirable qualities of the Jew in personal relationships. The Jewish sages specified in detail the forms of behavior which are expected of us. (See: Jewish ethics)

Work and Business Ethics

• Being ethical in business is an essential value in Judaism. Dealing honestly in business, and avoiding causing damages (or, after the fact, making restitution), are discussed at great length in the Talmud. The Forefathers themselves were the earliest examples of this kind of carefulness, which has permeated the Torah ever since (see for example Genesis ch.31, and Rashi commentary on Genesis 24:10.)

Environmental Ethics

• Judaism has a heightened sensitivity to the world around us, reflected in the Torah and by the Rabbis and their later rulings. Judaism created specific laws in this area that predated modern laws by thousands of years. For example, the Talmud rules that there must remain distance between industrial and rural areas to create a healthy ecological balance. Garbage must not pollute public property. Maimonides states that causing air pollution through smoke, dust, and noxious smells is not permitted even if no one protests. Water must not cause damage or pollution. Noise must not create a nuisance to the human environment.

• The laws of sh'mittah, by which the land must lie fallow every seventh year (Leviticus ch.25), are to preserve the earth and maintain its fertility. These laws are observed in Israel to this day, by religious farmers.

Answer 6

• Social Ethics: Judaism has an all-enveloping and passionate dedication to the ideal of justice. The moral imperatives of justice, ethics and morality were taught by the Torah and the Jewish prophets, so that they are religious ideals and obligations, rather than just good behavior. We are obligated to care for the poor (Deuteronomy 15:7-8), the widow, orphan and stranger (Exodus 22:20-21), the Levites (Deuteronomy 12:17-19) and the landless. We are also warned against corruption, bribery, misuse of power, and mistreatment of workers. The Torah specifies rights for women and other groups. The Torah teaches the ideal of justice for the benefit of society and the moral guidance of the individual. The relevant verses are mixed in with other Torah-topics so that the message is imbibed as part of the whole.

Related Link: Are non-Jews expected to keep these laws?

• Judaism addresses in depth and in detail the obligations of the individual and the community to other individuals. A Jew has a legal obligation to help someone in need (e.g. Leviticus 19:16, Exodus 23:5); and to be a bystander in such a case is a Torah-violation. Tradition states that every Jew should exhibit the characteristic of chesed, meaning the ability to go beyond the requirement of the law to help others. The Talmud states that mercy and kindness should be among the defining traits of every Jew (Talmud, Yevamot 79a).

• Personal Relationships: The rabbis stressed the necessity for people to help each other. In order to survive, all human beings must practice mutual aid. Rabbi Akiva qualifies that the initial duty of every person is to him/herself in order that s/he then be able to care for others.

• Compassion, humility, a charitable spirit, forgiveness and good manners are also desirable qualities of the Jew in personal relationships. The Jewish sages specified in detail the attributes which are expected of us.

Link: Jewish ethics

• Work and Business Ethics: Being ethical in business is an essential value in Judaism; such as paying workers on time (Leviticus 19:13), keeping honest weights and measures (Leviticus 19:36), and repaying damages (Exodus 22:4-5). These laws are discussed at great length in the Talmud. The Forefathers themselves were the earliest examples of this kind of carefulness, which has permeated the Torah ever since (for example, Genesis ch.31, and Rashi commentary on Genesis 24:10.)

Link: Israelite Forefathers

• Environmental Ethics: Judaism has a heightened sensitivity to the world around us, reflected in the Torah and by the Rabbis and their later rulings. Judaism created specific laws in this area that predated modern laws by thousands of years. For example, the Talmud rules that there must remain distance between industrial and rural areas to create a healthy ecological balance. Garbage must not pollute public property. Maimonides states that causing air pollution through smoke, dust, and noxious smells is not permitted even if no one protests. Water must not cause damage or pollution. Noise must not create a nuisance to the human environment.
  

• The laws of sh'mittah, by which the land must lie fallow every seventh year (Leviticus ch.25), are to preserve the earth and maintain its fertility. These laws are observed in Israel to this day, by religious farmers.

Link: How do the Scriptures and Talmud teach the Jewish ideas of justice?

Link: Judaism's influence

Answer 7

"Do not do to your fellow what what you dislike (being done to you)." Talmud, Shabbat 31a.
The moral imperatives of justice, ethics and morality were taught in detail by the Torah and the Jewish prophets, so that they are religious ideals and obligations, rather than just good behavior. We are obligated to care for the poor (Deuteronomy 15:7-8), the widow, orphan and stranger (Exodus 22:20-21), the Levites (Deuteronomy 12:17-19) and the landless. We are also warned against corruption, bribery, misuse of power, and mistreatment of workers. The Torah specifies rights for women and other groups. The Torah teaches the ideal of justice for the benefit of society and the moral guidance of the individual.
Quote:
"I will insist that the Hebrews have done more to civilize men than any other nation ... fate had ordained the Jews to be the most essential instrument for civilizing the nations" (John Adams, 2nd President of the United States).
"Certainly, the world without the Jews would have been a radically different place. Humanity might have eventually stumbled upon all the Jewish insights, but we cannot be sure. All the great conceptual discoveries of the human intellect seem obvious and inescapable once they had been revealed, but it requires a special genius to formulate them for the first time. The Jews had this gift. To them we owe the idea of equality before the law, both Divine and human; of the sanctity of life and the dignity of the human person; of the individual conscience and of the collective conscience and social responsibility" (Paul Johnson, Christian historian, author of A History of the Jews and A History of Christianity).

See also the Related Links.

Link: Are non-Jews expected to keep these laws?

Link: Jewish ethics

Link: How do the Scriptures and Talmud teach the Jewish ideas of justice?

Link: Judaism's influence

Answer 8

Judaism and Christianity preach very similar values and morality. The basis of both is the Ten Commandments. And you mean "ethics" not "ethnics."

Answer 9

Instead of giving a too-brief answer, I've provided Related Links with full essays on these two subjects. Please see the attached links.

Answer 10

See the attached Related Link.