The Golden Rule in Classical Judaism

Abstract

Rabbinic Judaism calls the Golden Rule the encompassing principle of the Torah. But when the system undertakes to generalize, it entirely ignores the Golden Rule. The faithful, this is to say, are admonished to dedicate themselves to studying the generative data of the Golden Rule. But when the system concretely invokes the Golden Rule, it does not elaborate and extend it, analyzing its implications for fresh problems. This article thus proposes that, in classical Judaism, the Golden Rule is inert, not active; it is inconsequential in an exact sense of the word, not weighty in secondary development. It yields nothing beyond itself and does not invite new questions or stimulate speculation about new problems. The Golden Rule emerges as a commonplace that the system invokes without extension and elaboration.