All We Need Is Love? On Love and Justice

The month of Av is a month during which we contemplate exile and redemption. This year, these concepts have come to life in the most remarkable sense. We are deep in a war on multiple fronts, and many issues divide the Jewish nation. Israel faces numerous challenges and conflicts, leading to societal problems and persistent divisions. Despite calls for unity, the rifts within Jewish society remain.

It is worth mentioning the broader context of our current predicament. We have been through tiring years of repeated and divisive elections, a once in a lifetime struggle with a worldwide pandemic and its fallout, an uptick in terror attacks and tragedies, a looming global economic downturn, and unprecedented civil strife and violent disagreement over the judicial reform.

As our attention was turned inwards, struggling to repair Israeli society’s wounds, a brutal, inhumane surprise attack by evil terrorists reset our national consciousness, and a new awareness set in – at least for a few days. As with many struggles in Jewish history, leaders called for unity and a pause in hostilities to rally around the flag to focus on eliminating our common enemy. “Together we win” became like a prayer on our lips as many desperately clung to cherished beliefs in search of stability in the midst of chaos.

Some hoped that as our consciousness evolved in the face of existential threats and increasing global isolation, our petty internal disputes and political rivalries would shrink in significance. As is inevitable after every major world event, some saw this as potentially messianic. Perhaps, the thinking goes, this war is intended to unite us as one, and through such widespread love, the arrival of Mashiach is inevitable.

Yet, following a predictable pattern, despite heartwarming stories of unity and brotherhood at the front, the old fault lines did not take long to return. Left and Right blamed each other for failures and tragedies. Naturally, supporters of judicial reform blamed the war on the lack of unity (or even treachery) displayed by anti-reform protesters who used hateful rhetoric and threatened to man tanks and airplanes if the reform was passed into law. The war itself, far from becoming a great unifier, catalyzed an even greater explosion around a social conflict that has been growing in recent years: the Charedi draft issue. Ironically, religious Zionists, those most offended by Charedi draft dodgers (since they see defending Israel as a religious duty and send their best young men to the front lines), are also those who often emphasize love and unity as a religious response to any crisis.

When seeking inspiration and practical guidance on how to merit the rebuilding of the Mikdash, the most popular answer has become almost the only approach: avoid baseless hatred and strive for love, unity, and acts of kindness

In this context, we approach the somber period of mourning and reflection on the deep loss we feel since the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash and the tragic distance we feel from Hashem that affects our lives so deeply. When seeking inspiration and practical guidance on how to merit the rebuilding of the Mikdash, the most popular answer has become almost the only approach: avoid baseless hatred and strive for love, unity, and acts of kindness. It is always the path of least resistance, a message that resonates across party lines and religious identification. Sinat Chinam (baseless hatred has become almost synonymous with the destruction of Jerusalem.^[1]

As the popularity of this simple and meaningful message grows, it becomes a cure-all, a kind of spiritual panacea for all societal ills and difficulties of all kinds. Times for celebration and mourning, during historical events or Jewish holidays around the calendar, become an opportunity to emphasize this easy message. As we commemorate the tragic deaths of Rabbi Akiva’s students during the Sefirah period between Pesach and Shavuot, as well as important dates like Yom Hashoah, Yom Hazikaron, and Yom Ha’atzmaut, the call for unity and love is particularly poignant and relevant. Of course, Elul and the High Holy Days become times to be kinder, more forgiving, and graceful to each other to merit a good year. Loving one’s neighbor is a timeless Jewish message that has resonated throughout the centuries of world history, crossing cultures, religions, and belief systems. This is one Jewish message that even antisemites can agree with.

 

The Forgotten Call of Justice

However, another area of the Torah, which seems at least equally as important as love and unity, is hardly ever heard. The always-welcome talk of loving all Jews and doing good has left almost no room to speak of the need for justice. Many are hardly aware that our prophets describe the gross lack of justice as a major cause of the destruction and the root of redemption. Love is always a popular and simple subject to explain, but seeking justice often leads to uncomfortable questions, not to mention frustrating and vexing moral dilemmas. Many even confuse the two and feel that simply loving everyone will solve all the world’s problems and automatically create a more just and fair society. However, as we will demonstrate, some problems cannot be solved with love alone, while for other issues, love may even act as a distraction from the need to fight for justice.

Again, it is common to hear the sentiment that if only we embraced unity and love for our fellow Jews, things would work out. And perhaps brotherly love can help to forge some kind of compromise, for fear of being at each other’s throats

For instance, can love actually solve the problem of judicial reform? Again, it is common to hear the sentiment that if only we embraced unity and love for our fellow Jews, things would work out. And perhaps brotherly love can help to forge some kind of compromise, for fear of being at each other’s throats. But at the end of the day, a decision must be taken. If one side believes it is in the right and that capitulation to the other side implies the transition from democracy to dictatorship, how can it, in good conscience, surrender for the sake of peace? Would society benefit from living in a dictatorship, even a loving one?

Another recent example with scars still fresh is the division caused by the different reactions to COVID-19, in particular in the Charedi community, which thrives upon communal activities and physical closeness. Love, again, is entirely inappropriate as a tool to resolve the many challenges brought up throughout the pandemic. Who should we love – those who suffer from the lockdowns or those concerned about the risk of spreading disease? This issue caused much division as families split over who to invite to weddings, family or communal events, and Shabbat meals. Shuls rejected worshippers who were unvaccinated, and lockdowns destroyed marriages. We can love everybody, but will doing so resolve these thorny issues? And just think about the matter of the Charedi draft: how will love solve the problem?

 

The Centrality of Justice

Chapter 3 of the Chazon Ish’s Emunah U-vitachon opens with an anecdote about a small town in which some earn a living as schoolteachers. Later, new teachers come to town, and. as is human nature, the parents are unsatisfied with the old system and eagerly send their children to study under the new teachers. Naturally, the old teachers feel wronged and begin to attack and slander the new teachers.

Hashem chose Avraham because he chose to walk the Godly path of justice and righteousness. The land of Israel will remain in our hands as long as we continue on that path

The Chazon Ish points out that if the Halacha would support protectionism in education, the teachers who have lost their source of income would be fully entitled to fight against the educational upstarts. Yet, the Halachah, in fact, decides that “competition between teachers increases wisdom,” so that all action taken against the invading teachers becomes a sin. Increased competition among schools leads to higher quality education for students, resulting in better-educated graduates that benefit society. The point, as Chazon Ish emphasizes, is that love, good character traits, and so on are not enough. Without Halacha, you are likely to go horribly wrong. We need justice, not merely love.

Many sources point to the centrality of justice. Hashem says about Avraham, before informing him about destroying the wicked city of Sodom, “Since I know him, that he will order his sons, and his house after him, and they will keep the ways of Hashem, to do righteousness and judgment, so that Hashem may bring upon Avraham all the things that he has spoken to him.” In other words, Hashem chose Avraham because he chose to walk the Godly path of justice and righteousness. The land of Israel will remain in our hands as long as we continue on that path. Kindness, it seems, is not the main theme.

This idea is repeated as a positive Mitzvah in many places throughout the Torah, but most directly in Devarim (16, 20): “Pursue justice strongly, so that you will live and inherit the land that Hashem your God is giving you.” Justice is the condition for living as a sovereign nation in Israel and even for our very survival – so that you will live! The Torah also emphasizes (Shemot 23, 3), “Do not favor the poor man in his legal battle.” The modern concept of justice heavily favors the weak and disadvantaged while often ruling against the “privileged” and the rich. The Torah predicts that many will confuse love with justice and preemptively warns us against the pitfall. It is not enough to be unafraid of the powerful elite and avoid ruling unfairly in their favor. We must also refrain from showing undue mercy to vulnerable populations when it is unjust.

The prophets are filled with critique against the lack of justice in their times, such as in the opening chapter of Yeshayahu (the Haftarah read on Shabbat Chazon), which condemns the lack of justice and foresees a time when Hashem will bring back the judges, and Jerusalem will be called a “City of Justice.”[2] We borrow these very same words in the Amidah prayer when we pray for justice and redemption for the Jewish nation.

A City of Justice, moreover, is a city of peace. The future “supreme court,” the Sanhedrin, will relieve the world of the need for wars since Israel will judge between nations.[3]

The Torah requires us to set an example and establish a world of justice, making Jerusalem the “City of Justice” that the world looks up to.

While many envision a miraculous redemption, the process described in the Torah leaves much of the action and effort in our hands to achieve. This is why Yeshayahu says that Zion will be redeemed through justice (Yeshayahu 1:27). It is not simply in the merit of justice and loving kindness that Hashem will (miraculously) bring Mashiach to create a world of peace. The Torah requires us to set an example and establish a world of justice, making Jerusalem the “City of Justice” that the world looks up to. By doing so, we can eventually bring about world peace by arbitrating conflicts across the globe. This requires no miracles, only intense study, research, debate, and activism. This is the Torah obligation of pursuing justice.

Justice, therefore, is among the three pillars on which the world stands (Avot 1:18). Civilization and humanity cannot survive without it, as the verse teaches: “These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to one another, render true and perfect justice that brings peace in your gates” (Zechariah 8:16). This refers to the courts, which the Torah mandates we establish at the gateway of each city. It is rare for a prophet to provide such practical instructions on how to bring redemption, underscoring the critical role our activism in creating a fair justice system plays in ushering in the era of Mashiach.

Moreover, the Sages glorify Torah study that brings to fair legal judgments: “Anyone who judges a true ruling becomes like a partner with Hashem in creating the world (Shabbat 10a). The world would return to a state of chaos and anarchy, and civilization as we know it would collapse if there were no justice. Torah scholars thus increase peace in the world (Brachot 64a), not only through teaching kindness and spreading love but by ruling fairly between parties in conflict.

 

We Can All Do Justice

One of the reasons why love is so popular is because many feel they cannot affect change in the field of justice (or other areas of life), while anyone can love and work to resolve inner conflicts. It is, perhaps, true to say that not everybody can make a global impact on justice. Yet, locally, each person within his own environment can certainly promote justice, fairness, and integrity.

Moreover, the claim is surely false for dwellers of the Torah study hall who are tasked with this mission. We must, at the very least, create the text for others to act upon, and one person can effect enormous changes. Marx was but one man, yet he was able, over a lifetime, to effect enormous change. When will the rabbinic Jews of today create one book that will change the world for the better?

Another compelling example, particularly for those who view Marxism as a destructive ideology, is the remarkable story of Raphael Lemkin. As a Polish-Jewish lawyer, Lemkin is celebrated for coining the term “genocide” and spearheading the movement to have it recognized as an international crime. His relentless dedication, driven by personal experiences and a profound commitment to justice, led to the adoption of the Genocide Convention by the United Nations in 1948.

Lemkin’s story is a powerful testament to the fact that one individual’s passion and perseverance can drive monumental change. His example inspires us to approach the study and discourse of Torah justice with similar determination and practical application, proving that even a single person, driven by conviction and purpose, can make a profound impact on the world.

Torah study thus leads to action, the action of justice. In this spirit, I would like to mention several practical ideas.

 

Practical Implementations

The following are some suggestions for practical implementations. It is not meant to be exhaustive; there is plenty more to add.

Jews such as Yoram Hazoni, Ben Shapiro, Dennis Prager, and Louis Brandeis have led the charge on this. We need to follow their lead.

1. Study. In their spare time, dedicated Yeshiva students might begin researching complex questions of justice in a range of fields, seeking opinions from additional scholars and recognizing that answers are often not straightforward. We should approach these discussions with professionalism, learning to debate and argue positions effectively. Just as Harvard or Yale Law School are esteemed for their rigorous intellectual training, so too should institutions like the Mir Yeshiva be recognized for their commitment to intellectual rigor. We need to equip ourselves to engage in our intellectual battles with the same level of expertise and determination.
2. Workshops. We can discuss topics and give group talks, perhaps together with local rabbis or educational leaders. We should encourage cross-fertilization between different streams of Jewish thought while keeping an open mind and attaining a high level of thought and investigation.
3. Publications. We should publish instances of injustice and openness to alternative perspectives, which might lead to a change in views. Moral dilemmas can be far more challenging than halachic rulings on spiritual matters. While issues like Shabbat, kashrut, or tefillin might involve personal responsibility with the belief that Hashem appreciates your effort, justice demands real-world feedback. Efforts don’t count when well-intentioned ideas fail in practice. If people are not convinced, it often indicates a need to strengthen your arguments, particularly if they are approaching the discussion with honesty and sincerity.
4. Debate. We need to debate, speak publicly, and write; we need to learn the rules of logic. We need Yeshiva men to create quality written material and to become experts in Torah justice, which will become increasingly respected worldwide as the most reasonable way to resolve conflicts. As the West continues to lose its pride, it is up to us, the Jewish nation, to provide the moral and legal justification for how to live a healthy, wholesome, and upstanding life and how to run a country with fairness and justice. Jews such as Yoram Hazoni, Ben Shapiro, Dennis Prager, and Louis Brandeis have led the charge on this. We need to follow their lead.
5. We need to establish journals and magazines, such as Tzarich Iyun, to delve into these subjects from a Torah perspective. It is essential to foster an environment in which there is vigorous “competition between teachers,” compelling each Torah scholar to continually enhance the quality of his research and arguments to achieve world-class standards. Although some publications today address Torah justice, it is still too easy to make unfounded claims with minimal challenge, as few are genuinely interested. The broader world is not particularly eager to engage with these views, and few believe they hold the solutions to some of the most complex legal questions globally. To address this, we must strive to become the leading voices in the philosophy and practice of justice.

One never knows which ideas will become the most successful. As our rabbis say, “It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it.”

 

Conclusion

In this essay, my intention is not to belittle love. Love, of course, is key to good living, and relationships are central to human life everywhere. My intention, however, is to note that love is not enough. Justice, too, is a central virtue that is much neglected in the current climate.

Love, of course, is key to good living, and relationships are central to human life everywhere. My intention, however, is to note that love is not enough

It seems we are so afraid of conflict that we avoid justice like the plague, exclusively highlighting the need for love and unity. The fact we end up fighting anyway demonstrates that this is not the way forward.

 

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^[1] After all the Talmud states: “[However, considering that the people during the Second Temple period were engaged in Torah study, observance of mitzvot, and acts of kindness, and that they did not perform the sinful acts that were performed in the First Temple,] why was the Second Temple destroyed? It was destroyed due to the fact that there was wanton hatred during that period. This comes to teach you that the sin of wanton hatred is equivalent to the three severe transgressions: Idol worship, forbidden sexual relations and bloodshed.” (Yoma 9b)

[2] We should understand this to mean that literally one day all the world will call Jerusalem the City of Justice – similar perhaps to how Paris was called the City of Light – after becoming the first city in Europe to use gas lighting to illuminate its streets. This goal, to focus on justice until all the world looks up to us, is our responsibility to work towards, not only to wait for Mashiach or Eliyahu to do.

[3] See Yeshayahu 2:4: “He will judge among the nations and will settle the arguments of many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation will not lift sword against nation and they will no longer study warfare.” Clearly, world peace is a result of the Jewish people being recognized as the ultimate authority on justice. There is no need to determine right by might when right can be decided in an internationally trusted court system. These verses appear at the UN, sometimes seen as a mission statement. In reality, this is the Jewish mission, and the Torah world must lead the charge for creating such a world.