Welcome to the Judaism community on Codidact!
Will you help us build our community of learners? Drop into our study hall, ask questions, help others with answers to their questions, share a d'var torah if you're so inclined, invite your friends, and join us in building this community together. Not an ask-the-rabbi service, just people at all levels learning together.
How does civil disobedience fit into Jewish law and practice?
I'm trying to integrate things I (think I) know.
Am I right that there's a general religious principle to follow most secular law? The Bible has more than one example of defying a law that contradicted the fundamentals of Judaism, but have I got it right that most things in the statute book are obligations?
The next thing I'm bringing up is the long record of Jews going to great lengths to right injustices. Am I right that "tikkun olam" can include both prayer and physical actions?
Those great lengths have at times included getting arrested, for example in civil rights demonstrations. That's where I'm seeing a gap in my understanding.
Is deliberately violating an unjust secular law compatible with the principle of following secular law? How do Jews think about a decision to use the tactics of Dr. King or Gandhi?
0 answers
1 comment thread