Religion and peace.
Opening remarks: Thanks, good to be back to discuss another interesting topic where the panelists are to discuss their religion and peace.
I’m here to discuss the Jewish perspective that is, what Judaism says about peace.
In todays lecture I hope to take you along a journey that highlights the key elements of what Judaism talks about peace.
I would like to begin by stating broadly that a central tenet of Judaism is the concept of peace. There isn’t a specific law that says “thou shall be peaceful”, rather through the commandments and laws we are striving for a state of peace. As I will explain shortly, you will begin to see how central the theme of peace is within Judaism.
What is peace? What does this mean?
The Hebrew word for Peace is “Shalom”. It is a word used for greeting, “shalom aleichem” peace be on you. Interestingly, the root of the work Shalom is the same root used to denote completeness, perfection, and well-being. Simply, by reaching a state of completion in oneself, one can be peaceful, similarly, when someone is peaceful, they can reach a state of self completion and fulfillment. Additionally, the modern Hebrew expression for “what’s up” is “mah shlomcha” which literally translates as “what is your peace?” That is, what is the status of your “peace”. Even when asking someone how they are we are asking them how they’re doing in terms of being at peace.
So central is the theme of peace in Judaism the word Shalom –peace is actually a name of G-d, and we are forbidden in a place such as a bathroom to frivolously say the word shalom. This shows that that the word for peace is akin to calling out G-d, within in whom there is essential calm, equilibrium and peace.
So how important a theme is peace in Judaism? Simply, it is extremely important. To highlight this, I would like to translate a passage from one of the paragraphs of “ethics of our fathers” – which are ethical teachings of our sages. The purpose of these chapters is to tell Jews how to be ethical through doing the commandments and act in the way of G-d.
In chapter 1 paragraph 18, So says Rabbi Simon the son of Gamliel. “On three things does the world stand, on truth, justice, and peace as it says in Zachariah chapter 8, “administer truth and the judgment of peace in your gates”
We see Rabbi Simon’s adage is not telling us that the world stands on a particular act, he could have said, the world stands on three things, respecting your elders, not stealing, and some other example. Rather, Rabbi Simon is telling us that principally, the world exists through truth, justice, and peace, we need to strive for these essential points. The way we do this are through acts of goodness and kindness set out in the laws and the further discussions on ethics.
So, again, how central is peace in Judaism? Lets look further into the Talmud and the various midrashic explanations to understand how central a theme peace is in Judaism. In multiple instances, the Talmud and practical Jewish law rules that in order to keep peace, one must go to great lengths, even break other laws, in order to keep peace. Furthermore, it says about a person who brings peace between two opposing people, nations, cities, husband and wife etc. no harm will be brought on him. We are told to act like Aaron, the brother of Moses, the first priest, who was a lover of peace and a pursuer of peace. He did this in an interesting way, in that when he knew of two people who were fighting, he would tell one side that the other side loves him, and vice versa, in order so they should come together and forget that they were even in a fight.
The central theme of many blessings and prayer is the pursuit and blessing of peace, upon our homes, in our lives, in our cities, countries and on earth. Peace is not just the absence of war, although a modern and comprehensible notion of peace is where we are not fighting between each other in war. As stated earlier, the word for peace- shalom, is also the word for completeness, and perfection. When there is peace, there is perfection, calmness, security, and physical and spiritual well-being.
There is an explanation taught from the book of numbers, it is said that G-d created the world in order for there to be peace among humankind. Now, while this state of perfection is not necessarily apparent in the current state of the world, it is a hope of ours and is a central theme behind the messianic era.
Although this is a deviation from the central theme of today’s lecture, I will say that in the messianic era there will be peace and equilibrium in the world so that we may serve G-d in the fullest possible way. Such is the peace of the messianic era that it is said in Isaiah 11:5 that “the wolf will live with the sheep and leopard will lie down with the kid…” what is the passage in Isaiah telling us? That the pursuit of true peace and equilibrium, as will be in the messianic time, is something difficult, it is where at times two opposites can come together. Two seemingly diametrically different entities coming together is a huge challenge, be it in within ourselves, our lives and on earth. But we hope and we pray for this challenge of the pursuit of peace to be easy and straightforward. And we strive for achieving the state of perfection that peace is, within our lives, and amongst our brothers and sisters in the world.
One final point on the concept of peace is that in order for there to be peace, there has to be difference. That is, if we were all the same, there would be no need to pursue “peace”. The concept of peace therefore celebrates our differences. The hope is that we will desire to pursue after the state of peace so much that we forget our differences and work with each other in way that depicts what being in a peaceful state means. Todays event is one that marks the celebration of differences, and is arguably what peace is all about. The coming together or people to discuss share and learn from one another about the things that makes each one of us great.
On that note, I would like to end off with a prayer that is said multiple times a day when a quorum is gathered, “may He who makes peace in His high places make peace for us and say Amen”