In this response to Paul Heyne, the author seeks to outline some major elements of Jewish economic ethics. The balance between individual freedom on the one hand and communal justice on the other is investigated and some of its consequences elaborated. Although such considerations are relevant and applicable to a homogenous Jewish socio-political unit, it has implications for other societies as well. The Jewish moral guidelines and ethical legislation are neither anachronistic nor irrelevant to all societies. The recognition of social responsibilities both of the individual and of society may stimulate regulation and legislation to protect the weak members of society.
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References
1.
Brod, Max (1976) Paganism, Christianity and Judaism. Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabama Press.
2.
Kant, Immanuel (1950) Religion Within the Limits of Reason Alone. London: Routledge.
