Progressively Speaking: We should be courteous to each other, even if MPs aren’t
Rabbi Sylvia Rothschild looks at Jewish texts to find out how we should treat one another, especially against the backdrop of a tense political atmosphere
Jewish tradition is no stranger to robust debate. Talmud reveals “the scholars of the land of Israel treat each other graciously when engaged in debate, but the scholars of Babylon injure each other”, and more controversy is recorded in the Babylonian than the Jerusalem Talmud.
Another story tells of a three-year dispute between Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel, ended only when a Divine voice emerged, proclaiming: “These and These (Elu’v’Elu) are the words of the living God. But the halacha is with Beit Hillel.”
The Talmud asks: “If both are valid, why is the halacha with Hillel?” And answers: “Because they were agreeable, showed restraint when insulted, and taught both sides of the issue.”
Our tradition is replete with injunctions towards civility in discourse. Avot tells that arguments for the sake of heaven (for general benefit) – like those between Hillel and Shammai – will endure. But selfish arguments – such as Korach’s – will not. The process also matters even more than the content – Shabbat 17a tells of a day when Beit Shammai, realising they had a majority, prevented anyone from leaving or entering and passed 18 laws without listening to any minority opinion.
This day is described as a tragedy as great as the golden calf, the violent overturning of respectful discourse.
We are repeatedly reminded about courteous dialogue, about listening to the other, being open to their opinions. Tradition teaches that sinat chinam, baseless hatred, led to the destruction of the Temple.
Within the Jewish world, different Batei Din must respect each other’s judgments, and different streams of Judaism should respect each other’s integrity.
Within the wider world, we have been watching the breakdown of civil discourse in the past three years, as people label the other side as “stupid”, “conspiratorial” or “evil”.
There is a deliberate attempt to create divisions in society, fracture communities and families, set people against each other, and at the root of it is the failure to adhere to the rules of civil discourse.
We Jews know words matter. The world is created with speech, and can be destroyed with it. Words enter the mind, changing thought, engendering love or hatred, creating suspicion. Life and death are in the power of the tongue – we cannot be silent.
- Sylvia Rothschild has been a community rabbi in south London for 30 years
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
