JEWISH LAW
TZEDAKAH & SOCIAL ORDER
PARTICULARISM VS. UNIVERSALISM
RECONSTRUCTIONIST CRITIQUE
BIBLICAL SCHOLARSHIP & CONTEXT
100

This medieval Jewish legal code was written by Moses Maimonides and systematically organizes Jewish law.

What is the Mishneh Torah?

100

finish the quote "A new principle becomes present here. As opposed to giving agricultural produce, which was on a strict "first-come, first-serve" basis, family and community relationships now dictate the giving of...

tzedakah"

100

Prioritizing one’s family and local community is an example of this approach.

What is particularism?

100

This rabbi founded Reconstructionist Judaism and served as the first rabbi of SAJ.

Who is Mordechai Kaplan?

100

This scholar teaches Bible and religion at Oberlin College.

Who is Cynthia R. Chapman?

200

This section of the Mishneh Torah outlines priorities for charitable giving.

What is Gifts to the Poor?

200

Maimonides teaches that non-Jews must receive aid together with Jews for this reason.

What is “the ways of peace” (darchei shalom)?

200

Providing aid to Jews and non-Jews together reflects this value.

What is universalism?

200

Kaplan argued that this doctrine was justifiable in ancient Judaism but not today.

What is the idea of the Chosen People?


200

Chapman explains that every ancient nation viewed its history as guided by its national deity? or an international deity?

national deity

300

According to Gifts to the Poor 7:13, this group receives charity before all others.

What are one’s relatives?

300

According to Gifts to the Poor 7:7, a beggar going door to door receives this size of gift.

What is a small gift?

300

for darchei shalom/the ways of peace, Maimonides suggests that people give in a way that reflects particularism or universalism? 

universalism

300

True or False- Kaplan was ok with  chosenness as long as it was dogmatic

FALSE!

300

This Hebrew word is a generic terms for god or gods. It could be seen as singular or plural. 

What is Elohim

400

In Maimonides’ hierarchy, which poor come first?

The poor of your own city

400

This action is explicitly forbidden, even if the donor gives very little.

What is sending a poor person away empty-handed?

400

Does Judaism have one definitive view of how to interact with particularism and universalism

nope!

400

True or False, Kaplan believed that the idea of Jewish chosenness was detrimental to a normal adjustment of Jewish people to their environment,

TRUE!

400

This four-letter name represents the personal name of the Israelite god.

What is YHWH?

500

This biblical verse is cited to justify prioritizing care for local poor.

What is Deuteronomy 15:11?

500

Which plant is listed as the minimal gift sufficient to avoid humiliating the poor.

What is one fig?

500

If someone was operating from a place of universalism- would they focus on only their own needs?

nope!

500

True or False, Kaplan believed that when the Torah talked about a chosen people, it was referring to a specific group of people that Moses used to spend time with when he lived as an Egyptian

false

500

True or False, Chapman argues that Israel’s sense of chosenness was common among ancient nations with national deities.

True!

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