👑 Made in the image of God
Genesis 1:27 says humans were made in the image of the Almighty. Jews believe this is true of everyone, whatever their background. So no person can be treated as worthless, and every person deserves respect.
Jewish Beliefs about Rights, Equality and Social Justice » Judaism and Human Rights
What you'll learn this session
Study time: 30 minutes
Edexcel spec: Paper 1, 4.1 (Judaism)
- Why Jews believe every person has rights
- How Jewish teaching supports liberty, equality before the law and freedom of religion, opinion and speech
- Examples of Jewish people and groups who support human rights
- Jewish views on whether rights can ever be limited
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Unlock This CourseWhere Jewish belief in rights begins
In Human Rights and When They Can Be Limited you met human rights: basic freedoms that belong to every person. Now we look at what Judaism teaches. Jews are the followers of Judaism, and they call God the Almighty.
Judaism did not need a modern list of rights to start caring about them. Jewish teaching gives several deep reasons why every person matters.
Key terms:
- Image of God (recap from Creation, Humanity and Tikkun Olam): the belief, from Genesis 1:27, that every human being is made to reflect the Almighty. It gives each person great worth.
- Exodus: the escape of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, which Jews remember every year at Pesach.
Four Jewish reasons for human rights
👪 One common ancestor
The Mishnah (Sanhedrin 4:5) teaches that humanity began with one person, so that nobody could say, "My ancestor was greater than yours." Jews take this to mean that all people are equal in worth.
⛓️ The Exodus
Jews remember that their ancestors were slaves in Egypt and that God freed them. This memory is the root of the Jewish love of freedom. Each Pesach, Jews retell the story so that they never forget what slavery means.
⚖️ Justice and the stranger
Justice is central to Jewish teaching. Leviticus 19:34 tells Jews to love the stranger as themselves, "for you were strangers in the land of Egypt". Having suffered, Jews are told to protect people who are weak or far from home.
Jewish teaching on particular rights
- Liberty: Because God freed the Israelites, Jews believe people should not be enslaved or held without good reason. Freedom is seen as a gift that goes with being made in God's image.
- Equality before the law: If everyone shares one ancestor and one Creator, the law must treat everyone alike. The Torah says there should be one law for the native-born and the stranger (Leviticus 24:22), and that judges must not favour the rich or the poor (Leviticus 19:15).
- Freedom of religion: Judaism does not try to force others to join. Jewish tradition teaches that righteous people of other faiths are valued by God, so there is no need to pressure anyone. Jews also want to be free to practise their own faith, because they have been persecuted for it.
- Freedom of opinion and speech: The Talmud is a huge record of rabbis disagreeing with each other, and the disagreements are kept and respected. Jews are encouraged to question, argue and debate. The prophets also spoke out against kings and powerful people who were unjust.
Not every Jew applies these ideas in the same way. Orthodox Jews stress that rights go together with duties to follow the mitzvot (commandments). Progressive Jews tend to put more weight on individual choice. Both agree that human dignity comes from God.
Jewish people who support human rights
René Cassin
René Cassin (1887-1976) was a French Jewish lawyer. He helped to draft the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, agreed in 1948, and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1968 for his work. The UK Jewish human rights charity, René Cassin, is named after him. It works for the rights of vulnerable people, such as refugees and those facing discrimination, because Jewish teaching says everyone matters.
Many other Jews and Jewish groups campaign for human rights today. Their reasons often come straight from the teachings above: remembering slavery, loving the stranger and seeking justice.
Can rights ever be limited?
Most religious and non-religious people agree that some limits may be needed. Jewish views include these.
- Saving life comes first. The principle of pikuach nefesh says protecting life can override other duties. So a person who is a danger to others may have their freedom limited.
- Rights come with responsibilities. Freedom of speech does not allow harmful speech. Jewish teaching on lashon hara (hurtful gossip), explained in Jewish Attitudes to Bullying, says words can seriously damage people.
- Justice sometimes means punishment. Courts can take away a criminal's liberty if the case is fair and proved.
Some Jews would say limits should be as small as possible, because every person is made in the image of God. Others would say that protecting the community is just as important. Both views come from the same teachings.
Common mistakes
- Saying Jews believe their rights matter more than other people's. The common ancestor teaching says the opposite: everyone is equal.
- Writing only about the general idea of rights. Name a Jewish teaching, such as the image of God or the Exodus.
- Saying Jews all think the same. Orthodox and Progressive Jews can differ on how rights and duties fit together.
- Forgetting that Jewish teaching allows some limits on rights.
Exam-style question
Paper 1, (b), 4 marks, AO1. Choose one religion. Outline two Jewish teachings that support human rights. [4 marks]
Paper 1, (d), 12 marks, AO1 and AO2. "Religious people should always protect freedom of speech." Evaluate this statement, showing you have considered different points of view. In your answer you should refer to at least one religion. [12 marks]
Model answer
(b) Judaism teaches that every person is made in the image of God (1), so every person has great worth and deserves to be treated with respect (1). The Exodus teaches that God freed the Israelites from slavery (1), so Jews believe freedom is important and they should protect people who are oppressed (1).
(d) Plan:
- For: the Talmud keeps all the rabbis' arguments, so Judaism values open debate. The prophets spoke out against unjust rulers. Every person is made in the image of God, so people should be free to share opinions. Jews remember persecution and know what silence costs.
- Against: lashon hara teaches that harmful words can destroy a person. Pikuach nefesh says safety can matter more than speech if people are in danger. Humanists also accept limits when speech causes harm.
- Judgement: freedom of speech is a very strong Jewish principle but not unlimited, because the image of God gives both the right to speak and the duty not to harm.
- Conclusion: the statement is mostly right, but "always" goes too far.
Exam tip
In a 12-mark answer, give arguments on both sides, name a Jewish teaching in each, and finish with a conclusion that picks a side. Say what you think of the word "always" in the statement.