Sunday, February 4, 2024

Karma Jewish style TB Baba Kamma 93

The closest Jewish concept I could think of that corresponds to karma is medah kneged medah (מידה כנגד מידה) or measure for measure. “Measure for measure (known as "an eye for an eye") is a moral , leadership and legal principle that is one of the leading in the Torah , and is considered a fundamental principle in understanding the biblical theory of reward . The essence of this principle is that God behaves and rewards people in the same manner in which they behave, and even a court should treat and punish those brought before it, in direct proportion to their actions and in accordance with the way they behaved towards others. Punishment of measure against measure was accepted in the ancient cultures, and it seems that it was used as a clear standard for embodying the concept of justice . The source of the Hebrew expression is in the words of Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani in the name of Rabbi Yonatan” (https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%93%D7%94_%D7%9B%D7%A0%D7%92%D7%93_%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%93%D7%94.)

Daf TB Baba Kama 93 cites an example of Jewish karma.

Rabbi Ḥanan says: One who passes the judgment of another to Heaven is punished first, as it is stated: “And Sarai said to Abram: My wrong be upon you, I gave my handmaid into your bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: The Lord judge between me and you” (Genesis 16:5). Sarai stated that God should judge Abram for his actions. And it is written: “And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her” (Genesis 23:2), as Sarah died first. The Gemara comments: And this matter applies only in a situation where he has someone to do judgment for him on earth and has no need to appeal to the heavenly court.

“Concerning this, Rabbi Yitzḥak says: Woe to he who cries out to Heaven more than the one about whom he is crying out. The Gemara comments: This concept is also taught in a baraita: Both the one who cries out and the one about whom he is crying out are included in the verse discussing the cries of an orphan who is mistreated: “If you afflict them, for if they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry. My wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword” (Exodus 22:22–23). But they are quicker to punish the one who cries out than the one about whom he is crying out, as in the incident with Sarai.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Whether you believe in karma or not, Judaism teaches that we should choose our words and actions wisely. Otherwise, they may come back and bite us in the tussik!

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