1. Views of Justice

2. Aristotle “Render unto each his due”  Retributive: fair treatment of crimes (and good deeds)  Distributive: fair allocation of goods  Other types: restorative, corrective Grounding values  Fairness, equity  Proportion Grounding source: Reason

3. Utilitarianism “The greatest good for the greatest number”  Founder: John Stuart Mill (1861) Grounding value  Maximization of happiness/utility  Greatest social good Grounding source  Human laws, reason

4. Biblical foundations Jewish scriptures: Justice (mishpat, tsedekah) used 280+ times  Mishpat: comes from root for “to judge”  Tsedekah: often translated as “righteousness”  Two terms go together; if it isn’t just, it isn’t right Torah (esp. Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy)  Deut. 16:18-20: “You shall appoint judges and officials throughout your tribes, in all your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall render just decisions for the people. You must not distort justice; you must not show partiality; and you must not accept bribes, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of those who are in the right. Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, so that you may live and occupy the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” Prophets  Concern for marginalized: widow, poor, orphan  Injustice equated with neglect of covenant with God Keeping ritual is not enough; God desires justice (Isa. 1; 58)

5. Justice for Jewish characters Ezra Dinn’s sermon on Gen 19, Sodom and Gomorrah (p. 285)  New Haman, wealthy cities refuse to share, inhospitable to stranger  law used to victimize stranger “Jewish Hero” Rabbi Akiva (337, 343, 346)  How did he “pursue justice”?  Why did Davita identify with him?

6. Questions Why and how does Davita get criticized at the yeshiva? (329) How does Potok develop views of gender in Judaism? How does Channah develop in relation to Davita? (314) What do you think Davita does after the novel ends? What should she do?  What does her speech mean: to her? To you?  What does the harp mean?