The term “ethics” has a complicated history in Jewish tradition for two reasons. First, the term is not native to classical Jewish sources. Second, in both Christian and secular discourse ethics is often contrasted with law, suggesting that the two are distinct and separate normative frameworks. This is problematic in a Jewish framework, where ethical discussions tend to focus on the question of proper behavior in specific situations and thus fall under the broader category of halakhah. Although often translated as “Jewish law,” halakhah is better understood as a way of life, encompassing far more than the secular term “law” might suggest. Jews seek to live in accordance with the covenant established between God and the people of Israel; halakhah provides guidance about how to do this, whether the issue concerns interpersonal relationships, property law, or ritual behavior. As Chaim Saiman notes, “the rabbis use concepts forged in the regulatory framework [of halakhah] to do the work other societies assign to philosophy, political theory, theology, ethics, and even to art, drama, and literature.” As a result, many of the assumed distinctions between ethics and law do not apply easily or well to Jewish tradition.