Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-s22k5 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-02-05T16:04:47.991Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

12 - Human dignity in the Jewish tradition

from Part I - Origins of the concept in European history

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 March 2015

By
Yair Lorberbaum
Edited by
Marcus Düwell ,
Jens Braarvig ,
Roger Brownsword  and
Dietmar Mieth
Yair Lorberbaum
Affiliation:
Bar-Ilan University
Marcus Düwell
Affiliation:
Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands
Jens Braarvig
Affiliation:
Universitetet i Oslo
Roger Brownsword
Affiliation:
King's College London
Dietmar Mieth
Affiliation:
Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, Germany
Get access

Summary

The Hebrew counterpart to the expression ‘human dignity’ – kevod ha-adam – hardly exists in classical Jewish sources. This expression entered the Hebrew language and Jewish-Israeli culture in modern times due to the influence of modern European structures of thought. Thus, for example, Israel's Basic Law: Human Dignity (kevod ha-adam) and Freedom (ve-heruto) was enacted by the Israeli parliament (Knesset) in 1992.

The term ‘kavod’ appears in the Hebrew Bible several hundred times, and even more so in Talmudic literature. Its root is probably in the word ‘kaved’, ‘heavy’, which also means substance (or concrete/physical presence). The core meaning of the term ‘kavod’ is social honour or dignity, but it may also mean wealth, glory, greatness and splendour. Thus, the Hebrew Bible uses it to signify God's presence or substance (kevod YHWH, for example Exodus 16:7), or there are such Rabbinic sayings as: ‘All that God created in His world He did not create but for His own glory (li-khevodo)’ (m. Avot 6:11).

Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Human Dignity
Interdisciplinary Perspectives
 , pp. 135 - 144
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2014

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Blidstein, G. I. 1982–3. ‘“Great Is Human Dignity” – The Peregrination of a Law’, Shenatom Ha-Mishpat Ha-Ivri 9–10: 127–86 (Hebrew)Google Scholar
Chavel, H. (ed.). 1981. Nahmanides’ Writings, vol. II. Jerusalem: Mossad Ha-Rav Kook
Greenberg, M. 1960. ‘Some Postulates of Biblical Criminal Law’, in Yehezkel Kaufmann Jubilee Volume, ed. Haran, M.. Jerusalem: Magness Press, 5–28Google Scholar
Loewenstamm, S. A. 1958. ‘Beloved Is Man Who Was Created in the Image’, Tarbiz 17: 798 (Hebrew)Google Scholar
Lorberbaum, Y. 1999. ‘Maimonides on Imago Dei: Philosophy and Law – The Case of Murder, Capital Punishment and Criminal Procedure’, Tarbiz 68: 533–56 (Hebrew)Google Scholar
Lorberbaum, Y. 2000. ‘Nahmanides’ Kabbalistic Conception of “Tzelem Elohim”’, Kabbalah, Journal for the Study of Jewish Mystical Texts 5: 287–326 (Hebrew)Google Scholar
Lorberbaum, Y. 2001. ‘Humans Created in the Image of God and the Commandments to Procreate in the Talmud and Maimonides’, Iyyunei Mishpat 16: 695–754 (Hebrew)Google Scholar
Lorberbaum, Y. 2004. Tzelem Elohim – Halakhah and Aggadah. Tel Aviv, Jerusalem: Schocken (Hebrew)Google Scholar
Lorberbaum, Y. 2011. Disempowered King, Monarchy in Classical Judaism. London, New York: ContinuumGoogle Scholar
Maimonides, . 1963. The Guide of the Perplexed, trans. Pines, Shlomo. Chicago University PressGoogle Scholar
Nahmanides, . 1976. Commentary to the Torah, trans. Chavel, H., vol. I. New York: Shilo, 66Google Scholar
Sperber, D. 2007. The Path of Halacha. Jerusalem: Reuven Mass (Hebrew)Google Scholar
Weinfeld, M. 1968. ‘God the Creator in Gen. 1 and in the Prophecy of the Second Isaiah’, Tarbiz 37: 105–32 (Hebrew)Google Scholar
Westermann, C. 1992. Genesis 1–11: A Continental Commentary. Minneapolis, MN: AugsburgGoogle Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×