Fanaticism is excessive zeal in religious matters and is especially serious when directed toward others. Judaism, like other religions, has had to face the problem of how to achieve the balance between complete loyalty, carried out with enthusiasm and conviction, and the unbridled zeal of some who, in acting, seem to ignore the very values ​​they preach.

The Torah presents us with several examples of fanaticism. One is the story of the abduction of Dinah, where despite Jacob and his sons having made an agreement with the prince of Shechem, two of Jacob’s sons, Simon and Levi, kill the men of the town anyway. Jacob, on his deathbed, as he blesses each of his sons, condemns the action of Simon and Levy.

Kenneth Seeskin, in his book “Maimonides, A Guide for the Perplexed Today” tells us: “On the matter of fanaticism, Maimonides points out in his work entitled Eight Chapters that, according to the Torah, God does not want and in many cases does not accept extremist behavior. God does not want people to starve themselves, torment themselves, take vows of celibacy or endure deprivation. What He wants is honest dealings with one’s neighbor, moderation of passions, respect for the poor, the widow, the orphan, the sick and the stranger, rest on Shabbat and in general, a life in which we can grow to our full potential. It is true that the Torah calls for moral and religious discipline, but it never recommends discipline for discipline’s sake. The purpose of the law is not to promote unquestioning obedience to authority. It is rather to create an environment in which man can perfect his soul and the society in which he lives.”

In Leviticus 19:18 and 19:34 the Golden Rule is first expressed: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Kant himself in the 18th century said that this principle was the basis of every ethical system and that every commandment, moral judgment or action must be completely compatible with it.

Seeskin continues: “If Maimonides is correct, the divine commandments have as their goal human excellence (Guide 3:27). No commandment mandates a form of conduct that does not instill in us a correct way of thinking, that does not contribute to social harmony and that does not provide us with physical and mental health.”

Today our world is torn apart by men and women who claim that God is on their side and who, convinced of the correctness of their positions, commit physical or psychological acts of violent destruction. These individuals are driven by the certainty that they know the sacred truths and are therefore morally obligated to do everything in their power to enforce them, regardless of the suffering of others. Along with their inflated sense of righteousness, moral certainty, and ideological purity, they have a tendency to dehumanize and even demonize those who oppose them. They believe that they have the absolute truth. But this is not the case.

Prepared by Marcos Gojman.

Bibliography: Kenneth Seeskin, “Maimonides, A Guide for Today’s Perplexed” and articles by Rabbi Louis Jacobs and James Green