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Blessings and Ethics the Spiritual Life

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Why do Jews recite blessings over ritual acts but remain silent during ethical deeds like giving charity? This theological paradox, examined through the lens of Abraham's hospitality in Genesis 18, reveals a profound insight into the nature of sacred encounters. Through analysis of Talmudic sources, rabbinic literature, and medieval commentaries, a clear pattern emerges: blessings serve to redirect attention from worldly experiences toward divine attributes, yet ethical mitzvot demand complete presence with another human being. The very act of pronouncing a blessing during interpersonal encounters would create spiritual distance, transforming the other person from subject to object. Rather than indicating a divide between religious and ethical spheres, this liturgical silence illuminates their deep interconnection. Both blessings and ethical actions emerge as complementary practices for cultivating religious receptivity - one oriented toward divine presence, the other toward human dignity. Together, they affirm the sacred nature that infuses all encounters, whether with the divine Other or human others.

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    Joshua Gutoff