Reply To: A question about being self- centered

LMA, very nice insight.

kol daveed, I happen to agree with you. I don’t think doing good without having G-d involved is necessarily worth nothing. For example, it is possible that an effect of doing such good is that a beneficiary may become closer to G-d, even though the giver did not have G-d in mind, and that would be worth something.

oomis, wonderful post, and very clearly put. But think about this: Wouldn’t you agree that we do have some mitzvos that ANYONE, regardless of their faith, can do because they simply make sense? Like honoring your parents, visiting the sick, etc.? These types of mitzvos make sense to us, too, even if we “only” do them because G-d said we should. But imagine for second, G-d forbid, that we were not Jewish..would we not honor our parents and visit the sick? All I am saying is that I think there are mitzvos that make moral sense, and miztvos that may not, but of course, we should treat them with no difference. I do agree with your post, though.

80, I understand what you are saying. But see what I just said to oomis.

And thank you all for your ideas and opinions! This turned out to be a great thread.