The Full Scope Of The Straight And The Good

In our last piece, we saw that Moshe stressed the importance of following what is “yashar and tov, straight and good in the eyes of Hashem.” What does that entail? What actions qualify as straight and good in the eyes of Hashem?

The simplest explanation is that Moshe was referring to general mitzvah observance, which he mentioned in the previous pasuk. According to this explanation, Moshe was not adding responsibility. He was merely emphasizing the importance of following what Hashem sees as good, as opposed to what we and others see.

Chazal, though, understood Moshe as requiring more than just the aforementioned mitzvah observance. We see this from three gemarot in Masechet Bava Metzia (16b, 35a, 108a) that quote our pasuk as the basis for halachos with no other source. What kinds of situations does the pasuk address?

Rashi (Dev. 6:18) identifies two categories: pesharah (compromise) and lifnim mishurat hadin(supererogatory conduct).

Classifying pesharah as tov is understandable. It is preferable to compromise than to resolve a dispute in a way that leaves one side completely disadvantaged.

What is surprising is the categorization of compromise as yashar. Why is compromise considered “straight”? It seems that the straight way is not always to insist on din. Being straight does not mean considering only the narrow letter of the law. It also includes pesharah, which aims to bring peace. Compromise is regarded as the ideal straight path.

Lifnim mishurat hadin is a broader category that encompasses a range of interpersonal circumstances. Why does the Torah mandate such a category?

The Ramban explains that the Torah cannot possibly relate to every life circumstance. Therefore, it regulates everyday situations and then instructs us to follow the “straight and good” in all other circumstances.

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks elaborates on this point: “Law is about universals, principles that apply in all places and times: Do not murder. Do not rob. Do not steal. Do not lie. Yet there are important features of the moral life that are not universal at all. They have to do with specific circumstances and the way we respond to them” (“The Right and the Good,” Covenant and Conversation, V’etchanan 5775.)

The Ramban’s understanding of yashar and tov reminds us of his explanation of kedoshim tihiyu. We have seen in previous pieces that the Ramban regards kedoshim tihiyu as pertaining to areas of personal conduct not mandated by other mitzvot. It goes beyond the letter of the law to ensure that we prioritize the spiritual over the physical. The mandate to seek the straight and good relates to interpersonal relationships in a similar way. It goes beyond the letter of the law to ensure that we treat other people properly. Kedoshim tihiyu mandates holistic spiritual growth; Va’asita hayashar v’hatov mandates holistic interpersonal behavior.

The Maggid Mishnah adds a second dimension to the Ramban’s explanation (Shecheinim 14:5). The Torah cannot address every possible scenario, not only because there are so many, but also because reality is constantly changing. Circumstances exist today that did not exist in the past, and tomorrow will bring circumstances that don’t exist today. The Torah provides principles, such as following the straight and good, to guide our approach to unforeseen circumstances. This completes the Torah by helping it relate to all of life’s scenarios.

The explanation given by Chazal, Rashi, and the Ramban for the pasuk helps us understand its context: Moshe’s directives to the Jewish people before they entered Eretz Yisrael. As we saw in the previous piece, Moshe links the successful settlement of Eretz Yisrael to the fulfillment of yashar and tov. This is because we cannot build a healthy society on law alone. It requires the compromise and situational sensitivity mandated by the directive to follow the straight and good.

It is noteworthy that the pasuk employs two terms: both yashar and tov. The Sifre (Re’eh 27) explains that the second word mandates an additional element: the need to act in a way that finds favor in the eyes of other people. Although the pasuk itself explicitly mentions only Hashem’s perspective, Chazal understood, based on other pesukim (Mish. 3:4), the need to be sensitive to the feelings of other people as well.

The Mishnah in Avot also links the “straight path” to the perception of others: “Rebbe stated: ‘Which is the straight path a person should choose? Whichever is beautiful for the person and for others’” (Avot 2:1). Although Hashem’s perspective takes precedence, we should also be sensitive to others’ feelings, fostering genuine connections that inspire mutual respect and care.

A later Mishnah in Avot goes even further by conditioning Hashem’s view of us on our ability to find favor in the eyes of other people: “He (Rebbe Chanina ben Dosa) used to say: ‘Anyone liked by people is liked by Hashem; anyone not liked by people is not liked by Hashem’” (Avot 3:10).

People often distinguish between spiritual people, who seem close to Hashem, and kind people, who get along with others. The Mishnah utterly rejects this distinction. Hashem likes only those liked by others.

Being such a person hinges on character development. As the Ramban and Maggid Mishnah explained, there can be no comprehensive manual for treating others. Proper behavior depends on the situation, our individual character, and the needs and sensitivities of the specific people we interact with at each moment (Mesillat Yesharim 26).

As Rabbi Jonathan Sacks explains (“The Right and the Good,” Covenant and Conversation, V’etchanan5775): “Morality is about persons, and no two persons are alike. When Moses asked Hashem to appoint his successor, he began his request with the words, “Lord, G-d of the spirit of all flesh” (Numbers 27:16). On this, the Rabbis commented. Moses argued that each person is different, so he asked Hashem to appoint a leader who would relate to each individual as an individual, recognizing that what is helpful to one person may be harmful to another. This ability to judge the proper response to the right person at the right time is a feature not only of leadership, but of human goodness in general.”

The only way to consistently act appropriately is to develop proper middot, which help us to respond appropriately to all circumstances. Yashrut (straightness or honesty) is a trait linked to our pasuk and is central to these middot. The Avot exemplified this middah; they dealt with others honestly and straightforwardly, and the Torah calls us, their descendants, “Yeshurun” because we are meant to follow their straight ways (Dev. 32:15).

The Rambam saw this yashrut as one of the Torah’s central goals. “Most of the Torah’s laws are mere advice about how to fix our character and straighten our deeds” (Tem. 4:13). Following the Rambam’s lead, Rav Kook defined the goal of education as helping a person realize his correct form, the central point of which is his becoming tov and yashar (Igorot HaRaiyah, 170).

The goal of acting yashar hinges on developing the middah of yashrut, exemplified by yesharim, people who are “straight.” Understandably, the Ramchal called the famous sefer he wrote to give such guidance “Mesillat Yesharim, The Path of the Straight.”

We all work hard to observe mitzvot and strengthen our relationship with Hashem. Moshe’s emphasis on tov and yashar teaches us the importance of treating each other properly, with goodness and straightforwardness. This is why the term ehrlichkeit (straightforwardness) came to be used to describe a proper Jew. Rav Aharon Kotler contrasted this term with false piety by saying, “Frum is a galach [priest]; erlich is a Yid.” Our religiosity needs to be rooted in the traits of yashar and tov.

May Moshe’s words inspire us to emulate Hashem’s goodness and yashrut and treat other people the way He treats all of us. May this help us build the kind of society in Eretz Yisrael that He wants us to develop and merit His showering His goodness upon us. n

Rav Reuven Taragin is the Dean of Overseas Students at Yeshivat Hakotel and the Educational Director of World Mizrachi and the RZA. His new book, Essentials of Judaism, is available at rabbireuventaragin.com.