Like the Gospels, the Talmud suggests that we help the weakest, as this is what God Himself would do. By helping those in need, we are indeed walking in God's footsteps. God teaches us what practical mercy is," explains Israeli Rabbi Oded Peles in a commentary for the Heschel Center of the Catholic University of Lublin. Referring to the Babylonian Talmud, he shows an amazing resemblance to the Gospel, emphasizing that by showing kindness to our neighbors, we imitate God's qualities, draw closer to Him, and follow Him.

The Gospel of Matthew, read on the last Sunday of the Church's liturgical year, presents a vision of the Last Judgement, showing God as King, Shepherd, and Judge. It points to the practical dimension of social justice and teaches the practical dimension of mercy.

The Babylonian Talmud (tractate Sotta 14a) contains a very similar message, in which Rabbi Hama, when asked whether it is possible to imitate God, who is described as a "consuming fire," to which, after all, one cannot come close, answers that it is instead a matter of approaching God by imitating His attributes. He emphasized that God can be imitated "by visiting the sick, just as God visited Abraham; comforting the mourners, as God did with Isaac; burying the dead, just as God buried Moses." Both the Gospel and the Talmud teach that we imitate God by helping the weakest, those on the margins of our communities and society.

God is King, Shepherd, and Judge. Regarding the vision of God reigning on the throne, Rabbi Peles emphasizes that this image is also not alien to Judaism, as it is the central theme of Rosh Hashanah – the Jewish New Year. "On that day, when according to the sages, the world was created, God Almighty is crowned. He sits on his throne and he judges all mankind."

God, who sits on the throne, is to judge the earth. He is compared by Jesus to a shepherd, according to Oded Peles, because the shepherd knows the flock he feeds and knows that it is defenseless without him. The shepherd helps the weak and sick, seeks and finds the lost ones, dresses the wounded, and strengthens the sick (cf. Ez 34). By showing kindness and help to our neighbors, like a shepherd caring for his flock, we imitate the qualities of God, draw closer to Him, and follow Him, according to the words of Jesus: "I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40).

Heschel Center KUL

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In the Gospel of Matthew– chapter 25 verses 31 – 46, The Final Judgment, we learn about practical social justice. We learn about mercy which brings us closer to God.

The Babylonian Talmud (tractate Sotta 14a) deals with the question of how we, human beings, could come closer to God, how on the practical level we could walk in His footsteps.

"Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “After the Lord your God shall you walk…" (Deuteronomy 13:5)? Is it actually possible for a person to follow the Divine Presence? Hasn’t it already been stated: “For the Lord your God is a devouring fire…” (Deuteronomy 4:24), and one cannot approach fire.

He explains: Rather, the meaning is that one should follow the attributes of the Holy One, Blessed be He. He provides several examples. Just as He clothes the naked, as it is written: “And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skin, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21), so too, should you clothe the naked".

Rabbi Hama continues with giving methods and examples of how we can follow God - visiting the sick, like God visited Abraham; console and comfort mourners like God did with Isaac; bury the dead like God buried Moses.

Just as in the Gospel, the Talmud suggests that we look for the most vulnerable people in our community and help them - like God Himself would do. We must have compassion towards those who are on the fringes of our society and communities.

God teaches us what is practical mercy.

By helping the needy people, we actually walk in the footsteps of God.

The parable of the shepherd is also a key theme on Rosh HaShanah - the Jewish New Year. " On it Your Kingship will be exalted; Your throne will be affirmed with kindness and You will sit upon it in truth" (see U'Netanneh Tokef prayer). On that day, the day when according to the sages, the world was created, God Almighty is crowned. He sits on his throne and he judges all mankind.

But why do we have shepherds given as an example, what can we learn from them?

A shepherd gently leads his flock as it is vulnerable. He helps the frail and the sick ones and feeds them on a good pasture. He will seek and bring back those which were lost and driven away. He will bind up the sheep that were wounded and will strengthen the one that was sick (Ezekiel Chapter 34).

God is King, a Shepherd and a Judge. Moses and King David were shepherds: " “Further, thus say to My servant David: Thus said the LORD of Hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be ruler of My people Israel" (2ndSamuel Chapter 7, 8).

By showing grace and kindness to our fellow human beings, just as a shepherd looks after his flock, in the same way by following God’s attributes we come closer to him and follow him.

The Gospel teaches further: "whatever you did to one of the least brothers of mine, you did to me" – and so the grace returns to the Almighty God.

About the Author

Rabbi Oded Peles – cantor, musicologist, Israeli educator and tour guide. Oded Peles was born in Petach Tikva, Israel to a Dutch-German Jewish family. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather, a renowned cantor of the Rotterdam synagogue, the Netherlands, Oded has served and performed as a Cantor in communities worldwide, for over thirty years.

Heschel Center KUL