The Torah and Moral Ambiguity

Women play an important part in the narrative of Genesis. And I have always been struck by the ambiguous way that the Torah deals with women. On the one hand, the women are clearly subservient to their husbands. Much as we may disapprove of male chauvinism and inequality, the fact is that to this very day, thousands of years later, such an attitude prevails in over half of the world’s population. But when it comes to the Torah, there is another perspective: time and time again, women play an absolutely crucial and sometimes heroic role.

According to Chapter 2 of Genesis, the partnership between husband and wife is regarded as essential. In this week’s reading, Abraham and his wife Sarah are described as working together in partnership. Abraham consults his wife over the delicate and politically dangerous challenge of entering Egypt out of necessity — it’s a pagan society where wives are tradable commodities, but family members are important allies. And similarly, the issue of a delicate balance arises when Sarah, who is barren at that stage, offers her servant Hagar as a surrogate. But then she feels humiliated when her servant tries to assert herself over her. Abraham bows to her wishes, as he will do again later (Genesis 21:11-13).

There is a clear need to find balance in complex situations involving moral decisions that are often ambiguous. It happens again in a different context later in this week’s reading. Abraham has no problem accepting goods, cash, and livestock from Pharaoh, who ran an immoral regime. But when it comes to the men of Sodom, although Abraham rescues them for Lot’s sake, he still does not want to receive any benefit from them. “I swear by God above, that I will not take one thread or shoelace or anything else from you, so that you will not be able to say that I have made Avram rich” (Genesis 14:22-23).

The challenge of who to deal with or take money from, is one that many of us are faced with all the time. Recently there was a huge fuss when Oxford College was about to accept a donation from a fascist, Nazi-sympathizing family. Charities should not take tainted money. But it is not an easy moral decision to reject a gift, particularly when poor or needy people might benefit.

In describing these moral challenges openly, the Torah is indicating that even with strict moral rules and standards, there are often no easy answers. Still, it tells us pretty clearly which position it thinks is the right one. Ultimately, humans will have to decide for themselves.

The author is a writer and rabbi, currently based in New York.