Truth means TRUTH-either you read Quran, Bible or Talmud

Submitted by Nishi (India), Jun 11, 2009 at 12:23

It is strange that you appear to be helpless in knowing the meaning of truth. Any way to day's reality is that truth and justice, as interpreted by Israel & America of course always spells bad news for Palestinians. For your conveniance I am trying to satisfy your query according to Judaism. In Judaism, truth is represented as an ultimate ethical value both for the individual and for society as a whole. The rabbis teach, "The world stands on three things, on truth, on Justice, and on Peace" (Avot 1:18), for where there is truth, justice will necessarily follow and then will come peace---the greatest blessing for society.

A similar idea is expressed in a comment on emet, the Hebrew word for truth, containing the first, middle, and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet; this is taken to indicate that from beginning to end, all basic personal and social values are ideally built on truth. In Jewish ethics, truth is bracketed with other supreme human values. Jewish Ethics uncompromisingly stress the value and importance of truth in thought, speech, and deed. However, recognizing that an individual's judgment may not always be reliable, the advice is not to judge things as an individual but to strive for truth through consensus.

Further, since no one can be absolutely certain that his personal view represents the truth, people should consider the alternative view before making a final determination. This seems to have been the approach of the School of Hillel in their debates with the School of Shammai (see Bet Shammai and Bet Hillel). It was because the Hillelites also studied the opinions of their opponents that their own conclusions bore the stamp of greater truth (Er. 13b). While truth is a central value, Jewish ethics recognize that in certain circumstances there could be even higher values, for example, the preservation of life.

In the case of a conflict between life and truth, life takes precedence. The rabbis were aware of the impossibility for man's finite mind to comprehend total truth. Total truth belongs to God alone. Thus, they declare that "the seal of God is truth" (Shab. 55a). Within this framework of ideas, Franz Rosenzweig said that truth is a value which can only be associated with God. The characteristic direction of Jewish ethics is essentially practical in nature.

Consequently, even while acknowledging that only God is truth, it submits the ethic of the Imitation of God, with its ideal for man to follow the "ways of God" and, as far as is humanly possible, to concern himself with the practical details of a life of truth.

Kindly analyse deeds and actions of Israel & America towards Palestinians since the creation of Israel. The construction of new buildings, walls by shifting (Pushing and killing) Palestinians is probably not the Truth as per the Talmud or any other religious scripture, for which you are hunting Hither and thither.

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