Rambam, Laws of Repentance 3:1

רמבם, הלכות תשובה ג:א

Original Text:

כל אחד ואחד מבני האדם יש לו זכיות ועונות, מי שזכיותיו יתירות על עונותיו צדיק, ומי שעונותיו יתירות על זכיותיו רשע... וכן המדינה..., וכן כל העולם כולו.

Translation:

Each and every person has merits and sins. A person whose merits exceed his sins is [termed] righteous. A person whose sins exceed her merits is [termed] wicked… The same applies to an entire country… The same applies to the entire world.
[AJWS translation]

Suggested Discussion Questions:

1. How is this a good definition of righteous and wicked? In what ways is this a poor definition?
2. What are our collective good deeds? What are our collective sins?

Time Period:	Medieval (Geonim through the 16th Century)
Type:	Legal Text
Categories:	Tikkun Olam
Keywords:	Personal Responsibility, Ethics, Communal Responsibility
Related Texts:	Rambam, Laws of Repentance 3:1

Submitted By

Sarah Margles

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