Man

1. Of all created beings man alone possesses the power of
self-determination; he assigns his destiny to himself. While he endeavors
to find the object of all other things and even of his own existence in
the world, he finds his own purpose within himself. Star and stone, plant
and beast fulfill their purpose in the whole plan of creation by their
existence and varied natures, and are accordingly called "good" as they
are. Man, however, realizes that he must accomplish his purpose by his
manner of life and the voluntary exertion of his own powers. He is "good"
only as far as he fulfills his destiny on earth. He is not good by mere
existence, but by his conduct. Not what he is, but what he ought to be
gives value to his being. He is good or bad according to the direction of
his will and acts by the imperative: "I ought" or "I ought not," which
comes to him in his conscience, the voice of God calling to his soul.

2. The problem of human destiny is answered by Judaism with the idea that
God is the ideal and pattern of all morality. The answer given, then, is
"To walk in the ways of God, to be righteous and just," as He is.(656) The
prophet Micah expressed it in the familiar words: "It has been told thee,
O man, what is good, and what the Lord doth require of thee: Only to do
justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God."(657)
Accordingly the Bible considers men of the older generations the
prototypes of moral conduct, "righteous men who walked with God." Such men
were Enoch, Noah, and above all Abraham, to whom God said: "I am God
Almighty; walk before Me, and be thou whole-hearted. And I will make My
covenant between thee and Me."(658) The rabbis singled out Abraham as the
type of a perfect man on account of his love of righteousness and peace;
contrasting him with Adam who sinned, they beheld him as "the great man
among the heroes of the ancient times." They even considered him the type
of true humanity, in whom the object of creation was attained.(659)

3. This moral consciousness, however, which tells man to walk in the ways
of God and be perfect, is also the source of shame and remorse. With such
an ideal man must feel constantly that he falls short, that he is not what
he ought to be. Only the little child, who knows nothing as yet of good
and evil, can preserve the joy of life unmarred. Similarly, primitive man,
being ignorant of guilt, could pass his days without care or fear. But as
soon as