Yom Kippur 5787
A world with mercy

Source: Rabbi Skorka

According to the sages of the Midrash (Bereshit Rabbah 12:4), God created the Cosmos through the standards of Justice and Mercy, for “[t]he Holy One blessed be He said: If I create the world with [just] the attribute of mercy, there will be many sinners; if [just] with the attribute of strict justice, how will the world endure? Rather, I will create it with [both] the attribute of justice and the attribute of mercy, would that it will endure."

Centuries before the sages, the psalmist had already exclaimed on one hand (130:3): "If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?", and on the other (103:13-14): "As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust."

These two concepts, justice and mercy, became especially connected in the Jewish tradition with the celebrations of Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the Hebrew year, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which is celebrated on the tenth day of the new year. The former is the moment when all human beings are judged; on the latter, God's forgiveness is attained.

The relationships between God and His creatures are symmetrical. That which God demands from and dispenses to human beings must have a counterpart within them. The Talmud teaches (b. Shabbat 133b; b. Sotah 14a) that man must imitate the divine behaviors revealed in the Bible. In this case, justice and mercy must therefore be essential vectors in human conduct.

Justice is a clear and well-known concept in ancient, culturally developed societies, as witnessed by the codes of Ur-Nammu, Lipit-Ishtar, Eshnunna, and Hammurabi. In Greece and Rome, it acquired a high degree of sophistication and refinement. The core problem is how to balance justice with mercy. The sages of the Talmud teach that justice devoid of mercy leads to the destruction of society (b. Bava Metzia 30b).

But what is mercy? The Hebrew word that designates it is Rachamim, whose root is R.Ch.M.—the very same root that designates the womb of a woman in Hebrew, and the verb "to love" in Aramaic. Both meanings, the Hebrew and the Aramaic, are intimately linked, as a woman's womb, where life is gestated, is a symbol of maternal love—one of the most sublime expressions of this feeling.

In the laws prescribed in the Torah, merciful consideration toward one's neighbor is frequently found (Leviticus 25:25-28, 35-41). The biblical text uses the imperative "you shall love" to define the relationship that must be nurtured toward one's neighbor (Leviticus 19:18), toward the stranger (Leviticus 19:34), and toward God (Deuteronomy 6:5; 11:1). From this, it follows that love for God is inextricably linked to love for one's neighbor and the stranger.

The rabbis deduced the attributes of God from what He revealed in Exodus 34:6-7. These reflect God's compassion and mercy toward human beings (b. Rosh Hashanah 17b).

During the first days of the Hebrew new year, Jewish people take an introspective look to analyze what is happening within themselves and within humanity. Under the perspective of what has been stated, we must affirm that mercy toward one's neighbor is sorely lacking in our day. The media often spreads prejudice and hatred. The "other" is frequently objectified. The capacity for dialogue—a vital element for an individual to perceive a brother in their neighbor—has been dramatically eroded in the present. Members of the same family avoid talking about certain topics just to prevent quarrels.

The first dialogue between human beings and God occurred after the former transgressed the only commandment they had to keep: not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God did not abandon him. He had mercy on him. Furthermore, while the human being was hiding, God went out to meet him. He began a dialogue with man with a question: "Where are you?"

Of course, this is a rhetorical question on His part. It is the question that all of us, individuals and nations alike, should always ask ourselves.

On Yom Kippur, the Jewish people raise their prayers to find answers to this question, along with the fervent desire to share this question with all of humanity.

Abraham Skorka

Article published on September 21st 2026, in the Italian edition of L'Osservatore Romano. Pages 5 and 8.