The Rebbe replied that it is inapt to call a Jew ethical. The nations of the world, who may have a morality determined by common sense and fairness, which can be called ethical.
But the Jews are a holy people (Isaiah 62:12) and we keep moral commandments that are logical and fair, but do so not for reasons of ethics. Our Creator gave us a Torah. We keep the commandments because they were decreed by God and not for any logical or moral reasons.
There are commandments and customs that involve morality. These are a way of life. King David calls them “the way.” One would follow these ways on the basis of ethical fairness alone. For example, an ethical person would abstain from stealing, even without a Divine commandment. King David spoke of such commandments called “the way.” He said of them, “Of Your commandments I will run”: I will not keep these commandments because they are moral, but because they are “Your commandments.” It is for this reason that I run to keep them.
“The way” includes commandments that are ethically logical. But I do not follow “the way” because it is proper and ethical. “The way of Your commandments I will run”: I run to keep them because You decreed them in Your Torah.
“Derech Mitzvotecha Arutz – The way of Your commandments I will run”: The first letters of the Hebrew words form spell out ADaM (man). Israel is a holy people and they are called Adam. They do not keep mitzvot because they may be logical or ethical, but because they are decreed by God. 189The original edition of the Sichot, which incidentally was also called Likutey Moharan, was published together with the Sipurey Ma'asiot in 5576/1816 in Ostrog. It only went as far as this sichah. The rest was added on in the next edition. See Alim LeTerufah #17, where Reb Noson writes that a certain Reb Ber of Lipovitz had a number of the Rebbe's writings.
אֶחָד הָיָה מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ, וְהָיָה מְשַׁבֵּחַ אֶת אִישׁ אֶחָד שֶׁמִּתְנַהֵג בְּיֹשֶׁר, וְאָמַר עָלָיו בִּלְשׁוֹן אַשְׁכְּנַז שֶׁהָאִישׁ הַזֶּה הוּא אָרִינְטְלִיךְ (אָדָם יָשָׁר).
A man was once speaking to the Rebbe, praising someone else for his good character. He said that the other was arintlach (ethical).
עָנָה הוּא ז"ל וְאָמַר: שֶׁעַל אִישׁ יִשְׂרְאֵלִי אֵין שַׁיָּךְ לוֹמַר אָרִינְטְלִיךְ. כִּי אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם יֵשׁ לָהֶם הַנְהָגוֹת נִימוּסִיּוּת, מַה שֶּׁהַשֵּׂכֶל וְהַיֹּשֶׁר מְחַיֵּב, שֶׁזֶּה נִקְרָא אָרִינְטְלִיךְ.
The Rebbe replied that it is inapt to call a Jew ethical. The nations of the world, who may have a morality determined by common sense and fairness, which can be called ethical.
אֲבָל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַם קָדוֹשׁ, אֲפִלּוּ אֵלּוּ הַמִּצְווֹת שֶׁהֵם מִצַּד דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ מַה שֶּׁהַיֹּשֶׁר וְהַשֵּׂכֶל מְחַיֵּב, אֲפִלּוּ אֵלּוּ הַמִּצְווֹת אֵין עוֹשִׂין מֵחֲמַת דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ מִצַּד חִיּוּב הַשֵּׂכֶל וְהַיֹּשֶׁר, רַק מִגְּזֵרַת הַמֶּלֶךְ הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ שֶׁצִּוָּה עָלֵינוּ בְּתוֹרָתוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת כָּךְ.
But the Jews are a holy people (Isaiah 62:12) and we keep moral commandments that are logical and fair, but do so not for reasons of ethics. Our Creator gave us a Torah. We keep the commandments because they were decreed by God and not for any logical or moral reasons.
וְזֶה שֶׁאָמַר דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ ע"ה (תְּהִלִּים קיט): "דֶּרֶךְ מִצְווֹתֶיךָ אָרוּץ".
It is written in the words of King David, “Derech mitzvotekha arutz – The way of Your commandments I will run” (Psalms 119:32).
הַיְנוּ שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ הַמִּצְווֹת וְהַהַנְהָגוֹת שֶׁנִּקְרָאִים דֶּרֶךְ, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁהֵם מִדֶּרֶךְ הָאָרֶץ שֶׁמִּצַּד הַדֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ וְהַיֹּשֶׁר מְחֻיָּבִים לְהִתְנַהֵג כָּךְ, כְּגוֹן לִבְלִי לִגְזֹל אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה, וְאָמַר דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ ע"ה: שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ אֵלּוּ הַמִּצְווֹת שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת דֶּרֶךְ כַּנַּ"ל – "מִצְווֹתֶיךָ אָרוּץ", הַיְנוּ שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְקַיֵּם מִצַּד דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ, כִּי־אִם מֵחֲמַת מִצְווֹת הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה.
There are commandments and customs that involve morality. These are a way of life. King David calls them “the way.” One would follow these ways on the basis of ethical fairness alone. For example, an ethical person would abstain from stealing, even without a Divine commandment. King David spoke of such commandments called “the way.” He said of them, “Of Your commandments I will run”: I will not keep these commandments because they are moral, but because they are “Your commandments.” It is for this reason that I run to keep them.
וְזֶהוּ "דֶּרֶךְ מִצְווֹתֶיךָ אָרוּץ" שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ הַמִּצְווֹת שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁהֵם מִצַּד דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן "מִצְווֹתֶיךָ אָרוּץ" שֶׁאֵינִי מְקַיְּמָם ח"ו מִצַּד נִמּוּסִיּוּת וְדֶרֶךְ אֶרֶץ כִּי אִם "מִצְוֹתֶיךָ אָרוּץ", שֶׁאֲנִי רָץ לְקַיֵּם מִצְווֹתֶיךָ שֶׁגָּזַרְתָּ עָלֵינוּ בַּתּוֹרָה.
“The way” includes commandments that are ethically logical. But I do not follow “the way” because it is proper and ethical. “The way of Your commandments I will run”: I run to keep them because You decreed them in Your Torah.
וְעַל־כֵּן אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ ז"ל (יְבָמוֹת סא.): "יִשְׂרָאֵל קְרוּיִים אָדָם וְאֵין הָעַכּוּ"ם קְרוּיִים אָדָם".
The Talmud states, “Only the Jews are called ‘Adam’” and not the idolators (Yebamot 61a).
כִּי אָדָ"ם הוּא רָאשֵׁי־תֵּבוֹת דֶּ'רֶךְ מִ'צְווֹתֶיךָ אָ'רוּץ, כִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַם קָדוֹשׁ אֲפִלּוּ הַמִּצְווֹת שֶׁהֵם מִצַּד הַשֵּׂכֶל וְדֶרֶךְ אֶרֶץ, גַּם אוֹתָם הַמִּצְווֹת אֵינָם מְקַיְּמִים מִצַּד הַיֹּשֶׁר כִּי־אִם מֵחֲמַת מִצְווֹת הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה כַּנַּ"ל. וְעַל־כֵּן הֵם קְרוּיִם אָדָ"ם בְּחִינַת דֶּ'רֶךְ מִ'צְווֹתֶיךָ אָ'רוּץ וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל.
“Derech Mitzvotecha Arutz – The way of Your commandments I will run”: The first letters of the Hebrew words form spell out ADaM (man). Israel is a holy people and they are called Adam. They do not keep mitzvot because they may be logical or ethical, but because they are decreed by God. 189The original edition of the Sichot, which incidentally was also called Likutey Moharan, was published together with the Sipurey Ma'asiot in 5576/1816 in Ostrog. It only went as far as this sichah. The rest was added on in the next edition. See Alim LeTerufah #17, where Reb Noson writes that a certain Reb Ber of Lipovitz had a number of the Rebbe's writings.