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The Revolutionary Idea

of Covenant

Rabbi Doron Perez

Last month, Mizrachi Press and Gefen Publishing House released “The Jewish State – From Opposition to Opportunity”
by Rabbi Doron Perez, Executive Chairman of World Mizrachi. The following essay is adapted from the book.

uman life is first and foremost conjure on its own. To understand this system encourages the individual to be
about relationships, particu- transcendental, divinely inspired concept, driven by a commitment to the greater
larly those that matter to us we must juxtapose it with the human con- good. The goal of the individual in a cov-
Hmost. We have different types structs of agreements and contracts. enantal system is to dedicate oneself for
of relationships – with our families, our One of the most influential political phi- the sake of society as opposed to utilizing
communities, and with G-d. According losophers, Englishman Thomas Hobbes, society to serve oneself.
to Jewish tradition, there is one central was the first to define the organizing This can only be done when individuals
organizing principle to all these critical
relationships. The Tanach introduces us to principle of human society and the state transcend personal gain and protection
of their own individual space and focus
as “the social contract.” In his 1651 book
one of the most transformative ideas in all Leviathan, he described the way human on fulfilling the needs of others. Values
of religious history – the concept of a brit.
beings create societies through a type of and moral commitment are at the heart
Mentioned 283 times in Tanach, this revo- social contract in which members of soci- of the covenant, whereas parochial indi-
lutionary idea creates a unique framework ety commit to collectively protecting their vidual needs and interests are at the heart
to define the nature of the relationships own individual rights. The main motiva- of normative agreements and contracts.
between G-d and humanity, G-d and the tions of a functional society are self-inter- Contracts protect rights; covenants delin-
Jewish people as a whole, G-d and each of est and self-preservation. People agree to eate mutual responsibilities. Contracts are
the founding fathers of the Jewish people, a central governing mechanism to try to built on what each party can get; cove-
the founders and their descendants, and ensure that no one harms another, in an nants specify what each party ought to
indeed, the relationships among all mem- attempt to live and let live. give. Contracts are self-serving; covenants
bers of the Jewish people for all genera- transcend the self.
tions. The brit is the paradigmatic frame- A biblical covenant could not be more dif-
work through which Jews are charged ferent. While the social contract focuses Rav Kook highlights this very distinction
to relate to each other, to their historic predominantly on self-interest and per- between general human societies and a
community, and to Hashem. sonal benefit, the covenant focuses on the distinctly Jewish one. A general society
collective. The focus is less on the protec- may be compared to a large insurance
tion of individual rights and more on peo- company; in essence, every citizen is
Covenant versus contract ple’s responsibility to society as a whole. ensuring his or her personal needs by
The brit forges a covenantal bond beyond While preserving individuality and per- being part of this society. Not so a Jewish
what the rational human mind can sonal dignity in the process, a covenantal society, which should be based first and

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