Moral Development and Tikkun Olam

Publication Date: January 1999

Publisher: Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education

Author(s): Michael Shepard

Research Area: Education; Social conditions

Keywords: Day schools; Jewish Text; Values; Ethics

Type: Report

Abstract:

The authors propose an organization of Jewish conceptions of morality into a grid based on Lawrence Kohlberg's ladder of moral development. This grid was designed for the promotion of a "tikkun olam / repairing the work" ideal in Orthodox day schools. The grid places Jewish ideas into one or more of seven ascending levels of motivation for moral behavior: 1) fear of punishment; 2) self-interest; 3) self-image; 4) duty; 5) social contract; 6) absolute values; and 7) sanctification of God's Name.