_Tzedek_, from the Jewish tradition, is often translated as “justice,” and it is the root of _Tzedakah_, or “charity.” But this virtue called _tzedek_ can more significantly be understood as “doing what must be done.” This chapter introduces the story of Jael, a girl who saves her village from cruelty and oppression. In doing so, Jael does not do what is easy; instead she knows that what she does is right and just, and so she does what must be done. Jael illustrates how the virtue of _tzedek_ ca…
Read more_Tzedek_, from the Jewish tradition, is often translated as “justice,” and it is the root of _Tzedakah_, or “charity.” But this virtue called _tzedek_ can more significantly be understood as “doing what must be done.” This chapter introduces the story of Jael, a girl who saves her village from cruelty and oppression. In doing so, Jael does not do what is easy; instead she knows that what she does is right and just, and so she does what must be done. Jael illustrates how the virtue of _tzedek_ can cultivate and reinforce integrity, responsibility, and self-trust. The author discusses the virtue of _tzedek_ and highlights how _tzedek_ can aid one in resisting the forces of shame that societal structures and expectations can inappropriately wield against young women. Doing what must be done requires people to _own_ their actions, allowing them to be the authors of their own lives.
