as a returnee to Judaism, who had never studied Torah until 5 or 6 years ago, I found that what is written in the Torah was already a part of me/my heart. I believe some people are born with these laws already in them. not that we're actually good. G-d is good but with humans, there is always room for improvement.

we are born niether good nor evil.. we simply are. at what age did you know that you were naked? who told you? when did you lose that unselfconsciousness we were all born with? the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is fed to each one of us at an early age. that is when we cease to be one. the self becomes divided. we begin judging ourselves and our feelings. this one is good and acceptable, that one is not. to judge ourselves requires at least two.. one part acts, or feels, another part observes and judges as we were taught to do. it's not always Torah, it's often neurotic hang-ups that parents aren't even aware of. untruths that are communicated to us with attitudes and emotional reactions that were communicated by their parents and so on. isn't the solution to get back to that state of innocent Being before we knew about good and evil? isn't the goal to fix what went wrong in the first place?

I agree. But, with the understanding that Truth is God, or that God acts through what is true. It is knowledge of truth that man has adjusted his moral precepts to find a prior goodness in himself. Only man can feel any remorse for killing another man, stealing his land, subordinating another human being to his will and benefit, and then feel justified in doing so. The democratic principle of equality of men before God without regard to their motives is a new concept in the evolution of the human being. That which distinguishes modern man from the savage is the spirit of cooperation in the civil pursuit of life's benefits. Religion tried and failed to instill a lesson of good in the breast of man. Philosophy tried to appeal to reason and practical consequences to find the good in the minds of men. Commerce tried to satisfy every debt with a money payment to make men behave. Government, of the people, by the people, and for the people, is a quest for a practical method to deal with the evil in man without settling all claims with blood or money. God and true democracies deal with truth and consequences in the adolescence of man. Upon the attainment of the status of mature majority, the state will disappear and in its place will be established a will to do what is right as a matter of defining the good. Then surely, there will be peace and good will on Earth. Until then, true democracy with equality of all is the only show in town. Jews, Muslims, and Christians, as well as, all other believers and non-believers are on notice to come together in peace for mutual benefit. Atheistic philosophers and scientists must also join them and live in peace.

Existence comes first, essence - next. So what?

I believe the free will is there...I f people don't strive to be better,to improve ,to evolve,the result is suffering.One might even not noticing that the results of not striving for the right path-TRUTH-are suffering;one might think,for example,that having his own son killed as bomb-person is not suffering,but it is...So,I believe,and I dont know why,we have a necessity to do the Right(and maybe some to do the Wrong)...I feel it is a fight betwen good(G'od) and bad(Hell?);I feel ,and I agree with the Rabby,it is a matter of an eternal effort for the Good to prevail.What I can not understand is why for some it doesn't seem to be so...It is a mistery... I agree somehow with Betsy:I guess we have to fix something,we have to return to a state that we miss ,and is that state that pushes us to evolve ,to cure the wrong doings and so on...What I keep not understanding is WHY for some it doesn't seem to be so?

It is still refreshing to see a parshat hashuva where the writer wants to uplift and instruct as opposed to sneer. Thank you to Ynet for replacing Burg with someone with real Jewish feeling. He makes an excellent point. Human culture is what humanizes people... With the lack of a good education a child will follow his desires and that will lead to theft, violence and deceit.

What is good and what is evil? Is killing by the name of G-d good? Is the holy war against palestinians good because we are getting back our promised land? Or is it evil because we are bringing death and suffering for millions? Is working on Sabbath evil because G-d said so in the past? Or is it good because G-d wants us to be productive? I suggest that you define what is good and what is evil before looking for the sources of evil.

it's all well and good-even fun in a way-to question and try to define but if-God forbid-someone came into your home to kill, it is the right thing to defend yourself and your family. you wouldn't sit there wondering about the goodness or evil of it. you'd act...or not. It is the right thing to do to defend Israel and take back the Land we were promised by the Land Owner Himself. as to why some people don't appear to be motivated by a desire to do good...all I know for sure is that there is a reason for everything and that sometimes external reality is a mirror to show us we have work to do, internally/spiritually. When I am feeling particularly balanced spriitually, wherever I go I encounter nothing by green lights, elevator doors open the moment I arrive and so on, leading me to believe we can influence external reality on a meaningful spiritual level, that it can be "molded" like clay. also, somewhere in the Torah (sorry, can't say exactly where) it refers to people of the world vs those of the spirit.. That could explain the "why". Is man really in his adolescence, Frank Goodman? I think that is open for debate.-not saying I agree or don't agree but that a debate might uncover some truths we are not aware of at this time. . your comments ask for responses that I can't come up with off the top of my head. . I hope to be able to devote more thought to your statements..

I wouldn't discount psychological factors or external forces regarding human behavior, but it's about time someone gave human beings credit for having control over their own destiny and personalities by outlining that it is up to the individual to choose between good and bad. It is also a relief that someone says addictions, jealousy and selfishness are bad choices for which the individual is responsible, and not some hip new acceptable norm.