Autonomy, Community, and Everything in Between

What is my responsibility to avoid participating in other people's misdeeds? May I sell cigarettes to an addicted smoker? What, if any, culpability do I have for purchasing products made with unethical business practices? And how are these questions affected by our attitudes towards autonomy and community? In this class, we will trace the history of the halakhic concept "lifnei iver," which deals with if, when, and how a person is allowed to participate in someone else's violation. Beginning with the Bible and continuing into the 21st century, we will trace a wide range of differing legal views and seek to understand they line up with our own values and concerns.

Recorded for the Community Scholar Program, 2022.