Problem
Judaism is a religion based on a series of covenants (promised relationships): implicit with Adam, explicitly stated with Noah, Abra(ha)m, Moses, and David. The Mosaic covenant is based upon obedience to a God-given law. While the primary example of this remains the Ten Commandments or Decalogue, the Jewish scribe Ezra later lists 613 laws in the Torah, primarily in Exodus and Leviticus. Later Jewish theology consists of books of wisdom literature that seek to highlight virtues behind these laws. A simplified distinction between law and virtue has often been that law describes the good action while prohibiting actions of abuse or neglect within the community whereas virtue describes the nature of a good person over against a lack of virtue in the "bad" person. What are the strengths of having a religious faith that emphasizes both law and virtue as Judaism does, and do you see either law or virtue as more important than the other when attempting to instill ethical norms or values in a community?