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DA63
Not Showing Favoritism

DA63

We are not to show favoritism.

Category: Neighbours & Brothers

Type: Negative

Form: Explicit

Source dataset: New Testament

Uniqueness: Not unique

Classical commandment: No

New Covenant Literal Application

Applies to Person Categories: Not specified

Literal Application: Not specified

More explanation about New Covenant Literal Application

The New Covenant Literal Application Code (NCLA) is an interpretive guide used by the authors to indicate which person categories a mitzvah applies to, and at what level of literal compliance.

It combines person categories such as Jewish, K'rov Yisrael, and Gentile, together with male/female distinctions and an application level such as mandated, recommended, optional, or prohibited.

This code reflects the authors' interpretive opinion and is provided for prayerful consideration. On this page, the technical code is summarized into plain language to help new readers understand it more easily.

Read the full explanation from the source

Bible references

Key NT Scriptures
  • James 2:1
  • James 2:9
Supportive NT Scriptures
  • Acts 10:34
  • James 3:17
  • Matthew 5:45
  • Romans 2:11
Supportive OT Scriptures
  • 2 Chronicles 19:7
  • Genesis 17:3-4
  • Genesis 25:28
  • Genesis 29:30
  • Genesis 43:34
  • Job 34:17-19
  • Leviticus 19:15
  • Proverbs 22:2

Bible verses copyright: PUBLIC DOMAIN except in the United Kingdom, where a Crown Copyright applies to printing the KJV. See http://www.cambridge.org/about-us/who-we-are/queens-printers-patent

Commentary

Rabbi Michael Rudolph

On its surface, this Mitzvah “Not Showing Favoritism” seems intuitive but can, on occasion, be misunderstood. First, favoritism applies to people –not to favorite foods, possessions, experiences, etc. Second, favoritism implies partiality that is improper such as promoting a less qualified person over one who is more highly qualified, in order to acquire some personal gain. When we favor one person over another for right reasons. we do not call it favoritism. If I, as a supervisor, favor one of my staff over another for a task for which he is especially well suited, that is good management – not favoritism. If I choose to spend more time with my son than with an unrelated person, that is good fathering – not favoritism. On the other hand, if I appoint my son to a position over a better qualified person merely because he is my son, that is showing favoritism. On the other hand (I think I have run out of hands), if the position is in a family- owned business in which everyone’s expectation is that my son is the heir apparent, then favoritism in my son’s behalf is both expected and appropriate, and this Mitzvah would not apply.


Copyright © Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster, The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective - Volume 3

Related Law of Messiah commandments

Source and License

Based on The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective by Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster.

Volume 1 & 2 | Volume 3

License: CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution required, NoDerivatives). CC BY-ND 4.0

Disclaimer: the original content is authored by Rabbi Michael Rudolph and Rabbi Daniel Juster; additional notes or implementation details on this website are not part of their original work and do not represent their views.

Record source: The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective - Volume 3

Copyright note: Copyright © Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster, The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective - Volume 3

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