Horeb – Mitzvah #77 - Intermarriage - Why Judaism Isn’t Racist, and What Makes a Marriage Sacred

Horeb – Mitzvah #77 - Intermarriage -  Why Judaism Isn’t Racist, and What Makes a Marriage Sacred

In this episode, we tackle a common misconception: that Judaism's opposition to intermarriage is rooted in ethnic exclusivity. Drawing from the insights of Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch’s Horeb, we explore how Judaism views identity through ethical and moral responsibility. We contrast the universalism of the Church with salvation through the institution, with Judaism's ethical universalism, which upholds that anyone can find favor through just and moral living. We also examine how love in Judaism is not an end in itself, but a foundation that matures into shared mission, where man and woman unite not just emotionally, but toward a higher purpose.