Pirke Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) suggests: "If there is no Torah, there is no derech eretz; if there is no if there is no derech eretz, there is no Torah." In this context, the translation most often given for derech eretz is "worldly occupation." While the rabbinic authors of Pirke Avot were proponents of a well-rounded life, not one devoted solely to Torah study, the translation is, at best, both inelegant and incomplete.

The Hebrew word derech means "road" means "road" or "way;" the word eretz means "land." means "land." Together, one might translate them as "the way of the land."

This phrase can mean job or profession, though it is more often understood to encompass all of the small and large things a person does to confirm his or her role as a member of a civil society. But the Jewish concept of derech eretz goes far beyond civility.

In the homes of Eastern European grandparents, children committing such offenses as leaving the back door open, forgetting to kiss elderly aunts or grabbing at the dinner table were often scolded with, "Have some derech eretz!".

Civility. Manners. Derech eretz encompasses both, but with a Jewish ta'am, or flavor. We kiss elderly aunts because Judaism teaches respect for family; we don't grab food because Judaism demands that we take a moment before eating to give thanks for the plentiful food on our table. And yet, it is even more than this. To live a life of derech eretz is is to live a life informed at all times by Jewish values, whether in the living room, the dining room, the classroom or the boardroom. It is to have social ethics.

This year, Religious School students from kindergarten through eighth grade will study derech eretz as part of their as part of their eret havaya, or experiential learning program. As Temple Micah prides itself on being a learning congregation and as we all have moments in life where derech eretz eludes our grasp no matter how hard we try, we thought that we might share what they were studying with everyone in the congregation. Look in this space each month for an exploration of the Jewish value our students will be grappling with that month.

In October, we will be focusing on the concept of tza'ar ba'alei hayim, kindness to animals. The Torah suggests that animals should be allowed to rest alongside people on Shabbat, and that if we see an animal struggling under a burden we must help it, even if the animal belongs to our enemy. In the arena of dating, it is often suggested that if you would like to know about your date's character, you should not pay attention to how he or she treats you, but rather to how he or she treats the waitress.

Judaism teaches that the same is true regarding the treatment of animals. Maimonides agrees, teaching that kind treatment of animals is emphasized because it is symbolic of our behavior toward other human beings. His idea is seen in the following story, which comes from the Midrash (Exodus Rabbah 2:2): While our teacher Moses was tending the sheep of Jethro in the wilderness, a lamb ran away from him. He ran after her until she reached Hasuah. Upon reaching Hasuah, she came upon a pool of water, where the lamb stopped to drink. When Moses reached her, he said, "I did not know that you were running because of thirst. You must be tired." He placed her on his shoulder and began to walk. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "You are compassionate in leading flocks belonging to mortals; I swear you will similarly shepherd my flock, Israel."

Moses' compassionate treatment of animals led him to achieve an unparalleled place of honor in Jewish history. Though we may not achieve greatness, each of us should strive, like Moses, to live our Jewish values.