Peace and Justice

Dennis Prager (Commentary, Oct. 20) has distorted a Jewish legend to serve his unfortunate argument that by choosing “peace over justice” the jury failed to render a just verdict in the Reginald Denny case. In truth, the ancient Rabbinic story does not at all say that “Justice and peace . . . would not be able to live together.”

It is rather a tale about a debate among the angels as to whether God should or should not create “man.” Love and justice (righteousness) argue for his creation. Truth and peace are opposed. What does God do? In spite of the opposition, God created the first human being, with all of the contradictions of character that were to permeate the human race, and viewing the result declared: “Behold, it was very good.” God here, clearly has a view much more benign than Prager’s, and much more optimistic about the human possibility of transcending the sometimes conflicting demands of love and justice, truth and peace.

RABBI LEONARD I. BEERMAN, Los Angeles

I appreciate Prager’s citation to an ancient legend that justice and peace cannot be found together. In the spirit of ecumenism, I offer Prager a contrasting thought from the Catholic tradition: “If you want peace, work for justice.” Pope Paul VI, whose words these are, recognized that the two are inextricably intertwined. Our present plight shows how right he was.

GEORGE D. CROOK, Glendale