Book 4, Chapter 5: Meritorious
In another area of marked divergence among the major Abrahamic faiths, consider the differences in respective conceptions of ‘venerable holy person’ between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, termed, respectively, as Tzadik, Saint, and Wali, each of them in turn embodying the orthoprax (correct practice) or orthodox (correct belief) nature of their respective faiths. First, we come to terminological differences that differentiate how these concepts are even conceived of. In Judaism, Tzadik is derived from the root word צדק, tsedek, which means ‘righteousness,’ ‘fairness,’ or ‘justice,’ whereas Saint is derived from the Latin Sanctus, meaning ‘holy,’ and Wali literally translates as ‘Friend of God’ and is often given the connotations of ‘master’, ‘authority’, ‘custodian,’ or ‘protector’.
For Judaism, a tzadik is, in essence, someone who exemplifies the orthopraxic nature of the religion—following Jewish laws in a righteous manner, acting with humility, and when they do lead, leading by example and education. Other related concepts that cast light on the position that tzadikim hold within Judaism include Tzedakah, which is the giving of contributions of money or resources to the needy and to good causes. Compared with the Christian concept of ‘charity’, where the giving of such contributions is framed as an act of philanthropic goodwill and generosity on the part of the giver, in Judaism, tzedakah is an ethical requirement to live a righteous life, as exemplified by the tzadik. In short, a Jewish tzadik is venerated and held up as exemplary not because they are innately holy or blessed or pious, but because their actions exemplify that which is held as the correct path of the Jewish ideal and draw them closer to the divine as a result.
In contrast, a Christian saint is an individual of exemplary faith, as suiting the orthodox nature of the religion…
—Divine Light Through The Gem Of Man: Studying The Many Facets Of The Holy, Waterford University Press, 1692
Tropes that appear in this chapter:
- Androcles' Lion: Mulan helping the small dragon in a previous chapter results in her earning his loyalty, and she names him Mushu.
- Assassination Attempt: A faction attempts to assassinate Drago during his wedding to Kelebek.
- Cassandra Truth: Sigurd is ignored when he says dragon dung is a potent fertilizer. Theodora decides to help him by giving him a farming estate where he can prove its potency to the Byzantines.
- Content Warnings:Chapter Trigger Warnings: Non-Explicit Reference to Cuckolding-type cultural practice.
- Internal Reveal:
- The Hooligans find out Sigurd tamed a Nest Lord for the Byzantines.
- Theodora is told by Sigurd about how potent a fertilizer dragon dung is.
- Tzadikim Nistarim: The chapter opens with three paragraphs discussing what being a 'venerable holy person' entails for each of the three Abrahamic religions. Be it a Tzadik, a Saint, or a Wali, each of them embodies the orthoprax (correct practice) or orthodox (correct belief) nature of their respective faiths. For Judaism, the key meaning is justice through actions. The paragraph is a textual reference to "Divine Light Through The Gem Of Man: Studying The Many Facets Of The Holy" (1692).
