[Avodah] The Meaning of Derekh Erets

[Arie Folger]

In a different thread, R'nTK wrote:
> "Derech eretz" has a number of overlapping meanings, somewhat
> depending on context. It can mean civilization, ethics, morality,
> etiquette or basic menshlichkeit. *Something* comes even before
> Torah and lays the ground for it -- some basic feeling for human
> decency.

In the Haggadah, it aslo has an additional meaning: conjugal
relations. I guess you could subsume that, along with teh Hirshian
idea of Derech Erets being about involvment in teh world and doing
economically productive work, under your denominator "civilization."

Good Shabbos,

-- 
Arie Folger,
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