THIS BOOK GREW OUT OF MANY YEARS OF STUDYing, writing, and lecturing on ethical issues. My revered teacher, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, inspired me to treat Halakhah not merely as a legal system but as the matrix of ideas, concepts, and values of fundamental importance to Jewish philosophy. Although I have frequently referred to Rabbi Soloveitchik in this book, it is impossible to adequately record my indebtedness to him.