"The ethical decision is always the fearsome decision. When something matters enough that we are afraid of the consequences - afraid that even the honorable choice could result in harm or loss or sorrow - that's when ethics are involved."

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The ethical regime [of the Jews] was quite definitely Ptolemaic, revolving around the small group of Jews, not the larger Gentile group and, accordingly, they learned to remain unimpressed by Gentile temporal power. Being unimpressed did not mean being unafraid material power might beat or starve one to death; it did mean refusing to surrender moral hegemony to the majority merely because it had power.

— David Riesman