This study assumes that James Joyce and Emmanuel Lévinas have an analogous view on human relations. The analysis of Joyce’s homeward motif in “Ithaca” episode in Ulysses, along with Lévinas’s ethics, as a sober reflection on the imperfectible inter-individual relations rather than a mere event of returning to home furthers this analogy. Leopold Bloom, the main character, makes his way home late at dawn after a day-long wandering, being obsessed by his wife’s infidelity. He is accompanied by Stephen Dedalus whom he has eyed as his spiritual son. However, in fact, they are almost strangers to each other. Still Bloom tries to form a spiritual bond with his guest to offset his anxiety and loneliness. But he fails, and therein lies a truism. Bloom can’t fathom the most intimate person to him―his wife―fully, much less a stranger. The same goes for the readers. Despite every information about Bloom, we never know him completely! Lévinas resonates with Joyce in respect to this theme. Since we’re imperfect and finite beings in essence, according to Lévinas, the perfect and infinite knowledge is beyond our reach. But these limitations are easily overlooked. That’s why we need to keep distance from the world through dwelling. Being separated from there, we can see the defective human conditions as they are.