The Real Truth About The Talmud by Gil Student Statement of Purpose There are many lies circulating the internet about the Jewish Talmud. These allegations are supported by "direct quotations" from the Talmud that are frequently wrong or taken out of context. However, most people lack the scholarly background to verify these claims. Most people have no way of knowing that these accusation are false and malicious. What we are attempting is to demonstrate in detail how these accusations are both wrong and intentionally misleading. We are trying to show to the world the real truth about the Talmud. Written by Gil Student "Our philosophy asserts that every human being is created in the image of the Lord and the primacy of integrity and honesty in all dealings without exception. I strongly repudiate any assertions in the name of Judaism that do not represent and reflect this philosophy." - Rabbi Malkiel Kotler, dean of the world-renowned Lakewood Yeshiva, Dec. 16, 2003 Copyright © 2000 by Gil Student ii Table of Contents About The Talmud 1. The Real Truth About The Talmud: Why does this book exist? ......................1 2. What Is The Talmud? An explanation of the history and content of the Talmud ................................ 4 3. Talmud and Bible: Is the Talmud holier than the Bible? .................................. 8 4. Jewish People: Is Judaism a religion or a race? ...........................................11 5. To Tell The Truth: Are Jews commanded to lie about the Talmud? ...............14 6. Gentiles In Judaism: Where do gentiles fit into the Jewish world view? ........................................16 What is a Jew? (Wikipedia entry) Alleged Racism In The Talmud 7. Gentiles Are Human: The Talmud does not consider gentiles to be sub-human ............................22 8. Gentiles Are Human 2: The Talmud does not consider gentiles to be animals ..................................26 9. Stealing From Gentiles: The Talmud forbids stealing from gentiles .................................................. 33 10. Paying A Gentile's Wages: The Talmud prohibits Jews from withholding a gentile's wages ..................39 11. Tricking Gentiles: The Talmud forbids lying to gentiles ...............................42 12. Killing Gentiles: The Talmud prohibits killing gentiles .................................45 13. Various Accusations: Refuting various accusations against the Talmud ......................................48 Christianity In The Talmud 14. Introduction ................................................................................................ 52 15. Jesus In The Talmud: What, if anything, does the Talmud say about Jesus? ...............................53 16. The Jesus Narrative: Does the Talmud's narrative of events correspond or differ from the Gospels'? ..................................................................................... 64 Jewish Holidays 17. Blood Libel: Jews never eat blood .............................................................. 80 18. Passover: The Passover Haggadah is not racist ........................................84 19. Kol Nidrei: Permission to deceive? ............................................................. 85 iii Immorality In The Talmud 20. The Talmud Does Not Permit Sex With A Three Year Old ..........................91 21. Rabbi Eleazar and the Prostitutes: The Full Story ...................................... 94 Miscellaneous 22. Schindler's List: The source of the disputed quotation ...............................97 Israel Shahak's Lie: "A Modern Blood Libel" by Rabbi Dr. Immanuel Jakobovits, former Chief Rabbi of the British Empire (Weblink) 23. "In The Image Of G-d": Gentiles are created in the image of G-d ..............99 24. "Goy": Is it a derogatory term used by Jews about gentiles? ...................104 25. Rabbi Soloveitchik: Refuting the slander against him ...............................106 26. Ethics Of The Fathers: The section of the Mishnah dedicated to the favorite ethical sayings of the sages .........................................................116 27. Related Links ............................................................................................133 28. Recommended Reading ...........................................................................134 iv Page intentionally blank. v Chapter 1 – Introduction: Why does this book exist? 1. Introduction: Why does this book exist? Anti-Talmud accusations have a long history dating back to the 13th century when the associates of the Inquisition attempted to defame Jews and their religion [see Yitzchak Baer, A History of Jews in Christian Spain, vol. I pp. 150-185]. The early material compiled by hateful preachers like Raymond Martini and Nicholas Donin remain the basis of all subsequent accusations against the Talmud. Some are true, most are false and based on quotations taken out of context, and some are total fabrications [see Baer, ch. 4 f. 54, 82 that it has been proven that Raymond Martini forged quotations]. On the internet today we can find many of these old accusations being rehashed and this book is an attempt to correct the mistakes and put the true quotes into their proper perspective. The accusations against the Talmud can be divided into four categories [see Hyam Maccoby, Judaism on Trial, pp. 23-38]. 1) The Talmud considers itself holier than the Bible 2) The Talmud contains passages that are blasphemous against Jesus and Mary The first two accusations are essentially frivolous. What business is it of Christians if the Jewish Talmud is considered holier than the Bible (which it isn't)? And if Jews do not take the account of the Christian NT to be totally historically accurate, so what? To fundamentalist Christians, EVERY other religion is considered blasphemous. Why should the Talmud be judged within the Christian religious framework? Of course, any Jewish book is blasphemous within that framework because Judaism does not accept Jesus as the messiah. The very accusation that the Jewish Talmud is blasphemous to Christianity is redundant. 3) The Talmud has ridiculous and immoral statements The third accusation is one that Jews have to work out for themselves. Should a Jew believe in a book that makes foolish and obscene comments? That a Jew does should not be relevant to gentiles. In fact, 1 The real truth about the Talmud the allegedly foolish and immoral statements in the Talmud are sometimes non-existent but usually allegorical. The Talmud and associated literature developed an entire genre of parables and allegorical sayings that, when understood, shed light on the mysteries of life. However, when inadequately translated and ripped from their context they seem silly. Dov Zlotnick, Introduction to Saul Lieberman's Greek in Jewish Palestine (1994), p. xx Rabbinic texts that seem bizarre at first blush can become quite ordinary when properly understood. I remember Lieberman once being called by a popular national publication regarding a passage from the Talmud. To the caller, who was researching an article, the passage seemed silly. Its subject was the difference between a roll or a bundle of documents, and how each note of indebtedness was to be placed in relation to the other. After the Professor finished explaining the passage, the caller responded with surprise, "Why, this is reasonable!" "Of course," the Professor responded. "Well, in that case," the caller replied, "I cannot use it." 4) The Talmud has laws that are racist and anti-gentile The fourth accusation is the one on which I will be focussing. Because today's Orthodox Jews still lead their lives based on the laws contained in the Talmud, it is incumbent upon Jews to understand and explain that their religious laws are not racist or derogatory to gentiles. Jewish law, as contained in the Talmud, treats gentiles with the proper respect due to a person created in the image of G-d. Their property and lives are honored and any (mis)quotes from the Talmud indicating otherwise need to be seen in their original language and context. I will be showing the ENTIRE passages in both their original Hebrew or Aramaic and in translation. I will also be providing a fuller context by bringing other quotations on the topics from other parts of the Talmud. After seeing all of the quotations, a proper judgement can be rendered. I will also be showing how Jewish commentators and legalists have understood these passages throughout history. 2 Chapter 1 – Introduction: Why does this book exist? Even if a reader would believe that these talmudic quotations are racist, if Jews have always understood them differently then Jews cannot be considered racist. Even if someone can twist the words of the Talmud to be hateful, if Jews have always understood the Talmud in a non-hateful way then the argument is meaningless. The real exercise is to find the (allegedly racist) talmudic influence on Jews and Judaism and by perusing through the post-talmudic literature we can clearly find that this talmudic influence was not racist. Is the Talmud racist or anti-gentile? No. But neither is it a universalist manifesto. It is a religious document written by those of the Jewish religion for others of the same faith. It favors Judaism over other religions and sets down rules on how to live in both an all-Jewish society and a mixed society. It legislates how to create vibrant Jewish communities while still maintaining respect for the gentile society. Universalists would have everyone be treated exactly equally and live in non-denominational communities.