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Israel/Zionism See other Israel/Zionism Articles Title: The status of the goy in halacha and in Israeli politics The primary reason for the numerous surprises encountered not only by politicians but also by the majority of secular Israelis, when the true positions of Ultra Orthodox [Haredi] or plain Orthodox [Dati] Rabbis on various political issues become known, is that the secular and religious communities actually speak two different languages. In these two languages, the meaning of most concepts, from the simplest ones to the fundamental concepts influencing politics, differ. Unlike under similar circumstances in other cultures, there does not exist a "dictionary" that can be used to translate Halacha terminology into the language of the secular public. In principle, the responsibility for this situation lies with what is called --erroneously, in my opinion -- "Judaic Studies". This field deals primarily with "ideological propaganda". It does not provide (with the exception of a few essays written recently on specific problems) the true history of Halacha Judaism, from which some of us have managed to free ourselves, nor does it explain its basic concepts. The situation is further complicated by the fact that Halacha Judaism was the Judaism of my parents and of many generations that preceded them. One of the reasons behind the organized confusion of "Judaic Studies" is the ideological desire to refrain from shocking the public and deepening the gap between the generations, a consequence of the younger generation discovering the truth. The truth not only about the leaders of todays Ultra Orthodox, but -- what is more important --about its parents and forefathers. The Great Enemy It is not only common sense, history, and what is taking place now in Eastern Europe, that prove that concealing basic facts is the greatest enemy of every regime; Present political reality in Israel as well demands that the truth concerning Jewish Halachic principles be explained to the secular Israeli public in a language that it can understand. In Halachic terminology the word "soul" [nefesh] always means "Jew" or "Jew with some special characteristics". When Halacha refers to non-Jews, that is explicitly noted and is expressed by the use of words like "Goy", or "Nations of the World" [umot ha'olam]. Thus, the use of the word "soul" in the Halachic term "preservation of a soul" [piku'ach nefesh], indicates that it speaks of Jews only (and not even of Druze or other non-Jews who serve in the IDF, say). This can be demonstrated with examining other uses of the word "soul". In Halacha there exists the concept of "soul-food" [ochel-nefesh], which refers to food in preparation of which a Jew is permitted to work, e.g., by cooking, on a holiday. A well known and explicit Halachic ruling, observed to this very day, asserts that a Jew may not work in preparation of such "soul-food" if it is meant for non-Jews or dogs (thus precisely states the Talmud), despite the use of the term "soul" to describe the food. Needless to say, in the context of the diaspora various allowances were made for situations in which it was nevertheless permitted to feed a goy with food prepared on a holiday only for Jews. For example, if the goy would be offended and is capable of causing harm. But the principle that the Jew cooking on a holiday not increase the amount for goyim or for dogs has been strictly kept by our forefathers and by religious Jews to this very day. Even the term "preservation of a soul" [piku'ach nefesh, eliminating the threat of death] itself, as everyone with even minimal familiarity with Talmudic literature is well aware, does not apply to a goy. Not only so, but in principle a Jew, including a Jewish doctor, is forbidden to save the life of a goy for reasons that we, but not the Orthodox, would call "humanitarian". A Jew is strictly forbidden to save a goy if this involves desecration of the Sabbath ["lechalel alav et hashabat"]. In a case of "preservation of a soul" of a Jew, desecration of the Sabbath is a duty and a commandment. All these rulings refer, of course, to every goy, of every age. In the case of "preservation of a soul" -- which applies only of the "soul" of a Jew -- there are records of lengthy Halachic arguments, which continue to this day, particularly on the question of what influence should be given to the fear of the goyim, or of their hatred, in deciding whether a Jewish doctor should save a goy. For example, there are discussions of what the goyim might do if they find out that Jewish doctors are unwilling to treat them, or to desecrate the Sabbath in the course of the treatment. In seventeenth century Poland, one of the greatest rabbis ruled that a Jewish doctor is permitted to desecrate the Sabbath for a goy who is the mayor, but not for a goy with no influence. A few years ago, in the state of Israel itself, the Ultra Orthodox experts on such matters ruled that a Jewish doctor who fears that his license might be revoked by state authorities if he refuses to desecrate the Sabbath to treat a goy, is permitted to do so, provided that during the treatment his thoughts are about his license and not the treatment itself. Exemplified by these two cases is the attitude that dominates in Jewish Halacha towards all goyim in nearly all circumstances. It is expressed in the most minor matters, such as a strict prohibition against giving a gift to a goy, or even speaking well of him. Here too, exceptions were invented over the years for cases where there is reason to fear the goyim or a desire to profit from them. It is obvious, even with the various exceptions, that the attitude towards non-Jews found in these rulings in totally inhuman. It should be noted that the number of such rulings is very large and that all Orthodox Jews study them. This surely impacts them even if they do not have the opportunity to follow the law -- no less than the mere existence of anti-Semitic laws would influence a society. Fraud Considering all this, the heaps of praise bestowed on the Halachic rulings of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, who stated that withdrawal from the occupied territories might be permitted due to the principle of "preservation of the soul", is a prime example of fraud being perpetrated on the public. This is not to criticize Rabbi Yosef himself -- He fully explained the true reasoning behind his rulings more than once, and in perfect detail. According to Rabbi Yosef (in "Yated Ne'eman", September 18, 1989), we may indeed find ourselves in a position where we will have to return territories in order to prevent an imminent war that will cause the death of Jews. And "preservation of the soul", as he accurately remarks there, applies to the case of a Jew who is ailing at that very moment -- not one who might become ill in the future. And it all has to do with the fact that we are weak. How does Rabbi Yosef know, and how does he demonstrate to his readers, that we are weak? By the fact that we are not capable of expelling all goyim, especially all Christians, from the Land of Israel, as we would have been obliged to do if we were not weak! Rabbi Yosef continues and provides an additional argument: we know we are weak because we have been unable to halt the intifada and there is fear for the life of Jews in the occupied territories. We therefore cannot state that in the territories we "act as in our own home" [osim bahem ke'adam ha'oseh betoch shelo]. If we could act so, that would prove that we were strong, and we would not have to withdraw from the territories. Using similar reasoning in his most recent TV appearance, Rabbi Yosef raises the danger of Arab chemical weapons and the strength of Arab armies as further arguments for withdrawal from the territories. Similarly, Rabbi Shach claimed in the same issue of "Yated Ne'eman" that we are weak because we rely on US aid, and for that reason we must negotiate withdrawal from the territories. No right of the goyim who reside in these territories to participate in the decisions concerning their future -- a right that was acknowledged by Begin, and at least formally by Shamir and Sharon --was ever mentioned by these rabbis, nor will it ever be. Because in no case does the goy have inherent rights in the Halacha when confronting a Jew. He obtains rights only by his power, particularly his threats. The greater the threat of the goy to the lives of Jews, the more recognition of his rights by the Halacha. If our situation grows worse and the threat of war is imminent, only then will the Ultra Orthodox agree to withdraw from the territories. If whoever becomes Prime Minister of Israel with the blessing of the Ultra Orthodox wishes to return any territory in exchange for peace with Hussein, he will have to make certain that Israel is as weak as possible. If he assures Israel's strength, the Ultra Orthodox will prevent the return of the territories to any goy. They will even begin to demand a transfer of the non-Jewish population, at least that of Christians. If the Arabs will not have chemical weapons, if their armies weaken and the intifada ends -- not only will it be Halachically forbidden to withdraw, it may be possible to begin expelling the goyim, particularly the Christians, whose churches must also be destroyed. If a miracle occurs and all the Palestinians and the Arab countries accept Mubarak Awad's non-violent approach, and if our power in the US grows a thousandfold -- it will be permitted according to Halacha to expel the goyim not only from the Land of Israel, but from "any place we conquer", according to Rabbi Yosef. These views are also accepted by those who are called -- erroneously, in my opinion -- "the religious peace movement", i.e., the groups "Oz Veshalom" and "Netivot Shalom". These organizations disseminate in the religious community an earlier Halachic ruling by Rabbi Yosef, which also discusses the expulsion of the Christians and the destruction of their churches when we gain sufficient strength, as proof that we currently lack such strength. Our Ultra Orthodox rabbis must be treated as we would expect others to treat anti-Semites of this kind, and we must finally understand: No peace negotiations and no other positive or humanistic process can be built upon an alliance with the Orthodox [dati] forces in general and with the Ultra Orthodox [haredi] in particular.
Poster Comment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Shahak Israel Shahak (April 28, 1933 – July 2, 2001) was a Professor of Chemistry at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, the former president of the Israeli League for Human and Civil Rights, and an outspoken critic of the Israeli government and of Israeli society in general... (more at Wiki...click on link)
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 3.
#3. To: bluegrass (#0)
Alas, it's all too human. The difference is that Jews (high verbal IQ dontcha know) have articulated it in an ideology. Even for many primitive tribes without writing or numbers there are "The People" -- and everybody else.
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