By Michael Gruda mgruda@netvision.net.il
The following brief
list of quotations from Talmudic literature clarify the attitude of the
sages to non-Jews. Many more examples can be adduced but this short list
should be sufficient for the purposes of this article.
1. "They said of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai that
no man ever greeted him first, even idol worshippers in the market" [i.e.,
Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai was the first to greet every person, even idol
worshippers] (Berachot 17).
At the same location the sage Abaye advocated soft
speech and words of peace to everyone, especially including idol worshippers.
'They asked R. Eliezer how far one should go in
honoring parents. He said to them: Go and see how one idol worshipper in
Ashdod honored his father, and Dama ben Netina was his name. The sages
wished to purchase gems from him for the Ephod [for a tremendous profit]
… but the key [to the box containing the gems] was under his father's pillow
[while his father was sleeping] and he did not trouble his father [by waking
him even though he gave up a tremendous profit].' Dama was rewarded
for his virtue the next year when a red heifer [required for the Temple
service] was born in his flock. When he sold it to the sages he told them
that he knew that they would pay any price he asked for it, but he asked
only for the amount he had not earned the previous year when he refrained
from waking his father.
5. Another example of righteous gentiles whose
behaviour is held up as a model is to be found in the story of the King
of Katsia and his subjects.
One of his subjects purchased a ruin from his neighbor
and found a treasure in it. He insisted on giving it back to his neighbor,
claiming he had purchased only the ruin, and not a treasure. His neighbor
refused to take it, insisting that he had sold the ruin and everything
in it. The two litigants came to the King to decide the issue. When the
King discovered that one neighbor had a son and the other one had a daughter
he ruled that the children should marry and share the treasure.
It is related that Alexander of Macedonia saw this judgement and was amazed
by it. He told the King of Katsia that in his country the two neighbors
would be executed (since in his land found treasure had to be delivered
to the King at the pain of death). The King of Katsia is reported to have
asked Alexander if the rain fell and the sun shone and if there were animals
in the land of Alexander. When Alexander answered affirmatively the King
of Katsia told him that the sun shone and the rain fell in the merit of
the animals, not the people of his land. (Gen R 33 - further sources are
referenced at this location).
6. Baba Kama 38a: "But we learned: R. Meir says
- whence do we learn that a gentile who is occupied in the Torah [the reference
is to those commandments which apply to gentiles] is like the High Priest?
As it says [a proof text is given]…."
7. Kidushin 32 contains descriptions of the manner
in which our sages honored and respected the elderly. The passage specifically
refers to elderly gentiles who were honored in various fashions by the
sages.
8. In TY Baba Metzia there are a number of descriptions
of sages going out of their way to return lost objects to gentiles (Elu
Metziot).
9. Avot 3,14: "He [Rabbi Akiva] was accustomed
to say: Beloved is man [commentators: the reference is to all mankind],
for he was created in G-d's image .."
10. Tosefta BK 10,8: ".. it is more grievous to
steal from a gentile because of the desecration of G-d's name .."
11. Tosefta BM 2,11: ".. one who sees a lost donkey
of an idol worshipper must take care of it exactly the way he takes care
of the lost donkey of an Israelite .."
12. At Avoda Zara 18a the Talmud relates the remarkable
story of how a Roman guard of one of the sages who was brutally murdered
by the Romans repented. It was made known to the sages that the guard and
the sage were welcomed to the World to Come together.
13. At Hullin 7a there is a report of how the sage
Pinchas ben Yair miraculously split a river in order to speed his way to
carry out the commandment to redeem captives. He went out of his way to
split the river again in order to allow a gentile who was accompanying
his group to also cross the river to speed his way.
This approach characterized sages throughout
all generations. Some examples have been quoted in the earlier parts of
this article. Two further examples of interest follow. Many more appear
in the literature.
14. Maimonides (over 800 years ago) in Laws of
the Sabbatical Year and Jubilee, Chapter 13, Halacha 13, writes .. "and
not only the Tribe of Levy [merits special closeness to G-d] but every
single person of those who walk the earth who ... walks straight in the
manner G-d created him ... behold this person is sanctified as the Holy
of Holies and [he will receive his reward in the World to Come] as the
Priests and Levites."
15. Tiferet Yisrael (Boaz) (approximately 150 years
ago) on Avot 3,14 writes, " ... even if our sages had not explicitly taught
[that righteous Gentiles have a place in the World to Come as we learn
in Sanhedrin 105 and Maimonides Chapter 8 of the Laws of Kings] we would
have understood this ourselves since G-d is righteous in all His ways ...
and we see many of the righteous Gentiles who not only recognize the Creator
and believe in the divine origin of the Torah and also act charitably ...
we will say something which is a commandment to publicize ... for
behold, some of the them have done tremendous good for all mankind, such
as Yenner who invented the ... which saves tens of thousands of people
from disease and death and deformities ... and Draka (?) who brought the
potato to Europe thus saving [people] from hunger ... and Gutenberg who
invented the printing press, and
some who never received any reward in this world
such as the righteous Reuchlin who risked his life [to prevent the burning
of the Talmud] ... Can anyone imagine that these great deeds are not repaid
in the World to Come? .."
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