----A personal comment.
Having seen all the flurry about the Talmud I decided to go and try and read
(some of) it myself.
I can not claim to be a scholar of the Talmud...but I have a couple of
comments.
Firstly trying to make sense of the Talmud is like trying to understand the
common theme of the ctrl list....
the people have common interests but a wide diversity of views...written
over almost 600years and had many disagreements.
Secondly Gentiles occupy only a small portion of the Talmud and mostly when
they are mentioned it is peripheral. For instance I read a whole volume on
when and how should the shema be said(hear o israel the lord your god is one
god) can you say it in the toilet. what about when you are in bed..should
you put a blanket between youself and your wife etc etc etc
Also gentiles do receive compliments in some places in the talmud.
But finally the negative image of gentiles that anti jewish tracts give are
there and form the majority of comments on gentiles. The context is often
idolatry and the need for separation for religious reasons(If you read
suetonius you will understand that there was some basis for the negative
comments)
It is like psalm 137 got expanded(blessed are those who take a your
(babylon's) babies and dashes them against rocks) psalm 137 was made
(in)famous a few years back by boney m (still prefer don mccleans version
though)
There is and remains a stream in judaism that is very negative to gentiles
in general and christians in particular( the balaam/minim passages may not
have purely originated about christians but were certainly appled to chist
and christians by the rabbis). But that is not all of judaism.
I put two passages which are very close together to show the twoalternative
streams within the talmud.
John
10. Shemaiah and Abtalion3(c 30BC-10AD) received [the Law] from them.
Shemaiah said: Love labour and hate mastery and seek not acquainted: with
the ruling power. I
I I. .Abtalion said: Ye Sages, give heed to your words lest ye incur the
penalty of exile and ye be exiled to a place of evil waters, and the
disciples that come after you drink [of them] and die, and the name of
Heaven be profaned.,
12. Hillel and Shammai received [the Law] from them. Hillel said: Be of the
disciples' of ..Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving mankind and
bringing them nigh to the Law.
13. He used to say: ,A name4 made great is a name destroyed, and he that
increases not decreases, and he that learns not is worthy of death, and he
that makes worldly use of the crown shall perish.
4. He used to say: If I am not for myself who is for me ? and being for mine
own' self what am I ? and if not now, when ?
15. Shammai said: Make thy [study of the] Law a fixed habit; say little and
do much, and receive all men with a cheerful countenance.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------
ADOTH 1
=======
2. I. Cattle may not be left in the inns of the gentiles since they are
suspected of bestiality; nor may a woman remain alone with them since they
are suspected of lewdness; nor may a man remain alone with them since they
are suspected of shedding blood. The daughter of an Israelite may not assist
a gentile woman in childbirth since7 she would be assisting to bring to
birth a child for idolatry, but a gentile woman may assist the daughter of
an Israelite. The daughter of an Israelite may not suckle the child of a
gentile woman, but a gentile woman may suckle the child of the daughter of
an Israelite in this one's domain.
Page 438(Danby's Translation of The Mishnah Fouth Division~: NEZIKIN
ABOAH ZARAH)
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