01 June 2024
Shahak next discusses a bit about the Talmudic law. We get a rundown of how the Babylonian Talmud is actually too large for all but the most devoted scholars. There are various editions summarizing the massive code.
Naturally things are slanted in favor of Jews. He outlines the crime of murder and how the penalties vary depending on who kills whom between Jews and Gentiles, and how or why. This stuff is drummed into their heads from childhood. They debate whether they should treat Arabs as Amalekites (no such thing as a non-combatant). In practice, no one is ever punished seriously for killing women, children or infant civilians. Such killing is technically against Israeli civil law, but not Talmudic law. Jews with the authority to investigate and judge will refuse to do so against a fellow Jew, and would never submit a Jew to a Gentile court system.
Jews who commit the sins of adultery, idolatry and murder (of fellow Jews) cannot be protected. However, barring that disability, the highest duty of a Jew is to protect the life of any other Jew. And while they must not murder Gentiles outright, they also must not make any effort to save a Gentile life. The popular maxim is, "Jews must not throw Gentiles into a well, nor drag them out of one."
It is typically couched in terms that Gentiles are not fellow humans, only Jews. Only when the consequences of such neglect threatens to bring harm to the Jewish community would Jews be allowed to help Gentiles in any way. There is no hint of a Hippocratic Oath in Jewish medicine. While the apologists publicly quote a late 17th rabbi teaching that Christians and Muslims (because they believe similar to Jews about certain things) can be granted slightly better treatment, most scholars privately reject it.
On the Sabbath, rescue operations are constrained based on the odds of whether Jews are among the victims. The instructions include the provisions of keeping Gentiles from knowing Jews despise them and would allow them to die, but only during the rest of the week. They also make the point of keeping Gentiles in the dark about which activities are forbidden on the Sabbath. There are exceptions for rich and powerful Gentiles, of course. The perceptions of Gentile "little people" never mattered.
Some oddball sects of Judaism (like Karaites) are regarded the same as Gentiles, if not worse, for the purposes of Talmudic Law. There are also a host of provisions that cover whether and how a Jewish doctor/nurse must travel to aid a Gentile patient on the Sabbath. Jews are encouraged to lie in any way necessary to keep from provoking Gentile hostility.
Shahak notes that most Jewish medical professionals these days aren't even aware of the Talmudic laws themselves, and act according to their secular training.
But among the faithful Orthodox, there is even some casuistry about whether something is stated in the Torah itself or in Talmudic traditions. With the Torah, they regard the issue as a matter of intent, whereas the Talmud forbids the outcome regardless of intent. Thus, rendering care to a Gentile patient on the Sabbath is done, not to heal the patient, but to protect the Jewish community.
He goes on to discuss other provisions. Talmudic law says there is no valid marriage between Gentiles, so Jewish men can violate Gentile women at will. It's still a sin, but in terms of punishment, the Gentile female gets all the blame, even if it's rape and regardless of her age. She must be executed, while the man is, at most, flogged. Gentile females are presumed whores regardless of age (including children).
Gentiles must not be allowed any form of seniority over Jews. That includes Gentile proselytes to Judaism for ten generations after conversion. Gentiles are congenital liars, particularly in court cases. Charity to Gentiles is generally forbidden; gifts are allowed only to regular business contacts. Interest-free loans to fellow Jews are encouraged, but forbidden for Gentiles.
Found Gentile property must not be returned to them unless civil law requires it. Jews are silent about business errors in their favor unless the other person is a Jew. Fraud against Gentiles is not forbidden. Gentiles can be robbed when under Jewish authority, but there's a bunch of provisions for when Jews are under Gentile civil authority. The whole point is relative power between Jews and Gentiles, not any higher moral concern.
The real power of Jewish supremacy manifests in laws regarding Gentiles in or passing through Israel. Recall an earlier mention of the debate about what is included as part of the Land of Israel. There are variations in the code based on locations outside the currently recognized borders.
Jews cannot sell their own real estate to Gentiles. Leasing provisions are aimed at not allowing Gentiles to settle in residence. Even temporary residence requires Gentiles accept the Noachide precepts. The whole issue with Palestinians is simply a matter of whether Jews have the power to evict them, as is their duty. As previously noted, there are some Gentiles classed as Amalekites, of whom Jews should not even allow survivors. The IDF typically gives orders that Palestinians are in that class.
Shahak goes on to relate how the whole Talmud and supporting literature demands contempt and hatred for Gentiles. Even in prayer books it is the foundation, though this has been at times hidden in various jurisdictions in different ways. It's ritually mandatory to curse Gentiles and bless anything related to Jews. They hide their hostility only under duress.
Example: A bottle of wine, totally of Jewish vintage, once opened must be guarded. If any Christian touches it, the wine must be poured out. If a Muslim touches it, then the bottle must be sold or given away. Gentile atheists are not exempted (they might be lying about it) but Jewish atheists are okay.
Shahak is careful to explain that even leftist/liberal Jews in Israel hold these views. Their only concern is mitigating political hostility with other, more powerful countries. They will try to verbally spin any leak of Jewish spite for Gentiles, but will not deny it.
He explains that Jews have particular hatred for Christianity, but don't really understand it (page 82):
According to the Talmud, Jesus was executed by a proper rabbinical court for idolatry, inciting other Jews to idolatry, and contempt of rabbinical authority. All classical Jewish sources which mention his execution are quite happy to take responsibility for it; in the talmudic account the Romans are not even mentioned.
Popular accounts add witchcraft to His crimes. Shahak admits Jews have a crude understanding of the Trinity and Doctrine of Incarnation, thus insisting that Christianity is idolatrous. This, when Jews revere all kinds of physical objects. Meanwhile, Muslims are given a little more slack, regarded simply as madmen. The New Testament is burned reflexively, while the Quran is allowed to exist as an ordinary book. Muslims are not idolaters, only plain old Gentiles.
Please keep in mind: We've discussed collective versus individual cultures. Jews are collective, and their sense of shame and guilt depends entirely on the community, not on some internalized sense of good and evil. Most Jews have no conscience as we think of it.
Comments
Jay DiNitto
They seem like they'd be great at parties. Sheesh.
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