Sunday, January 25, 2009

YouTube Video (Like I Promised!)



I previously mentioned a YouTube video I had commented on a while back, and intended to post. Here it is now. The only parts I want to mention are basically from 6:00 till the end.

Obviously this is a video made and put onto YouTube by individuals who harbor a bit of animosity and dislike towards Jews and Judaism. The content is almost undoubtedly from some seemingly pre-war Nazi propagandists who might have seemed somewhat well-learned to the average German. One might say that there is no reason to pay much attention to Anti-Semitic banter, as it is quite so prevalent in this country, yet still, I feel it important for people who do adhere to the Talmudic law to be aware enough about it's content not be confused by falsifiers.

The Talmudic quotations are obviously waaay out of context. Here is a concise explanation:

1. Sanhedrin 77a: "One who binds is not liable to execution":

First of all, one important aspect about the Talmud which would be important for any "outsider" too keep in mind is that the Talmud is obviously only an honest attempt at explaining the Torah itself. It is impossible for the Torah itself to have detailed the punishment for every possible crime that might be committed. If any case seems to be excluded from what the verse discusses then we cannot administer the punishment the Torah prescribes, i.e. the perpetrator is not "liable" for that punishment. The word "liable" is very important. In many other parts of the Talmud it is explained that one who committed a cardinal transgression, with a slight diversion from described in the Torah, even though they may not be liable for the capital punishment prescribed in the Torah they must still endure "Lashes of Rebelliousness" (which did not kill the person, but left them like the Christian savior in the end of "The Passion" film!). Such a person obviously would ultimately be liable to some form of Divine retribution as well...

So too in this case, as in any case in the Mishna or Talmud using the terms "liable" or "exempt", one who murdered in this fashion must still endure lashes.

2. Sanhedrin 52b: Again, The punishment prescribed in the Torah is just for "regular" adulterers, the biblicaly prescribed punishment of Strangling does not apply, therefore, to any other unusual case of adultery (where the perpetrators are "only" given lashes).

3. Kerihoth 11a: Again, in the verse about violating one's handmaid it is only discussing the most generic of situations, any variable, and instead of death by burning the criminal would be flogged.

4. Yebamoth 60b: This passage is discussing whether a girl who was converted to Judaism under the age of three should be allowed to marry into the priestly families upon her becoming of age (i.e. older proselytes cannot marry into the priestly families).

5. Kethuboth 11b: *sigh*, This passage is discussing whether a woman who had, in any way, lost her virginity can still receive the dowry usually allotted to a virgin only. One opinion states that if a girl had once been violated as a minor she is still eligible to receive the dowry because she has since physically returned to her virgin state.

"The intercourse of a small boy is not regarded as a sexual act" if a minor had intercourse with him, i.e. she does not lose the dowry as a result (although she would be otherwise punished for such an act, if it was not against her will).

It should be noted that these cases may not have happened in reality, but are only for the judges to know how to act if cases like these occur.

Another thing I feel is important to point out though is the hateful statements of "the Prince of Peace" (if he did in fact live, and if the gospels are, in fact, his words) against the religious leaders of his time. I would say that he who supposedly "loved everyone" was perhaps the main person to sow the seeds of anti-Semitism and religious hatred among Christians and other non-Jews that led to the opinions of the Nazis who created this sort of propaganda.

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The Talmudic passages as they are (with links):

סנהדרין עז:א

אמר רבא כפתו ומת ברעב פטור

ואמר רבא כפתו בחמה ומת, בצינה ומת, חייב- סוף חמה לבא. סוף צינה לבא- פטור

ואמר רבא כפתו לפני ארי, פטור. לפני יתושין, חייב

סנהדרין נב:ב

תנו רבנן (ויקרא כ) "איש" פרט לקטן (ויקרא כ) "אשר ינאף את אשת איש" פרט לאשת קטן (ויקרא יט) "אשת רעהו" פרט לאשת אחרים (ויקרא כ) "מות יומת" בחנק

כריתות יא:א

א"ר יהודה אמר רב הכי קתני... כדרכה נמי: כדרכה בשפחה חרופה מיחייב, ושלא כדרכה לא מיחייב. מאי טעמא (ויקרא יט) שכבת זרע כתיב

יבמות ס:ב

תניא ר' שמעון בן יוחי אומר גיורת פחותה מבת שלש שנים ויום אחד כשירה לכהונה שנאמר (במדבר לא) וכל הטף בנשים אשר לא ידעו משכב זכר החיו לכם

כתובות יא:ב

מתיב רב אושעיא גדול שבא על הקטנה וקטן הבא על הגדולה ומוכת עץ כתובתן מאתים דברי ר"מ

וחכמים אומרים מוכת עץ כתובתה מנה

אמר רבא הכי קאמר גדול הבא על הקטנה ולא כלום דפחות מכאן כנותן אצבע בעין דמי

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