Article I.—HARM MUST BE DONE TO CHRISTIANS

A Jew is commanded to harm Christians wherever he can, both indirectly by not helping them in any way, and also directly by wrecking their plans and projects; neither must he save a Christian who is in danger of death.

I. GOOD MUST NOT BE DONE TO CHRISTIANS

In Zohar (1,25b) it says:

"Those who do good to the Akum . . . will not rise from the dead."

At times it is permitted to do good to Christians, but only in order to help Israel, namely, for the sake of peace and to hide hatred of them. Maimonides in Hilkhoth Akum (X,6) says:

"Needy Gentiles may be helped as well as needy Jews, for the sake of peace..."

In Iore Dea (148,12 Hagah) it says:

"Therefore if you enter a town and find them celebrating a feast, you may pretend to rejoice with them in order to hide your hatred. Those, however, who care about the salvation of their souls should keep away from such celebrations. You should make it known that it is a hateful thing to rejoice with them, if you can do so without incurring their enmity."

1. IT IS NOT PERMITTED TO PRAISE A CHRISTIAN

In Abhodah Zarah (20,a, Toseph) it says:

"Do not say anything in praise of them, lest it be said: How good that Goi is!"(1)

(1) Maimonides (in Hilk. Akum X,5) adds: "Moreover, you should seek opportunity to mix with them and find out about their evil doings."

In this way they explain the words of Deuteronomy (VII,2) . . . and thou shalt show no mercy unto them [Goim], as cited in the Gemarah. Rabbi S. Iarchi explains this Bible passage as follows:

"Do not pay them any compliments; for it is forbidden to say: how good that Goi is."

In Iore Dea (151,14) it says:

"No one is allowed to praise them or to say how good an Akum is. How much less to praise what they do or to recount anything about them which would redound to their glory. If, however, while praising them you intend to give glory to God, namely, because he has created comely creatures, then it is allowed to do so."

2. A JEW NOT ALLOWED TO MENTION THE THINGS WHICH CHRISTIANS USE FOR THEIR IDOLATROUS WORSHIP

In Hilkhoth Akum (V,12) it says:

"It is also forbidden to make mention of the Akum; for it is written (Exodus XXIII,13):. . . and make no mention of other gods."

3. THEIR IDOLS MUST BE SPOKEN OF WITH CONTEMPT

In Iore Dea (146,15) it says:

"Their idols must be destroyed, or called by contemptuous names."

Ibidem, (147,5):

"It is permitted to deride idols, and it is forbidden to say to a Goi: May your God help you, or I hope you will succeed."

Rabbi Bechai, explaining the text of Deuteronomy about hating idolatry, says:

"The Scripture teaches us to hate idols and to call them by ignominious names. Thus, if the name of a church is Bethgalia—"house of magnificence," it should be called Bethkaria—an insignificant house, a pigs' house, a latrine. For this word, karia, denotes a low-down, slum place."

In numerous places ignominious names are given by the Jews to Christian things. It will not be out of place to list a few of these names which they give to things and persons which are held holy and dear by Christians, as follows:

JESUS is ignominiously called Jeschu—which means, May his name and memory be blotted out. His proper name in Hebrew is Jeschua, which means Salvation.

MARY, THE MOTHER OF JESUS, is called Charia—dung, excrement (German Dreck). In Hebrew her proper name is Miriam.

CHRISTIAN SAINTS, the word for which in Hebrew is Kedoschim, are called Kededchim (cinaedos)—feminine men (Fairies). Women saints are called Kedeschoth, whores.

SUNDAY is called the day of calamity.

FEAST OF CHRISTMAS is called Nital, denoting extermination.

EASTER is not called by the proper word Pesach (Passover), but Ketsach, meaning a cutting down; or Kesach, a Gallows.

A CHRISTIAN CHURCH is not called Beth Hattefillah, House of Prayer, but Beth Hattiflah, a House of Vanity, a House of Evil.

THE GOSPEL BOOKS are called Aavon Gilaion, Books of Iniquity.

CHRISTIAN SACRIFICES are called Dung Offerings. In the Jerusalem Talmud (fol.13b) the following occurs:

"He who sees them mezabbelim (excrementing—sacrificing) before their idol, let him say (Exod. XXII, 20): He that sacrificeth unto an idol shall be utterly destroyed."

Rabbi Iarchi (referring to Num. XXV, 3) teaches that the Gentiles actually honor their God by excrementing before him.

A CHRISTIAN GIRL who works for Jews on their sabbath is called Schaw-wesschicksel, Sabbath Dirt.

4. A JEW IS NOT ALLOWED TO GIVE GIFTS TO CHRISTIANS

In Hilkhoth Akum (X,5) it says:

"It is forbidden to give gifts to the Goim. But it is permitted to give them to a convert who lives among the Jews; for it is said: To the traveller who stops in your cities, give it to him to eat, or sell it to a Gentile, that is sell it, not give it."

In Iore Dea (151,11) it says:

"It is forbidden to give free gifts to the Akum with whom a Jew may not treat familiarly."

The Talmud, however, allows a Jew to give gifts to Gentiles who are known to him and from whom he has hope of getting something in return.

5. A JEW IS FORBIDDEN TO SELL HIS FARM TO CHRISTIANS

In Iore Dea (334,43) it says:

"In 24 cases a Jew must be repudiated, namely . . . 8. Anyone who sells his farm to the Akum must be sent into exile—unless he undertakes to make up for all the harm that follows as a consequence of having the Akum live near the Jews."

6. IT IS FORBIDDEN TO TEACH A TRADE TO CHRISTIANS

In Iore Dea (154,2) it says:

"It is not permitted to teach any trade to the Akum."

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II. HARM MUST BE DONE TO THE WORK OF CHRISTIANS

Since the Goim minister to Jews like beasts of burden, they belong to a Jew together with his life and all his faculties:

"The life of a Goi and all his physical powers belong to a Jew." (A. Rohl. Die Polem. p.20)

It is an axiom of the Rabbis that a Jew may take anything that belongs to Christians for any reason whatsoever, even by fraud; nor can such be called robbery since it is merely taking what belongs to him.

In Babha Bathra (54b) it says:

"All things pertaining to the Goim are like a desert; the first person to come along and take them can claim them for his own."

1. CHRISTIANS MUST NOT BE TOLD IF THEY PAY TOO MUCH TO A JEW

In Choschen Hammischpat (183,7) it says:

"If you send a messenger to collect money from an Akum and the Akum pays too much, the messenger may keep the difference. But if the messenger does not know about it, then you may keep it all yourself."

2. LOST PROPERTY OF CHRISTIANS MUST NOT BE RETURNED TO THEM

In Choschen Ham. (266,1) it says:

"A Jew may keep anything he finds which belongs to the Akum, for it is written: Return to thy brethren what is lost (Deuter. XXII, 3). For he who returns lost property [to Christians] sins against the Law by increasing the power of the transgressors of the Law. It is praiseworthy, however, to return lost property if it is done to honor the name of God, namely, if by so doing Christians will praise the Jews and look upon them as honorable people."

3. CHRISTIANS MAY BE DEFRAUDED

In Babha Kama (113b) it says:

"It is permitted to deceive a Goi."

And in Choschen Ham. (156,5 Hagah) it says:

"If a Jew is doing good business with an Akum it is not allowed to other Jews, in certain places, to come and do business with the same Akum. In other places, however, it is different, where another Jew is allowed to go to the same Akum, lead him on, do business with him and to deceive him and take his money. For the wealth of the Akum is to be regarded as common property and belongs to the first who can get it. There are some, however, who say that this should not be done."

In Choschen Ham. (183,7 Hagah) it says:

"If a Jew is doing business with an Akum and a fellow Israelite comes along and defrauds the Akum, either by false measure, weight or number, he must divide his profit with his fellow Israelite, since both had a part in the deal, and also in order to help him along."

4. A JEW MAY PRETEND HE IS A CHRISTIAN TO DECEIVE CHRISTIANS

In Iore Dea (157,2 Hagah) it says:

"If a Jew is able to deceive them [idolaters] by pretending he is a worshipper of the stars, he may do so."(2)

(2) This text is also found in the Vilna edition of 1873.

5. A JEW IS ALLOWED TO PRACTICE USURY ON CHRISTIANS

In Abhodah Zarah (54a) it says:

"It is allowed to take usury from Apostates(3) who fall into idolatry."

(3) The Jews call Baptism Schomed, and an apostate baptized Jew, a Meschummad.

And in Iore Dea (159,1) it says:

"It is permitted, according to the Torah, to lend money to an Akum with usury. Some of the Elders, however, deny this except in a case of life and death. Nowadays it is permitted for any reason."

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III. CHRISTIANS TO BE HARMED IN LEGAL MATTERS

1. A JEW MAY LIE AND PERJURE HIMSELF TO CONDEMN A CHRISTIAN

In Babha Kama (113a) it says:

"Our teaching is as follows: When a Jew and a Goi come into court, absolve the Jew, if you can, according to the laws of Israel. If the Goi wins, tell him that is what our laws require. If however, the Jew can be absolved according to the gentile law, absolve him and say it is due to our laws. If this cannot be done proceed callously against the Goi, as Rabbi Ischmael advises. Rabbi Akibha, however, holds that you cannot act fraudulently lest you profane the Name of God, and have a Jew commited for perjury."

A marginal note, however, explains this qualification of Rabbi Akibha as follows:

"The name of God is not profaned when it is not known by the Goi that the Jew has lied."

And further on, the Babha Kama (113b) says:

"The name of God is not profaned when, for example, a Jew lies to a Goi by saying: 'I gave something to your father, but he is dead; you must return it to me,' as long as the Goi does not know that you are lying."

2. A JEW MAY PERJURE HIMSELF WITH A CLEAR CONSCIENCE

In Kallah (1b, p.18) it says:

"She (the mother of the mamzer) said to him, 'Swear to me.' And Rabbi Akibha swore with his lips, but in his heart he invalidated his oath."(4)

(4) cf. supra, p.30

A similar text is found in Schabbuoth Hagahoth of Rabbi Ascher (6d):

"If the magistrate of a city compels Jews to swear that they will not escape from the city nor take anything out of it, they may swear falsely by saying to themselves that they will not escape today, nor take anything out of the city today only."

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IV. CHRISTIANS MUST BE HARMED IN THINGS NECESSARY FOR LIFE

Jews must spare no means in fighting the tyrants who hold them in this Fourth Captivity in order to set themselves free. They must fight Christians with astuteness and do nothing to prevent evil from happening to them: their sick must not be cared for, Christian women in childbirth must not be helped, nor must they be saved when in danger of death.

1. A JEW MUST ALWAYS TRY TO DECEIVE CHRISTIANS

In Zohar (I, 160a) it says:

"Rabbi Jehuda said to him [Rabbi Chezkia]: 'He is to be praised who is able to free himself from the enemies of Israel, and the just are much to be praised who get free from them and fight against them.' Rabbi Chezkia asked, 'How must we fight against them?' Rabbi Jehuda said, 'By wise counsel thou shalt war against them' (Proverbs, ch. 24, 6). By what kind of war? The kind of war that every son of man must fight against his enemies, which Jacob used against Esau—by deceit and trickery whenever possible. They must be fought against without ceasing, until proper order be restored. Thus it is with satisfaction that I say we should free ourselves from them and rule over them."

2. A SICK CHRISTIAN MUST NOT BE AIDED

In Iore Dea (158,1) it says:

"The Akum are not to be cured, even for money, unless it would incur their enmity."

3. A CHRISTIAN WOMAN IN CHILDBIRTH MUST NOT BE HELPED

In Orach Chaiim (330,2) it says:

"No help is to be given to an Akum woman in labor on the sabbath, even in a small way, for the Sabbath must not be violated."

4. A CHRISTIAN IN DANGER OF DEATH MUST NOT BE HELPED

In Choschen Ham. (425,5) it says:

"If you see a heretic, who does not believe in the Torah, fall into a well in which there is a ladder, hurry at once and take it away and say to him 'I have to go and take my son down from a roof; I will bring the ladder back to you at once' or something else. The Kuthaei, however, who are not our enemies, who take care of the sheep of the Israelites, are not to be killed directly, but they must not be saved from death."

And in Iore Dea (158,1) it says:

"The Akum who are not enemies of ours must not be killed directly, nevertheless they must not be saved from danger of death. For example, if you see one of them fall into the sea, do not pull him out unless he promises to give you money."

Maimonides, in Hilkhoth Akum (X,1) says:

"Do not have any pity for them, for it is said (Deuter. VII,2): Show no mercy unto them. Therefore, if you see an Akum in difficulty or drowning, do not go to his help. And if he is in danger of death, do not save him from death. But it is not right to kill him by your own hand by shoving them into a well or in some other way, since they are not at war with us."