CONTEXT IS KEY

One of my Muslim friends in the Netherlands sent me a message this morning regarding a post made on Facebook by a local imam. The post states:

"Iedere Jood die het bloed verspilt van de goddelozen (niet-Joden) doet hetzelfde als het brengen van een offerande ann God”

[Every Jews who spills the blood of the ungodly (non-Jews) does the same as bringind an offering to God. Talmud: Bammidber section c 21 & Jalkut 772.]

My friend contacted me, asking me if this is true? This is what I replied:

First of all, there is no tractate of the Talmud called Bemidbar nor Jalkut. There is Bamidbar Rabba and Yalkut Shimeoni, which are homiletic writings. In the case of the former, they included tannaitic compilations of biblical homilies, written before the Talmud was redacted. Some of those teachings actually appear in the Qur’an and the Hadith, as Israliyat.

The passage in question speaks about the context in reference to “wicked israelites” who profane the God’s name in public, by anulling the Covenant. Pinehas a”h, son of Elazar, son of Aharon, brother of Moses, killed Zimri ben Shallu of the tribe of Shimeon for worshipping Baal Peor in public and leading many astray. What Pinehas did was considered a noble act for the sake of the God’s honor. Moses a”h, was not able to execute Zimri himself because his was was a Midianite. Zimri participated in a public sexual ritual involving the idolatrous practices of Baal in Peor. The author of this homily draws a conclusion from this episode. When an Israelite executes a wicked Israelite, it is considered as if he has offered a sacrifice to the God, because such an act creates atonement for the sins committed on behalf of the nation. In the Torah, a violation as such is considered as a violation committed by the entire nation, as one people. The only way to rectify such violation is death. Indeed, this has nothing to do with killing people outside of the Covenant, i.e., non-Jews.

To further elucidate, it is the same principle found in Islam when an apostate abandons the path of Allah. In Islamic countries, Sharia law executes apostates of Islam because that person brings public shame to Allah’s name.

I ask myself why would this imam post such preposterous statement within the context of what is happening in the Middle East? This is a great example of the power of a religious leader to either build or destroy the world through influence. This imam’s interpretation of the rabbinic literature is not only faulty, but scandalous. With so many passages from the Qur’an which speak about the God’s compassion and protection of the “People of the Book,” ( this imam chose to instill hatred in the hearts of his followers. Take for example:

حق أهل الذمة

وَأمّا حَقُّ أَهْلِ الذِّمَّةِ فَالحُكْمُ فِيهِمْ أَنْ تَقبَلَ مِنْهُمْ مَا قَبِلَ اللهُ، وَتَفِي بمَا جَعَلَ اللهُ لَهُمْ مِنْ ذِمَّتِهِ وَعَهْدِهِ وَتكِلُهُمْ إلَيهِ فِيمَا طَلبُوا مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَأُجْبرُِوا عَلَيْهِ وَتحْكُمَ فِيهِمْ بمَا حَكَمَ اللهُ بهِ عَلَى نفْسِكَ فِيمَا جَرَى بَيْنَكَ [وَبيْنَهمْ] مِنْ مُعَامَلَةٍ وَلْيَكُنْ بَينَكَ وَبيْنَ ظُلْمِهِمْ مِنْ رِعَايَةِ ذِمَّةِ اللَّهِ وَالْوَفَاءِ بعَهْدِهِ وَعَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ – حَائِلٌ فَإنَّهُ بَلَغَنَا أنَّهُ قَالَ «مَنْ ظَلَمَ مُعَاهِدًا كُنْتُ خَصْمَهُ» فَاتَّقِ اللَّهَ. ولا حَوْلَ ولا قُوَّةَ إلا باللهِ.

And the right of those under the protection of Islam is that you should accept from them what God has accepted from them, and fulfill what God has established for them under His protection and covenant, and entrust them to Him in what they are required to carry out, and are obliged to do.

And you should judge among them with the judgments of God that He commanded for you regarding the conditions of dealing with them, and do not wrong them as long as they honor God's covenant and fulfill their pledge. And the pledge of the Prophet, may God’s peace be upon him and his household, is a barrier since it is reported that he said: “I am the adversary of whoever oppresses one who has a treaty." Therefore, fear God. And there is no power but in God.

True worshippers of Allah, who are faithful to the teachings of Muhammad, know their obligation to protect Jews and Christians who are faithful to the same God.

Let us not confuse political corruption in Israel with the Jewish People who live in the State of Israel.

Love peace and pursue peace!