Gentiles Studying Torah (Or Not)
Parsha Halacha – Parshat Yitro
Gentiles Studying Torah (Or Not)
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The Torah portion of Yitro tells us how Yitro, a former idolatrous priest, joined the Jewish people and how the Jewish people received the Torah.
This article will discuss the prohibition for a non-Jew to study Torah.
The Prohibition
The Talmud says,[1]“A gentile who engages in Torah study is liable to receive the death penalty, as it says,[2] תּוֹרָה צִוָּה לָנוּ מֹשֶׁה מוֹרָשָׁה – ‘Moses commanded us the Torah as an inheritance.’ The word 'לָנוּ' indicates that the Torah is an inheritance specifically for us (the Jewish people) and not for the gentiles.”
In addition, the Talmud says[3] that the word מוֹרָשָׁה can be read as מְאוֹרָסָה - “betrothed,” indicating that the Torah is like a bride of the Jewish people.
Thus, a gentile who studies Torah is considered either to be stealing or to be committing adultery, both of which are capital offenses according to the Seven Noahide Laws.[4]
Why Not Counted in the Seven Noahide Laws?
The Talmud explains that it isn’t counted because it’s already included either under the prohibition of stealing or that of adultery.
Studying the Seven Noahide Laws
According to Rabbi Meir,[5] any person, including a gentile, who studies Torah is considered as great as a Kohen Gadol (High Priest). This indicates that it’s commendable for a gentile to study Torah. The Talmud explains that Rabbi Meir was referring to the study of the Seven Noahide Laws.
Why a High Priest?
The Ben Ish Chai (Rabbi Yosef Chaim of 19th and 20th century Bagdahd) explains that just as a High Priest (Kohen Gadol) is elevated from among his brothers, so, too, a gentile who studies Torah is considered upraised and special among his peers.
Similarly, Rabbi Yitzchak of Corbeil (of 13th-century France) writes[6] that just as a Kohen Gadol was supported and honored by his fellow-Jews, so, too, a gentile who studies the Seven Noahide Laws should be supported and respected by his colleagues.
Tosfot[7] quotes the Talmud[8] which says that studying Torah is more precious than the Kohen Gadol who enters the inner sanctum. This is referring to a Jew who studies Torah, whereas a gentile who studies Torah (the Seven Noahide Laws) is considered equal to (but not better than) a High Priest.
According to the Maharsha, the Talmud means that a gentile who studies the laws of the sacrifices which a gentile may offer is like a high priest since studying about sacrifices is tantamount to offering them.[9]
Not Actually Killed
The Rambam says[10] that if a gentile studied Torah in ancient times, he would be punished and told that he deserved the death penalty, but he would not actually be executed.
Pagans
Some say[11] that it’s only forbidden for a pagan gentile to study Torah, whereas one who believes in the One G-d may study Torah.
In-Depth Study
The commentaries question as to why it’s considered stealing for a gentile to study Torah when, by doing so, he hasn’t taken the Torah away from the Jewish people.
They explain[12] that it’s only forbidden for him to study Torah in depth which can lead to revealing the secrets of the Torah and coming up with new interpretations to it. Those new interpretations will then become associated with the gentile, thus “stealing” the ability of a Jew (who is the rightful “owner” of the Torah) to reveal that insight. This is why the Talmud uses the words גּוֹי שֶׁעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה , which indicates toiling in Torah, as opposed to גּוֹי שֶׁלוֹמֵ בַּתּוֹרָה which means ordinary Torah study.
Studying while Converting
The Me’iri writes that the reason a gentile may not study Torah is that people may think he’s Jewish which could lead to them being influenced by him. If, however, the gentile is studying Torah so that he can (possibly) convert or so that he can observe extra mitzvot, it is permissible as it will not lead to the above mistake.
What’s Included?
Some say[13] that gentiles are only forbidden to learn the Oral Torah, but they may study the written Torah (i.e., the Tanach). This explains why the Jewish people who crossed the Jordan river were commanded to etch the Torah onto 12 stones in all of the 70 languages of the world[14] thus enabling all of the nations of the world to study the Torah. This study only involved the Five Books of Moshe and was, therefore, permitted.
Rabbi Yitzchak Ohr Zarua (13th Century Vienna) says[15] that this prohibition doesn’t apply to the books of the Prophets and the Later Writings (Nach) as these discuss the (upcoming) consolation of the Jewish people and address many claims of the heretics. Learning these may help a gentile recognize the truth of the Torah and is permitted.
Teaching a Gentile
Some say[16] that if a Jew teaches a gentile Torah he transgresses the prohibition of placing a stumbling block in front of the blind, i.e., aiding someone else in their sin.
Rabbi Aryeh Leib Ginzburg writes[17] that since the Jew who is teaching is one of the owners of the Torah, it isn’t considered stealing for him to share it with a non-Jew. Despite this, it’s forbidden for a Jew to teach Torah to a gentile, as the verse says,[18] ”You haven’t done so for any nation, nor have You let them know Your laws.”
Thus, we find many accounts in the Talmud where rabbis answered Torah questions posed to them by gentiles.[19] This wasn’t stealing since the information was shared by a Jew. In addition, the prohibition based on the above verse (“You have not let them know Your laws”) is of Rabbinic origin and the rabbis permitted such conversations in order to maintain peace.
Rabbi Yehudah HaNassi and Antonius
The Talmud says[20] that Rabbi Yehudah HaNassi would study Torah regularly with the Roman ruler Antonius. Based on the above, we can explain this in several ways:
● They would only discuss the Seven Noahide Laws.
● They would discuss the basic level of the Torah and not delve into its secrets.
● Perhaps Antonius wasn’t a pagan (see above according to the Chatam Sofer).
● According to Tosfot,[21] Antonius converted later in life. As such, these studies may have been leading up to his conversion and were therefore permissible.
The Rambam writes (Laws of Shmitah 13:13), “Any one of the inhabitants of the world whose spirit generously motivates him, and he understands with his wisdom to set himself aside and stand before G-d to serve Him and minister to Him and to know G-d, proceeding justly as G-d made him, removing from his neck the yoke of the many reckonings which people seek is sanctified as holy of holies.”
May We Merit to Serve G-d Sincerely and to be Sanctified like the Holy of Holies!
[4] See Sanhedrin 58b, 57a and 57b.
[5] Sanhedrin 59a and Avodah Zarah 3a.
[6] In the introduction to the Sefer Mitzvot Kattan.
[7] Avodah Zara ibid., DH Harei Hu.
[10] Laws of Kings 10:9. See the commentaries as to the basis for this ruling.
[11] Chatam Sofer (quoted in the Biurim on the Metivta Shas on Sanhedrin 59a) based on Rambam, Laws of Kings 10:9.
[13] Maharatz Chayut, Sotah 35b, and other commentaries quoted in the Yalkut Bi’urim in the Metivta Shas.
[14] Deuteronomy 27:3 and Sotah 35b.
[15] Quoted in Shiltei Giborim on page 14 of the pages of the Rif on Tractate Avodah Zarah.
[16] Shiltei Giborim, ibid.
[17] Turei Aven on Chagigah 13a D.H. Ein Mosrin based on Chagigah 13a.
[19] See Avodah Zarah 44b and in many places.
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