This is inspired by Muman's thread "Awesome antisemitic diatribe against Jewish people"
http://jtf.org/forum_english/index.php/topic,39586.0.htmlHere is the answer of a rabbi to the question of an antisemite that may clarify many things. I translated it from Russian, the original source can be found at
http://toldot.ru/urava/ask/urava_1533.html?template=83? The highlights are mine. I am sorry in advance for grammar errors.
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Q: I read excerpts from Talmud about gentiles. This is disgusting! You don't regard them as humans. Actually, this is the declaration of war to all gentiles. Thanks in advance for the answer.
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Rabbi Asher Kushnir answers:
I don't know what exactly do you mean but for example Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai who lived about 2000 years ago says:
"You are called human being (Adam in Hebrew) but gentiles are not called human being".Without any doubt, when reading this phrase without understanding of its intention, one can be disgusted and shocked. It is really bad to write such things. Bad even if it is written "only for us" and even if many thousand years ago. It is especially "disgusting" at the background of cultural sources of the other peoples who always talked about the Jews respectfully.. And not only brightly and expressively spoke and wrote about the Jews but also showed high interest in their blood.. without declaring any wars..
Let me make one remark before adressing the core of the question.
Anyone who opens any Jewish text and wants to understand what is written there should follow at least one rule.
There is no literal meaning in Torah and understanding is reached only by means of commentary and advanced study. I.e. the essense is not what is written but what intention and general idea are expressed by these words. Therefore, anyone who does not make an effort to deepen his understanding, will understand any phrase taken out of context how he wishes. And if he is a bit antisemite in his heart, and Talmud study from original Jewish sources is unavailable, and unaccurately translated phrases are coupled for him together, then the forementioned phrase will encite the expected burst of his anger. Yes, that's it! I always knew that! That is their true face! From now on, there is no regret about the sea of Jewish blood spilled in the past and, what is most important, a great exuse to continue to beat the Jews and save Russia in the future! ("Beat the Jews, save Russia" is a famous slogan of Russian antisemites - Spectator). Malicious manipulation by Jewish
sources has always given the world antisemites the fuel of hatred and violence. A-a-ah, they don't regard us as humans! We will teach them a lesson.. It was so, for example, at the famous trial of Mendel Beilis in 1913 in Kiev. Not only he was accused but also all the Jews, based on the Talmud phrases taken out of context.
But let's return to the core of the question and read carefully the text itself. It says "you are called human being..". Pay attention, why there is an incompatibilty between plural "you" and singular "human being" (in Hebrew, as in Russian, there is a difference between plural and singular "you", as it used to be in English between "you" and "thou" - Spectator)? Din't Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai know the grammar? Of course he knew because all the other things he wrote without errors. And if he formulated the phrase namely in this way, he wanted to hint at its true understanding.
Torah gives the Jews some particular concept - mutual responsibility. More accurately, not the concept but the obligation. The fate of every Jew is not only his business, but also of all the Jewish people. Like as it was during Beilis trial. The protests and pain for the unknown Jew were heard all over the world.
But do gentiles have such an obligation? For example, if somebody is arrested by slanderous libel, all his friends and those who know him, will probably be outraged and will protest. But all the other people of his town will only express their condolences. The residents of the other cities will be interested. And abroad it is just ordinary news. This is the nature of human being.
That is what Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai meant. He speaks to the Jewish people and says: you are called human being (Adam in singular) because when one Jew suffers, all the other as one body, by one heart, from Alaska to Australia are worried about him and try to help him (it is was really so until recently, while the Jews observed Torah laws). But the gentiles are not called "human being" (Adam) but "human beings" (Anashim in plural) because they don't have any obligatory mutual responsibility.