South Korean TALMUD Mavens?

[muman613]

Here is an answer from a Rabbi at Yeshiva.org:

http://www.yeshiva.org.il/ask/eng/?id=449

Question:
Under what conditions may one teach non Jews Torah? Does it matter if it is written or oral Torah? halacha , hashkafa etc..? What if one’s job depends on it [i.e. a professor, a "chaplain" who must speak to Jewsh and no Jewish inmates, patients all at once ?

Thank you

Answer:
You can teach a non-Jew the laws of the Torah specific to his observing the seven Noachide laws or those moral obligations that are universal to all mankind. It would seem reasonable that these should be the subjects addressed by a chaplain speaking to a mixed audience. You are also allowed- in defense of the Torah- to answer a non-Jew’s questions or criticisms regarding Judaism (Shu”t Yabiya Omer 2 Yoreh Deah 17). If you are teaching a Jew Torah it is unnecessary for you to break off if you see that a non-Jew is listening in.

[muman613]

This also may shed some light on this prohibition..


http://www.aishdas.org/avodah/vol06/v06n108.shtml#03

Date: Sat, 20 Jan 2001 22:52:21 +0200
From: Daniel Eidensohn <[email protected]>
Subject: Teaching Torah to non-Jews

Rabbi Bleich - Contemporary Halachic Problems II chapter 16 pp 311-340
has a very good discussion of the issue - especially the issue of giving
Torah classes on the radio.

Igros Moshe has a number of tshuvos see Yad Moshe page 377 under the
category of Talmud Torah - in particular E.H. IV # page 54 concerning
teaching in a Jewish school where many of the students are not Jews and
Y.D. IV #38.10 page 255 concerning translating seforim and Y.D. III #90
page 332 concerning teaching Torah to a group of Jews when a non-Jew
is present.

Also of relevance is the extensive discussion in Rav Dovid Yosef's
edition of the Rambam's tshuvos #50.

Of interest -- especially since it seems not to be cited by anyone --
is the Chasam Sofer to Chullin 33. He also does not cite the Rambam's
tshuva. The Rambam (Hilchos Melachim 10:10) states that if a ben noach
wants to perform one of the 613 mitzvos to get reward -- we don't stop
him from doing it correctly. However, the Rambam (Hilchos Melachim 10:9)
states that if a non Jew wants to keep Shabbos, learn Torah or create
a religious obligation for himself -- he deserves being punished from
Heaven. The Chasam Sofer (Chullin 33) explains the apparent contradiction
by saying that the Rambam holds there are two types of non Jews. A Ben
Noach is one who has accepted not to worship idols while an Akum has
not. The Ben Noach is allowed to keep Shabbos, study Torah and do the
other mitzvos. He also notes that whether it is permitted for a nonJew
to learn Torah is apparently a dispute in the gemora itself [Chagiga 13a,
Sanhedrin 59a, Avoda Zara 59a and Nedarim 31a] and that the Rambam rules
according to the lenient opinion stated in Nedarim 31a since this section
of Shas was composed more recently than the rest of Shas.

In sum - there are definitely hetairim for a wide range of Torah
activities directed at Jews even though non-Jews might also learn as
well as teaching non-Jews directly in certain limited circumstances.

Daniel Eidensohn

[muman613]

If anyone cares, here is the relevant portion of Avodah Zarah 59a:

http://halakhah.com/sanhedrin/sanhedrin_59.html
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R. Johanan said: A heathen who studies the Torah deserves death, for it is written, Moses commanded us a law for an inheritance;2  it is our inheritance, not theirs.3   Then why is this not included in the Noachian laws? — On the reading morasha [an inheritance] he steals it; on the reading me'orasah [betrothed], he is guilty as one who violates a betrothed maiden, who is stoned.4  An objection is raised: R. Meir used to say. Whence do we know that even a heathen who studies the Torah is as a High Priest? From the verse, [Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments:] which, if man do, he shall live in them.5  Priests, Levites, and Israelites are not mentioned, but men: hence thou mayest learn that even a heathen who studies6  the Torah is as a High Priest! — That refers to their own seven laws.7
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[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

Very good info Muman, thanks for that.   I have great respect for Rabbi Daniel Eidensohn.   You should check out his blog sometime... it's at daattorah.blogspot.com

[JTFenthusiast2]

I think there must have been additional context here that is contextually relevant.  It should never be a sin to learn from the wisdom of others as long as that knowledge is used for good, and not evil.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

I think there must have been additional context here that is contextually relevant.  It should never be a sin to learn from the wisdom of others as long as that knowledge is used for good, and not evil.

I think that is the point of these sources, and that is how Rabbi Bar Hayim explained them to me in a shiur. 

However, the sages viewed it as an evil thing to make light of the Torah as if it is a fanciful work of literature or some such.   That was the point I was trying to make, but it's very difficult over a forum to convey what I was trying to say.

[edu]

Kahane-Was-Right-BT
said

I think that is the point of these sources, and that is how Rabbi Bar Hayim explained them to me in a shiur. 

However, the sages viewed it as an evil thing to make light of the Torah as if it is a fanciful work of literature or some such.   That was the point I was trying to make, but it's very difficult over a forum to convey what I was trying to say.

Since you are in touch with Rabbi Bar Hayim, I would be interested in hearing his opinion on the  following issue.
 If a gentile learns a small amount of Talmud, in order to gain respect for the Torah and for G-d's chosen people. Would that be permissible? Just like the Talmudic sages occasionally stated a small amount of Torah wisdom to non-jewish heretics in order to rebut their claims and prove that Torah is true.