Why we should avoid the use of the term 'Good Samaritan'

[muman613]

Shalom,

Today I saw a story in the news about a so-called 'Good Samaritan'. It so happens that Rabbi Singer has recently posted this video explaining why, from a Jewish perspective, the 'Good Samaritan' story is used to antisemitic ends.

[muman613]

This is the story I am talking about...

[Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks]

Yes, because we all know it's much more productive to look for anti-Semitism in random news headlines than in the Obama Administration or Iran! 

[muman613]

Yes, because we all know it's much more productive to look for anti-Semitism in random news headlines than in the Obama Administration or Iran! 

As always you completely miss the point of my post. I never said that the news headline contained antisemitism. Actually it has nothing to do with what I am trying to convey here. It is just an example of the use of the term 'good samaritan' which is a term which I find objectionable for the reason stated above. The context of the story in the NT needs to be examined to understand what I am saying.

And you should be aware that I am constantly calling obama out for his antisemitism.

[angryChineseKahanist]

OK so a little more about this heartless Jew vulture who let the person lay there dying.

[muman613]

OK so a little more about this heartless Jew vulture who let the person lay there dying.

It is hard to talk about without causing a ruckus here... So you can look into it yourself for now..

http://ohr.edu/ask_db/ask_main.php/230/Q3/

http://www.oztorah.com/2007/05/a-good-samaritan-ask-the-rabbi/

http://www.beingjewish.com/mesorah/ageoftorah.html

The Samaritans continued to make trouble. When the Persians knuckled under the Macedonians, and Alexander the Great created the Greek empire, they tried to get Alexander to destroy the Holy Temple and kill all the Jews, and they almost succeeded. Even as late as the end of the first century C.E., the Samaritans were still ambushing and murdering Jews. The "good Samaritan" of the Christian bible is not only a myth, it is also a horrible false accusation against the Jews. It was akin to saying that the Nazis were good and the Jews were bad.

[angryChineseKahanist]

OK so the answer is the evil Christians. Maybe perhaps in the past there were evil fake Christians? Like Obongo the muslim christian. Christians dont need to hate jews. the christian bible has the "Tanach" so we read your books too.
So please don't hate all christians because of groups of evil christians. dont label us.

anyway, the masses really don't even know what a samaritan is. I've heard Chaim use that term a bunch.

[angryChineseKahanist]

so it looks like it was started by evil people. It has since lost its original meaning anyway. Its become a word that means a good unselfish person.

[muman613]

OK so the answer is the evil Christians. Maybe perhaps in the past there were evil fake Christians? Like Obongo the muslim christian. Christians dont need to hate jews. the christian bible has the "Tanach" so we read your books too.
So please don't hate all christians because of groups of evil christians. dont label us.

anyway, the masses really don't even know what a samaritan is. I've heard Chaim use that term a bunch.

You obviously don't read a lot of talkbacks or else you will see that Christian antisemitism is not dead. Virtually every day I see it and deal with it. It is disingenuous to suggest that it is I who hate Christians for only pointing out that Jews should not use the term 'Good Samaritan' due to it's antisemitic origins.

Are you suggesting it was evil Christians who wrote the NT? Because this story comes straight from the NT...

I posted this to make Jews aware of this antisemitic canard. Non-Jews can believe or think whatever they want.

[muman613]

so it looks like it was started by evil people. It has since lost its original meaning anyway. Its become a word that means a good unselfish person.

And you believe the 'wandering Jew' antisemitic canard has lost it's meaning too?

[muman613]

ACK,

I am not attacking or hating on non-Jews here. I am attempting to alert good Jews to be aware of where these antisemitic ideas come from. We should not use these terms (so too with terms like 'west bank').

To use a Jewish term in place of 'good samaritan' I would use 'Mensche'. A Mensche is a man who stands up and does the right thing in the face of others doing the wrong thing.

[angryChineseKahanist]

wow. I can't believe I said all that.

Here's one:
Please over interpret the following sentence:

Hello Mike!

[muman613]

wow. I can't believe I said all that.

Here's one:
Please over interpret the following sentence:

Hello Mike!

Hey ACK... How Ya Doin?

[Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks]

It is hard to talk about without causing a ruckus here... So you can look into it yourself for now..

So, who is it that started talking about this? 

[angryChineseKahanist]

Hey ACK... How Ya Doin?

That's all? Surely there's some hidden meaning in that? Surely you can find some evil hidden meaning?

[Binyamin Yisrael]

A Samaritan is not your neighbor or fellow citizen that helps you when in trouble. A Samaritan is a person that lives in Holon or Shechem that claims to have the real Judaism and brings the "Korban Pesach" on Mount Gerizim rather than on the Temple Mount. The Xtian Bible uses the term Good Samaritan because Samaritans are considered to be bad but a particular one was good. It's like when we say good blacks are an exception to the rule that most blacks are evil and adhere to evil culture.

[Ephraim Ben Noach]

Wait a minute... Wouldn't a lot of Jews have had a problem with some of the High Priests and ruling class at that time?

[Zelhar]

The story of the good samaritan is either a slander against Jews and Judaism or I suppose one can say it only aims at the corrupt hellenistized priests of that era. Not helping a fellow man in dire need of help is a huge avera. As anyone with even a slight knowledge of judaism should know saving life takes precedence to the other mitzvot.

[Mein Koran]

"Good Samaritan" does not imply that Samaritans were or are good. It actually implies the opposite, saying the majority were bad, and that there was one among them who was good. Furthermore the Jew in that story is not portrayed as being typical of the Jews, but rather a bad Jew among the Jews. Its similar to when Chaim says that Ted Cruz(a gentile) is better in many respects to Jews such as Diane Feinstein. He isn't saying that all gentiles are good, and he isn't saying all Jews are bad, he is saying thats its ironic that a gentile is acting in a more moral way than a Jew when the Jews are supposed to be the moral example. than  I completely disagree with Rabbi Tovia Singer that the story of the Good Samaritan is anti-Semitic. Also lets be honest, 99.9% of people who use the term "Good Samaritan" are not using it in an anti-Semitic way.

[angryChineseKahanist]

"Good Samaritan" does not imply that Samaritans were or are good. It actually implies the opposite, saying the majority were bad, and that there was one among them who was good. Furthermore the Jew in that story is not portrayed as being typical of the Jews, but rather a bad Jew among the Jews. Its similar to when Chaim says that Ted Cruz(a gentile) is better in many respects to Jews such as Diane Feinstein. He isn't saying that all gentiles are good, and he isn't saying all Jews are bad, he is saying thats its ironic that a gentile is acting in a more moral way than a Jew when the Jews are supposed to be the moral example. than  I completely disagree with Rabbi Tovia Singer that the story of the Good Samaritan is anti-Semitic. Also lets be honest, 99.9% of people who use the term "Good Samaritan" are not using it in an anti-Semitic way.

You said it! Read my mind.

[muman613]

In my mind the Jewish Israelis are todays 'Good Samaritans' as the Israeli government spends a lot to help all the needy around the world. Israel helps when Hurricanes and Earthquakes strike around the world, Israel takes in the wounded Syrians and even treats the wounded arab palestinians. But of course the world will never see it like that, the antisemitism is too much for the nations.

http://www.jta.org/1990/06/26/archive/iran-rejects-disaster-aid-from-israel-but-accepting-help-from-jewish-groups

http://www.adl.org/combating-hate/cyber-safety/c/internet-rumors/sri-lanka-israel-tsunami.html

http://www.israel21c.org/social-action-2/israel-at-forefront-of-tsunami-relief-campaign/

http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/humanitarianaid/palestinians/


But the term 'good samaritan' seems inappropriate as the Samaritans were wicked people. I still prefer Mensch..

http://www.oztorah.com/2007/06/being-a-mensch-ask-the-rabbi/

Being a mensch – Ask the Rabbi

Q. What does “being a Mensch” really mean?

A. When you learn the halachah, they tell you about the fifth volume of the Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law). Joseph Karo wrote four volumes, but there is a further, unwritten book which tells you how to live life as a whole, and it is called, “How to be a Mensch“. A Mensch is defined in “The Joys of Yiddish” (p.240), as “an upright, honorable, decent person (with) character, rectitude, dignity, a sense of what is right, responsible, decorous.”

Abraham Joshua Heschel explains: Man is made in the image of God. This is not mere theology but a guide for practical living. The most nearly divine thing that exists in the world is a human being. As a Mensch, therefore, I must value myself. I mustn’t get too high and mighty and imagine I am God: but neither must I denigrate myself and think I am nothing.

When I appreciate myself and make the most of my potential, then I can learn to love the other person, for they too are made in the image of God. That is what the Torah means in the Golden Rule, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the Lord” (Lev. 19:18). There are positive ways to love others such as recognising their needs and enhancing their happiness. There are negative ways too – notably, trying to feel and alleviate their pain and gently protecting them even from themselves.

The sages of Yavneh understood Menschlichkeit when they advised everyone to echo these words: “I am God’s creature; my neighbour is also His creature. My work is in the city; his is in the field. I rise early to do my work; he rises early to do his. As he cannot excel in my work, so I cannot excel in his work. Perhaps you say: I do great things, and he does small things? It matters not that a man does much or little, if only he directs his heart to Heaven” (Berachot 17a).

In Jewish life we can do with more Menschlichkeit. Jews of all backgrounds and all points of view are part of the totality of the Jewish people; the Midrash says of the four species of plants taken on Sukkot, that all are held together to denote that all are precious and all have their place in the community.

[muman613]

[Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks]

In my mind the Jewish Israelis are todays 'Good Samaritans' as the Israeli government spends a lot to help all the needy around the world. Israel helps when Hurricanes and Earthquakes strike around the world, Israel takes in the wounded Syrians and even treats the wounded arab palestinians. But of course the world will never see it like that, the antisemitism is too much for the nations.

Muman, this is not something for you to be proud of. Israel acts like a sucker for its worst mortal enemies and all it gets in return is anti-Semitic blood libels if not outright terror. No real right-wing Jew supports Israel bending over backwards for Amalek. What do you think Chaim would say?

[muman613]

Muman, this is not something for you to be proud of. Israel acts like a sucker for its worst mortal enemies and all it gets in return is anti-Semitic blood libels if not outright terror. No real right-wing Jew supports Israel bending over backwards for Amalek. What do you think Chaim would say?

I am not saying it is right or wrong. I am saying that Israel acts like the worlds 'Good Samaritan' in this respect and gets no credit for doing so. How you suspect I support this kind of Meshugah action can only be explained by your bias against me.  What do you think Chaim would say?

The samaritan was really from a very bad people and yet he acted with mercy towards one who disliked him. If you do not see the parallel I can explain more, but I think the analogy is self evident.

[Ephraim Ben Noach]

Muman, this is not something for you to be proud of. Israel acts like a sucker for its worst mortal enemies and all it gets in return is anti-Semitic blood libels if not outright terror. No real right-wing Jew supports Israel bending over backwards for Amalek. What do you think Chaim would say?

But they are still doing good and helping the nations weak and suffering, while being spat at. What do you think G-d thinks of that?