Musa Replies
There are two models of religious tolerance. One approach tries to bring different religions closer to each other, to compromise on some of the issues that keep them apart and articulate a belief system that all can embrace. A second model tries to get different religious groups to accept and respect each other despite the differences that keep them apart. Traditiona Judaism embraces the second approach.
Religious belief cannot be compromised or negotiated. When people believe that their practices and ideologies were authored by G-d Himself, they are not authorized to change them. Tolerance means respecting people when they are different, not demanding that they all act the same.
Extending that tolerance to other religions is not difficult for Jews. Jewish law is mostly non-coercive in regard to anyone outside of Judaism. We simply do not believe that it is the Jewish people’s role – even if we had the power – to impose Jewish law (and this includes even the seven basic commandments we believe are binding upon non-Jews) upon the rest of the world. The only exception would be in a Jewish state run according to Jewish law, the last occurrence of which was in Biblical times. In such a state, the Jewish court would see to the establishment of special courts run for the administration of these seven basic laws – but these courts would be run by non-Jews themselves! Outside of that, there is no Jewish value in “bringing around” the rest of the world. Living alongside other religious groups has always been easy for Jews, so long as they are not forced to compromise their own religious practice.
It is no surprise, therefore, that all the major secular Jewish defense agencies, like the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Congress, the American Jewish Committee, and the Simon Wiesenthal Center, have full-time offices and personnel devoted to interfaith affairs. These organizations take the lead in promoting opportunities for dialogue and understanding between Jews and members of other faiths.
In very recent times, new reasons for dialogue has emerged that goes beyond tolerance and demands mutual cooperation. Religious people sense that the real battle is not with each other, but with the cultural forces of godlessness. Some current cultural values, while not preaching godlessness, leave very little room for G-d and a life of devotion to His word.
ON the other hand, in our internet world, many reasonable people have concluded that religion is more of a curse than a blessing. Whenever a religious extremist blows up people in G-d’s Name, many people conclude that religion is the root of all that is wrong with the world. All religions become suspect of promoting backwardness and bigotry. G-d’s Image itself is damaged. It can only be repaired by religious people of all kinds coming together and showing the world the difference between good religion and bad religion, by proving that religion should and can be the most important force in accomplishing good for mankind.
Additionally, we are all more conscious of how much pain and suffering exists. While every human potentially has a role in improving the world, there is a huge source of positive energy available in the community of those who believe that G-d Himself demands this of us. Faith communities have the ability to address global problems that secular ones often cannot. We should recognize that by respecting each other despite our differences, we could be working together on making better lives for tens of millions of people.
Musa replies:
The single most important question that Jewish tradition asks about a non-Jewish people or faith is whether it believes in the True One G-d. Jewish tradition answers that question affirmatively and unequivocally in regard to Islam. Muslims have always been seen as possessing an undiluted monotheism. (Jewish authorities were split almost 50-50 regarding Christianity.)
Judaism believes that G-d gave the world a universal code of conduct that we call the Noahide Laws. A non-Jew who abides by these laws and sees them as G-d given rather than intuitive is considered a righteous person. (Jews are not considered righteous unless they abide by all the additional requirements put upon them.) All of the seven are incorporated within Islam. We do differ, of course, regarding the holiest book to Muslims, with Jews (like Christians) not accepting the Qur’an as G-d given and binding.
Like Muslims and Christians, Jews have a particular vision about an age of perfection and service of G-d that will come at the end of days. Many faiths believe that only their members will participate in such an epoch, with all others either dying or converting. Jews do not believe that all people will become Jewish in the messianic age. They do believe that all non-Jews will come to understand more fully Who G-d is, and how humans should serve him. Interestingly, the Zohar, the chief book of the Jewish mystical tradition, predicts that Muslims will achieve this goal before Christians will! (Jews see both Muslims and Christians as related in blood: Muslims (Arabs, really) through Abraham’s son Ishmael, and Christians through Isaac’s son Esau.)
How do we regard Muslims? Jewish law is clear about how we are to treat all non-Jews, even if they do not observe the Noahide laws as Muslims do. We are forbidden to murder, steal from, or deceive them. We do not compel non-Jews to abide by even the basic seven Noahide laws, except in a religious Jewish state, which we have not had for two thousand years. We teach our children that all humans are created in the Divine Image, and therefore must be cherished and respected. We stand ready to work shoulder-to-shoulder to build a better world.
There is a special historical relationship with the Muslim world, one with ups and downs. In many areas, Jews were treated as dhimmi, as second class citizens in the Muslim world. On the other hand, that treatment was often much better than the treatment we received at the hands of others. Until the establishment of Israel in 1948, and excepting times of religious fanaticism, Jews lived alongside their Muslim neighbors peacefully and respectfully. Through Abraham we feel a bond of to Arabs and Muslims. It therefore hurts – more so than in other cases - to encounter much hatred and animosity to Jews in the Muslim world today. We hope that this website can make some small contribution to removing stereoytypes building new ties and relationships.
