רבי יוחנן אמר לעולם מבנימן קאתי ואמאי קרי ליה יהודי על שום שכפר בע"ז שכל הכופר בע"ז נקרא יהודי כדכתיב (דניאל ג, יב) איתי גוברין יהודאין וגו'
Yohanan said: He did indeed come from Benjamin. Why then was he called “a Jew”? Because he denied idolatry. For anyone who denies idolatry is called ‘a Jew’, as it is written, “There are certain Jews etc.” (Daniel 3:13).
(יב) אִיתַ֞י גֻּבְרִ֣ין יְהוּדָאיִ֗ן דִּֽי־מַנִּ֤יתָ יָתְהוֹן֙ עַל־עֲבִידַת֙ מְדִינַ֣ת בָּבֶ֔ל שַׁדְרַ֥ךְ מֵישַׁ֖ךְ וַעֲבֵ֣ד נְג֑וֹ גֻּבְרַיָּ֣א אִלֵּ֗ךְ לָא־שָׂ֨מֽוּ עליך [עֲלָ֤ךְ] מַלְכָּא֙ טְעֵ֔ם לאלהיך [לֵֽאלָהָךְ֙] לָ֣א פָלְחִ֔ין וּלְצֶ֧לֶם דַּהֲבָ֛א דִּ֥י הֲקֵ֖ימְתָּ לָ֥א סָגְדִֽין׃ (ס)
(12) There are certain Jews whom you appointed to administer the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; those men pay no heed to you, O king; they do not serve your god or worship the statue of gold that you have set up.”
(יג) בֵּאדַ֤יִן נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר֙ בִּרְגַ֣ז וַחֲמָ֔ה אֲמַר֙ לְהַיְתָיָ֔ה לְשַׁדְרַ֥ךְ מֵישַׁ֖ךְ וַעֲבֵ֣ד נְג֑וֹ בֵּאדַ֙יִן֙ גֻּבְרַיָּ֣א אִלֵּ֔ךְ הֵיתָ֖יוּ קֳדָ֥ם מַלְכָּֽא׃
(13) Then Nebuchadnezzar, in raging fury, ordered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego to be brought; so those men were brought before the king.
(יז) הֵ֣ן אִיתַ֗י אֱלָהַ֙נָא֙ דִּֽי־אֲנַ֣חְנָא פָֽלְחִ֔ין יָכִ֖ל לְשֵׁיזָבוּתַ֑נָא מִן־אַתּ֨וּן נוּרָ֧א יָקִֽדְתָּ֛א וּמִן־יְדָ֥ךְ מַלְכָּ֖א יְשֵׁיזִֽב׃
(17) for if so it must be, our God whom we serve is able to save us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will save us from your power, O king.
(יח) וְהֵ֣ן לָ֔א יְדִ֥יעַ לֶהֱוֵא־לָ֖ךְ מַלְכָּ֑א דִּ֤י לאלהיך [לֵֽאלָהָךְ֙] לָא־איתינא [אִיתַ֣נָא] פָֽלְחִ֔ין וּלְצֶ֧לֶם דַּהֲבָ֛א דִּ֥י הֲקֵ֖ימְתָּ לָ֥א נִסְגֻּֽד׃ (ס)
(18) But even if He does not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the statue of gold that you have set up.”
עַכּוּ''ם שֶׁעָסַק בַּתּוֹרָה חַיָּב מִיתָה. לֹא יַעֲסֹק אֶלָּא בְּשֶׁבַע מִצְוֹת שֶׁלָּהֶן בִּלְבַד. וְכֵן עַכּוּ''ם שֶׁשָּׁבַת אֲפִלּוּ בְּיוֹם מִימוֹת הַחל אִם עֲשָׂאָהוּ לְעַצְמוֹ כְּמוֹ שַׁבָּת חַיָּב מִיתָה. וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר אִם עָשָׂה מוֹעֵד לְעַצְמוֹ. כְּלָלוֹ שֶׁל דָּבָר אֵין מְנִיחִין אוֹתָן לְחַדֵּשׁ דָּת וְלַעֲשׂוֹת מִצְוֹת לְעַצְמָן מִדַּעְתָּן. אֶלָּא אוֹ יִהְיֶה גֵּר צֶדֶק וִיקַבֵּל כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת. אוֹ יַעֲמֹד בְּתוֹרָתוֹ וְלֹא יוֹסִיף וְלֹא יִגְרַע. וְאִם עָסַק בַּתּוֹרָה אוֹ שָׁבַת אוֹ חִדֵּשׁ דָּבָר. מַכִּין אוֹתוֹ וְעוֹנְשִׁין אוֹתוֹ וּמוֹדִיעִין אוֹתוֹ שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב מִיתָה עַל זֶה. אֲבָל אֵינוֹ נֶהֱרָג:
A non-Jew who busied himself with Torah is liable with his life112From Heaven, because others will see him perform Mitzvohs and being engaged in Torah and will be deceived. They will think him a practicing Jew and err after him.. He must involve himself in their Seven Commandments only. Similarly, a non-Jew who “rested” as one would on Shabbos, even on a weekday, is liable with the death penalty. There is no reason to mention (that he is culpable) if he invented his own holiday. The principle here is that we do not permit them to make a new religion and create new commandments for themselves based on their own reasoning. They may only become Righteous Converts and accept upon themselves all the Commandments, or they must observe their own (Seven) Laws only, and not add or detract from them. If a non-Jew busied himself with Torah or made Shabbos or made up something new, we give him lashes and punish him and tell him that he is liable with the death penalty for doing this. But he is not executed.
בֶּן נֹחַ שֶׁרָצָה לַעֲשׂוֹת מִצְוָה מִשְּׁאָר מִצְוֹת הַתּוֹרָה כְּדֵי לְקַבֵּל שָׂכָר. אֵין מוֹנְעִין אוֹתוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹתָהּ כְּהִלְכָתָהּ. וְאִם הֵבִיא עוֹלָה מְקַבְּלִין מִמֶּנּוּ. נָתַן צְדָקָה מְקַבְּלִין מִמֶּנּוּ. וְיֵרָאֶה לִי שֶׁנּוֹתְנִין אוֹתָהּ לַעֲנִיֵּי יִשְׂרָאֵל. הוֹאִיל וְהוּא נִזּוֹן מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל וּמִצְוָה עֲלֵיהֶם לְהַחְיוֹתוֹ. אֲבָל הָעַכּוּ''ם שֶׁנָּתַן צְדָקָה מְקַבְּלִין מִמֶּנּוּ וְנוֹתְנִין אוֹתָהּ לַעֲנִיֵּי עַכּוּ''ם:
A non-Jew113One who had accepted the Seven Commandments, i.e. a Resident Convert. who wishes to perform another Torah Commandment114Other than learning Torah or observing Shabbos. (merely) in order to receive a reward is not prevented from so doing in the Halochically correct way. Thus, if he brings the Olah (burnt) offering, we accept it from him. If he gives charity, we accept it from him. It appears to me, however, that we give these monies to the Jewish poor since he (the Resident Convert) is sustained by Israel, and they have a commandment to keep them (the Jews) alive. However, if a non-Jew115One who didn’t accept the Seven Commandments. gives charity, we take it and give it to the non-Jewish poor116We take for the “sake of peace”, but give it back to them since it is a disgrace for Jews to have to receive charity from non-Jews..
יִשְׂרָאֵל מוּמָר שֶׁקִּדֵּשׁ, קִדּוּשָׁיו קִדּוּשִׁין גְּמוּרִים. וּצְרִיכָה מִמֶּנּוּ גֵּט. וַאֲפִלּוּ זַרְעוֹ שֶׁהוֹלִיד מִשֶׁהֵמִיר, אִם קִדֵּשׁ אוֹתוֹ זֶרַע יִשְׂרְאֵלִית, קִדּוּשָׁיו קִדּוּשִׁין. וְדַוְקָא שֶׁהוֹלִידוֹ מִיִּשְׂרְאֵלִית, אֲפִלּוּ מֻמֶרֶת. אֲבָל אִם הוֹלִידוֹ מִן הַגּוֹיָה, דִּינוֹ כְּגוֹי, אֲפִלּוּ הָיָה הַמּוֹלִיד יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁאֵינוֹ מוּמָר. אֲבָל יִשְׂרְאֵלִית מֻמֶרֶת שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהּ זֶרַע עִם הַגּוֹי, שֶׁקִּדֵּשׁ, קִדּוּשָׁיו קִדּוּשִׁין (מָרְדְּכַי סוֹף הַחוֹלֵץ):
If a Jewish apostate betrothed [a Jewish woman] his betrothal is completely valid, and she requires a writ of divorce. Even if he had children after he left Judaism, if one of those children were to betroth a Jewess, the betrothal is valid. This is only true if he had children with a Jewess, even if she is an apostate. If, however, he had children with a non-Jewess, the children are considered non-Jews, even if the father is a Jew who is not an apostate. Rem"a: If a Jewess apostate had a child with a non-Jew, that child's betrothal is valid.
(ג) וְלֹ֥א תִתְחַתֵּ֖ן בָּ֑ם בִּתְּךָ֙ לֹא־תִתֵּ֣ן לִבְנ֔וֹ וּבִתּ֖וֹ לֹא־תִקַּ֥ח לִבְנֶֽךָ׃
(3) You shall not intermarry with them: do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons.
(ד) כִּֽי־יָסִ֤יר אֶת־בִּנְךָ֙ מֵֽאַחֲרַ֔י וְעָבְד֖וּ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים וְחָרָ֤ה אַף־יְהוָה֙ בָּכֶ֔ם וְהִשְׁמִידְךָ֖ מַהֵֽר׃
(4) For they will turn your children away from Me to worship other gods, and the LORD’s anger will blaze forth against you and He will promptly wipe you out.
לֹֽא־תְתַעֵ֣ב אֲדֹמִ֔י כִּ֥י אָחִ֖יךָ ה֑וּא (ס) לֹא־תְתַעֵ֣ב מִצְרִ֔י כִּי־גֵ֖ר הָיִ֥יתָ בְאַרְצֽוֹ׃
You shall not [entirely] abominate an Edomi [even though he came out with a sword against you (Numbers 20:18-20)], for he is your brother. You shall not [entirely] abominate an Egyptian, [even though they cast your males into the Nile], for you were a stranger in his land [and they were your hosts in your extremity].
בָּנִ֛ים אֲשֶׁר־יִוָּלְד֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם דּ֣וֹר שְׁלִישִׁ֑י יָבֹ֥א לָהֶ֖ם בִּקְהַ֥ל יְהוָֽה׃ (ס)
Children which will be born to them, the third generation, shall come for them into the congregation of the L-rd, [and the other nations are permitted immediately — whence it is seen that one who causes a Jew to sin (4) is worse than one who kills him, the latter killing him only in this world, but the former removing him from both worlds.]
ר' שילא נגדיה לההוא גברא דבעל מצרית אזל אכל ביה קורצי בי מלכא אמר איכא חד גברא ביהודאי דקא דיין דינא בלא הרמנא דמלכא שדר עליה פריסתקא כי אתא אמרי ליה מה טעמא נגדתיה להאי אמר להו דבא על חמרתא אמרי ליה אית לך סהדי אמר להו אין אתא אליהו אדמי ליה כאיניש ואסהיד אמרי ליה אי הכי בר קטלא הוא אמר להו אנן מיומא דגלינן מארעין לית לן רשותא למקטל אתון מאי דבעיתון עבידו ביה
R. Shela flogged a certain man who had had intercourse with a gentile woman ; so he went and laid a charge against him before the king, saying, "There is a certain Jew who judges without the king's consent." The king sent an official for him [to appear]. When R. Shela came he was asked, "For what reason didst thou flog this person?" He replied, "Because he had intercourse with a she-ass." They said to him, "Hast thou witnesses?" He answered, "Yes." Elijah came in human guise and gave evidence. They said to him, "In that case, his punishment is death." He said to them, "From the day we were exiled from our land, we have no power to inflict the death-sentence ; but you do with him as you please."
והגר זה גר תושב אתה אומר זה גר תושב או אינו אלא גר צדק כשהוא אומר וגרך אשר בשעריך הרי גר צדק אמור הא מה אני מקיים והגר זה גר תושב
The verse continues: “And the stranger [ger]” (Exodus 23:12). This is referring to a gentile who observes certain mitzvot [ger toshav]. Do you say that this is a ger toshav, or perhaps it is only a righteous convert [ger tzedek], who is a Jew in every sense? When it says elsewhere: “And your stranger [ger] that is within your gates” (Deuteronomy 5:13), a righteous convert is already mentioned. How, then, do I uphold the verse “And the stranger [ger]”? It must be that this is a ger toshav.
החובל בעבד כנעני של אחרים חייב וכו': מאי טעמא דרבי יהודה אמר קרא (דברים כה, יא) כי ינצו אנשים יחדיו איש ואחיו במי שיש לו אחוה יצא עבד שאין לו אחוה ורבנן אחיו הוא במצות
§ The mishna teaches: One who injures a Canaanite slave belonging to others is liable for all of the five types of indemnity. Rabbi Yehuda says: Canaanite slaves do not have humiliation, so one who injures a slave pays only the other four types of indemnity. What is the reasoning of Rabbi Yehuda? The Gemara explains: The verse states with regard to the indemnity of humiliation: “When men strive together, a man and his brother” (Deuteronomy 25:11). The formulation “and his brother” teaches that the payment of compensation for humiliation is applicable with regard to someone who has a relationship of brotherhood with a Jew. This is excluding a Canaanite slave, who does not have a relationship of brotherhood with Jews. And the Sages, who hold that a Canaanite slave is included in the halakhot of compensation for humiliation, maintain that he is the Jews’ brother with regard to the observance of mitzvot, as a Canaanite slave is obligated to observe most mitzvot.
עברית
Ari Sytner, Orthodox, Author of “The Kidney Donor’s Journey”: Judaism is a purpose. We exist as a means to something greater than ourselves. The mandate that the Almighty has given us, is to be a “light unto the nations,” which empowers us to spread Godliness wherever we go. The need for Tikkun Olam, repairing a broken world, is perhaps more evident today than ever before. The way in which we carry out this purpose is not merely in rhetoric, but by walking the walk and proudly demonstrating to our children, communities, and the world around us, a fidelity to the traditions of our ancestors. We achieve our purpose in the world, not by knocking on doors and trying to convince others to adopt our way of life, but by studying, practicing, and humbly modeling the values of Torah. When we look around us and see those demonstrating incredible acts of philanthropy and kindness, it becomes a symbol of what Jews are really about — and by extension, what God is about.
Read more: https://forward.com/opinion/spirituality/389736/we-asked-23-rabbis-what-are-jews-exactly/
(ט) ישראל מומר שקידש קדושיו קדושין גמורים וצריכה ממנו גט ואפילו זרעו שהוליד משהמיר אם קידש אותו זרע ישראלית קדושיו קדושין ודוקא שהולידו מישראלית אפילו מומרת אבל אם הולידו מן הכותית דינו ככותי אפילו היה המוליד ישראל שאינו מומר אבל ישראלית מומרת שיש לה זרע עם הכותי שקידש קדושיו קדושין (מרדכי סוף החולץ):
(9) If a Jewish apostate betrothed [a Jewish woman] his betrothal is completely valid, and she requires a writ of divorce. Even if he had children after he left Judaism, if one of those children were to betroth a Jewess, the betrothal is valid. This is only true if he had children with a Jewess, even if she is an apostate. If, however, he had children with a non-Jewess, the children are considered non-Jews, even if the father is a Jew who is not an apostate. Rem"a: If a Jewess apostate had a child with a non-Jew, that child's betrothal is valid.