In the previous column, I quoted from the words of Rabbi Kook from “Le’Nevuchei Ha’Dor” [“For the Perplexed of the Generation”] and other books, about the various idolatrous religions, where it says that in all of them there is a divine spark, by virtue of which they educate towards certain moral foundations, each religion according to its level.
He further wrote that the most excellent among the sages of other religions even merited ‘ruach ha’kodesh’ (divine inspiration), through which they deepened their faith and educated their people.
We were commanded to distance ourselves from idolatry and to condemn it, so that Jews would not be drawn after it, and could serve as a moral and faith compass for all peoples. However, for the rest of the nations, it is right for every person to continue in the faith of their fathers, because with the loss of faith, moral corruption increases; but if they continue to hold to their religion, they can gradually interpret it in a deeper and more abstract way, remove the dross of the crude material elements within it, and elevate souls to higher faith and morality.
I will continue to explain some additional foundations in this important topic.
Between Idolatrous Religions, and Christianity and Islam
Rabbi Kook wrote that Christianity and Islam are a level above the idolatrous religions. They were influenced by the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) and Israel, and they are closer to ohr Hashem (the light of God). It is also likely that there were leaders and scholars of Christianity and Islam who merited heavenly assistance, by virtue of their efforts to elevate people, tribes and nations, as appropriate for them. He further added that it is possible that from heaven, they were assisted in performing tangible miracles, in order to strengthen their words in the eyes of their listeners, so that they would progress through this, in faith and morality (“Le’Nevuchei Ha’Dor” chapters 8; 46).
In addition, they should be seen as a further stage of progress in the process of purifying faith and morality, from crude idolatry, towards pure faith in God (Kuzari 4:23; Maimonides, Laws of Kings 11:4; Nachmanides, in the sermon “Torah Temima”).
Their Major Deficiency
However, Rabbi Kook wrote (“Le’Nevuchei Ha’Dor” 8) that there is a great deficiency in Christianity and Islam, in that they do not recognize the central role of Israel in revealing God’s word and blessing to the world, and instead, claim to replace them – while7 harming Jews, and Judaism. From this stems another deficiency, in that these religions lack guidance for constant improvement, which could elevate humanity without limit. Consequently, they cannot create a center around which all human beings can unite. Therefore, there is a necessity that over time, Christians and Muslims cleanse themselves of hatred of Israel, and become able to draw, from the source of Israel’s faith, illumination and guidance, according to what is appropriate and suitable for them for constant elevation and Tikkun Olam (repair of the world).
Respect for Religions
However, even now, when many Christians and Muslims hate Israel, and have not yet purified their faith from all traces of idolatry, along with criticism of the evil deeds that stem from this, Rabbi Kook wrote that it is proper to respect the foundations of faith and morality in their religion, through which they succeeded in elevating many people to have better qualities and to achieve love and fear of God (“Le’Nevuchei Ha’Dor” chapters 8, 14:1).
Rabbi Kook further wrote that one should not denigrate other religions, including the more idolatrous ones. Such denigration is also against the very essence of faith and religion, and therefore, those who throw off the yoke will take the arguments and words of disparagement said about other religions and hurl them at Judaism, as happened in practice. Therefore, in order to save their youth, “we need to deepen our understanding of the value of other beliefs according to the Torah,” and show the greater and more comprehensive light that exists in the faith of Israel (ibid, and also in Igrot HaRa’ayah 194, vol. 1 p. 250).
Between Christianity and Islam
It should be noted that Rabbi Kook consistently refers to Christianity and Islam equally. True, Islam is purer of idolatry, but apparently, this advantage is not decisive compared to the aspects in which Christianity is preferable to Islam (similarly, in Igrot HaRa’ayah 112; “LeNevuchei Ha’Dor” 8; 14:1).
Is it Proper for Christians and Muslims to Adhere to their Religion
In light of this, Rabbi Kook wrote that members of the Christian and Muslim religions are obliged to continue in their religion. And in his words: “The religions founded on the basis of the Torah and the Prophets, certainly have an honored value, for those who hold to them are close to the light of God, and knowledge of His glory” (“LeNevuchei Ha’Dor” 14:1).
And after mentioning their deficiencies, he continued and wrote that they have “the great moral principles they took from the light of the Torah, which also strengthened in them, with greater vigor, the pure human feeling”. And by way of this, arose from them “individuals with a pure spirit, from whose gathering they will establish for themselves religious customs, which fulfill their destiny, to elevate the soul to good qualities, to love of God, and fear of Him. Therefore, they are certainly obligated to follow the ways of their legislators, who are held in their nation as holy men, according to their value and nature”. Therefore “it is proper for every person perfect in knowledge to understand, that those who engage in them, according to the tradition in their hands, are engaging in the service of God, according to their level” (ibid 8).
Is it Proper or Permissible for a Descendant of Noah to Convert?
Rabbi Kook wrote (“Le’Nevuchei Ha’Dor” 8) that it is not proper for a person to convert from their religion, including, members of idolatrous religions. Because every religion also expresses the social and national character through which it was formed, and one who leaves it, betrays their family, their people, and their good values. And if the religion to which he is converting is inferior in terms of faith and morality to his previous religion, he is “going backwards, and darkening the light of his soul, apart from completely distorting the paths of his morality, by betraying his nation which nurtured him and raised him, and he deserves to be called a vile person, and “evil will not go unpunished” (“Le’Nevuchei Ha’Dor” 8).
Is it Proper for a Member of an Idolatrous Religion to Convert to Christianity or Islam
Rabbi Kook continued and wrote that if a person converts their religion from an idolatrous religion to Christianity or Islam, his sin must be examined, because although he harms his people for the time being, it is possible that benefit will grow from this for humanity and his people, since he is moving to a religion that is closer to the perfection of man, “because the recognition of the unity of God (which exists in Christianity and Islam) will, in any case, bring blessing to the whole world”.
However, “the matter is not properly clarified”, because both Christianity and Islam ” cannot bring the success of man to its objective “, because they cannot concentrate around them all the shades and virtues that exist in all religions and peoples, and then it may be preferable that he not betray his religion, but elevate himself within it, to higher levels of faith and morality. For we have learned that from every religion, one can remove the dross – until it remains clean of idolatry and bad qualities.
An example can be brought from the Hindu religion. Athough has idolatry, since it has a central stream that emphasizes the one source and educates for deep morality, leaving it for Christianity or Islam may be considered a descent. This happened to many of those who converted to Islam, who harmed themselves and their people more than they benefited from the change.
Avodah Zarah Be-Shituf (Idolatry in Partnership)
It is worth noting that this position fits well with the opinion of most poskim (halakhic decisors), that B’nei Noach (the descendants of Noah) are not prohibited from worshipping idols be-shituf (the worship of God in a manner which Judaism does not deem to be purely monotheistic). That is, as long as they believe in God who is the God of gods, even if they associate belief in another idol, although this is unsuitable, they do not transgress the prohibition of idolatry.
And as Rabbi Kook wrote: “And the descendants of Noah are not warned about shituf, which is prevented from their conceptual grasp and psychological strength” (Shmoneh Kevatzim 8:44); “Shituf is for them, for now, the objective of ascent” (Orot Yisrael ve’Techiyato 5). Rabbi Charlap wrote similarly (Mei Marom 10:35; 12:32, 2). And so is the opinion of the Chabad Rebbes, Rabbi Menachem Mendel the ‘Tzemach Tzedek’ (‘Derech Mitzvotecha’ ‘Mitzvat Achdut Hashem’, and he wrote that this is the opinion of Maimonides in the Laws of Idolatry 1:1-2), and the last Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, as well (Likutei Sichot vol. 20 p. 16 note 44).
The Problem and Solution in Conversion to Judaism
Since in every religious conversion there is betrayal of the good tradition a person received from their family and people, Rabbi Kook wrote (“Le’Nevuchei Ha’Dor” 8) that even conversion to Judaism is complex. This is why our Sages said “Converts are as difficult for Israel as a scab” (Yevamot 47b).
However, since the faith of Israel brings blessing to all peoples, and the convert desires to join Israel in order to add strength to Israel for the benefit of all humanity, there is no betrayal in this. Moreover, over time, he or his descendants, by virtue of their origins, will be able to better understand the soul of the nation from which they came, and from the source of Israel they will be able to influence them with knowledge, morality and blessing, as appropriate for them (“Le’Nevuchei Ha’Dor” 52).
Foreign Worker’s andBishulei Goyim
Q: We were forced to take a foreign worker for my mother, while our father lives in the house and is healthy. Indeed, the worker is the one who takes care of household matters, and also prepares food for herself, and for mother. Is it also permissible for our father, and us, to eat from the foods that the worker cooks? If it is forbidden, are the utensils she cooked in kosher for us, or do they need to be kashered by boiling?
The Law Regarding the Foods
When it is clear that the foods are kosher, in order for there not to be a prohibition bishulei goyim (food cooked by non-Jews), care must be taken that a Jew take part in their cooking. For example, if your father places the pot on the fire, or lights the fire under the pot, the dish will be kosher according to all halakhic opinions. (However, lighting the fire before placing the pot, according to the custom of Sephardim is not effective, and according to the custom of Ashkenazim, is effective (Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 113:7; Peninei Halakha: Kashrut 28:8)).
If the cook prepared the foods by herself, be-sha’at dachak (in a pressing situation), your mother, who is a nursing patient, is permitted to eat from her cooking (Peninei Halakha: Kashrut 28:10).
The Law Regarding the Utensils
If the worker cooked the foods by herself, and therefore the foods cooked in the utensil are not kosher, the utensils are kosher. However, the poskim disagreed whether utensils in which food cooked by non-Jews was cooked, need to be kashered. Some say they do not need to be kashered, because one does not come to kiruv da’at (cordial connections) from the taste absorbed in the utensils (Rosh and Ra’ah). And some say they need to be kashered since, in practice, it is a matter of bishulei goyim (Rashba and Ran), and so ruled the majority of the Achronim (later halakhic authorities) (Peninei Halakha: Kashrut 28:11). However, in such a case, the opinions of individual poskim who hold that there is no prohibition of bishulei goyim by a hired worker who cooks in a Jewish home, may be taken into consideration (Peninei Halakha: Kashrut 28:10), and although we do not rule like them, in our case, it is already a sefake sefaka d’rabanan (double halakhic doubt in a rabbinical law), and therefore, one should be lenient.
This article appears in the ‘Besheva’ newspaper and was translated from Hebrew.