The King’s Torah – kill the goyem
Wall separating Israel from her enemy
I recently ran across an article on a Jewish news publication about something called The King’s Torah. It’s a Jewish commentary written by Rabbis Yitzhak Shapira and Yosef Elitzur who are located in the settlement of Yitzhar in the West Bank. It is flying off the shelves in Israel. What makes this commentary so shocking is it calls for the murder of the “goyem” (a derogatory term for gentiles), including children. Unbelievably it states that gentiles are “uncompassionate by nature” and attacks on them ‘curb their evil inclination,’ while babies and children of Israel’s enemies may be killed since it is clear that they will grow to harm us.”
This book is not making a distinction between their enemies and the rest of the world’s population who are not out to harm them. In fact, this commentary states “it is permissible to kill the Righteous among non-Jews even if they are not responsible for the threatening situation.” (emphasis added). The justification is “if we kill a Gentile who has sinned or has violated one of the seven commandments – because we care about the commandments – there is nothing wrong with the murder.”
Let me first state that I understand the need to finally stand up and protect themselves against all these attacks they endure. A nation or a people can only endure so much before they finally break. Really, I get that. In fact, I have always felt that Israel has not done enough to protect herself and her citizens against her enemies. Were Israel to take the position that these two Rabbis are advocating, they become no better than their enemies. To take the position that children should be murdered just because they will grow up and possibly harm them is no better than the position their enemies take. To murder gentiles who do not pose a threat to them but because they have sinned and then declare that there is nothing wrong with that makes them no better than their enemies. Yet, a large population of Jews are sinning under Jewish law because they do not follow Torah. They are exempt from this punishment. The justification for the murder of gentiles who sin is “because we care about the commandments” but obviously that care of the commandments only applies to gentiles but their fellow Jews who do not keep Torah somehow lessens the “sin” as they are exempt from punishment. Or perhaps it is because the “goyem” “are uncompassionate by nature’ and murdering us is the only way to curb our ‘evil inclination.’
Shocking! And this commentary is flying off the shelves in Israel.
On the bright side, and yes there is a bright side, MOST Jews around the world are shocked and want nothing to do with this commentary. They do not support it and have even spoken vehemently against this commentary and against these two radical, crazy Rabbis.
I guess if someone tries hard enough, they will always be able to find a way to justify their evil. These two Rabbis were very creative. Goyem need to be eliminated because we violate the seven commandments and after all, our very nature is uncompassionate. We don’t need to be their enemy and cause them harm to be killed. These two realize that murder is prohibited by God. So they came up with a very clever way to justify the elimination of the gentiles. It turns out our very nature as goyem is reason enough to have us eliminated. OY VEY!
Israel has always acted with integrity and fought her enemies with a high moral standard. Don’t stop now.
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how very wrong and sad.
Yes — oh yeah, it’s really sad.
Blog Lady T.,
In popular culture the garbage always floats to the top. Being provacative also helps.
I think there have always been so called hard line religious in Israel, having heard or read things all the way back to the 70s. While I find it a bit scattershot because, after all, they should know very well who their enemies are and who they are not.
On the other hand, they live with quite a lot of uncertainty in that area, what with your Jimmy Carters of the world.
I’m not defending this or making excuses. Actually, I think it’s an aberration. The real danger is how Israel’s enemies and the general enemies of belief in God may use this to say “See, no difference between Islam and the Jews.” Of course, as a Christian active in politics, I’ve heard this comparison with Islam and Christians. So, maybe the company would be nice.
In Christ,
Kent
Oh, I really do understand what they have to live with. It is enough to drive anyone over the edge. And I understand what they are doing — honest. It is just that I think they went way overboard on this one. I mean, calling all gentiles as without compassion just because of our non-Jewish status is a bit much. I found it offensive but then, I don’t have to live under the conditions that they do.
Tishrei,
Based on the “news” going around, people should have a general idea what their book is about and resolve not to buy it….. Buying it only supports the authors monetarily and psychologically…..
It seems like every culture has their extremists and it is sad that they totally lack an understanding of God’s word….. I can’t figure out how they can gain the status of a rabbi when they have so little understanding.
Margaret
In their defense (and it’s hard to defend this stuff), I think they are just fed up with what is going on in their neck of the woods. People can only take so much. Unfortunately, they went way overboard and they look really, really bad to the rest of the world with that nonsense that they wrote.
Actually, I wouldn’t mind reading this book, just to see what it has to say. That doesn’t mean I condone its message. I’m interesting in reading Mein Kampf for history’s sake
What is wrong with all you people? Why kill who for what? This makes no sense to me…I had a very good friend that was Israeli…never in the world did he act any way of what I have heard people describe the Israelis. I have heard people say how they steal…cheat…lie…and are out to kill and take over everything…is this a certain group of Israelis that do this? The David I knew came from a rather well off family…yet he still worked two jobs to make his own way…roofing in the day and being the night calls man for the apartment complex we lived at. He is nothing the way that everyone has made these people sound…he and his father had come up with an ingenious software program that David was going to market…these people use their heads…they work hard at what they come up with to see it through…so I find it difficult that they think the way that people make them sound. I don’t know many Israeli people that I know of…but then again I never ask…but my friend was a very good person and had spoke up for me when no one else would…at least he knew what true friendship was. Drop the propaganda now…
What are you talking about?
Resonant, What are you talking about?
I’m not following you at all. What propaganda?
It is good that some are making a destinction between the many Jewish obedient to teaching of Torah (living in peace), and secular Zionist (core) that is becoming known for their Apartheid policies and goals. If unfamiliar with peace loving Jewish, look into the brave youth in the State of Israel now required to serve in the military that call themselves “Breaking The Silence”, refusing any further Zionist-Gov order’s calling for actions against Palestinians that are in complete opposituion to teaching of God and Torah. These are the Jewish or Chosen we Gentile learned about in Sunday School.
I understand from this article that you didn’t read the commentary, but accepted as true a news story about it. I also haven’t read it and I agree if it says what you said the article said about it, it is indeed shocking… however, in similar cases in the past the Israel media has fabricated stories about Rabbi’s whose politics they oppose. Taking small phrases from books way out of context and re-interpreting them to signify a “Jewish” Jihad philosophy. I’d be careful and double-check your facts. I’ll also see if I can find a copy of the original to read.
David,
I admit I did not read the whole commentary. However, I took this information directly from a Jewish source (The Jewish Daily).
You’re probably in the same boat as me in that you state that I am re-interpreting them. Since you have not read the commentary, you are unable to determine if The Jewish Daily has misinterpreted.
My preference is that you are correct and that The Jewish Daily is incorrect in their reporting.
“if someone tries hard enough, they will always be able to find a way to justify their evil”,
That’s true. In extrimism (that’s not the same as very orthodox, that’s just fine) radicals abuse religion so that they turn religious values in a way that it serves their evil inclination. Often oppite of what was mentioned, if you take words in Jewish holy books just for what they are in simple meaning. I call myself a religious, observant Jew (am not claiming being a perfect human being). The commandments are created to teach people how to live together not how to kill and die. I haven’t read the book, but if this is written, it’s nonsense. It’s rather turning explaining words the way it suits personal views or interests. This is strictly forbidden in Judaism. It sounds like typically Muslim propaganda. I’m happy, Judaism is not similar to what Islam predicts. If that was so I and many others like me would distance ourself instead of obeying Torah. Besides if the writers were write, Jewish long history should be one of killing and bloodshed, were ever we lived and are still living.
I don’t know any fellow Jews going around killing non-Jews. Jews are usually not war lovers. In Torah a few wars are mentionoed that were commanded by G’d to against certain kings living in those times in the land that was called Kena’an. The names of those nations are not existing today. The reason is that they were livinv very sinfull lifes. Very bad people, all of them not just a handful of people. If He would not have commanded the Jews, He would have destroyed those nations Himself maybe using nature disasters. Why the Jews needed to be involved, takes to much to explain here, I think I can comeup with one, but I leave it up to more knoledgebale people to answer that. We Jews should study our Holy Boods and commentaries of the greatest rabbis and not just man made literature , as is stated literally in Torah, do all the mitsvot, don’t skip anything or add.
Hi Miss Jerusalem,
I realize that this is not the views of most Jewish folks. I also realize that living in the land surrounded by folks who are bent on murder, anger and frustration become part of the lives of Jewish folks.
It’s one thing to defend oneself but another to kill just become some is not one of your own. These two Rabbis are suggesting that they do the exact same evil perpetrated on the Jewish folks.
Thank you for your comments. While I already knew it, I’m glad that most do not hold to those views.
Your comment that the Jewish living in the State of Israel live surrounded by people wanting to kill them is not completely accurate. no more than Iran President wants to destroy Israel. It also being true that not all Jewish left during the scattering began in 70AD, and others in following centuries (to 1900′s) returned to settle in Palestine as their ‘Homeland’. Nor that these at one time numbering about 300,000 lived in peace with their Arab and later Muslim neighbor’s.
If my post is accepted I have researched an article on this issue, otherwise do some research into Zionism beginning 1897 (Zionist Congress) and their plans of taking over not only Palestine, but similar to Solomon’s kingdom, extended into other Arab lands.
A couple of points.
1. In it’s most basic the Torah teaches that if you know a person is going to kill you or loved one, etc then you can kill them first to prevent harm to yourself or others. This is not not about exterminating anyone, but the ability to protect oneself and their loved ones.
Most Christians have not nor ever will be surrounded by people who have committed their lives and the lives of their children to the sole purpose of your eradication. I simply point out find out the facts before passing judgments on a situation of which you have NO experience whatsoever.
2. Goy is not derogatory, it means “people” Goyim = people of the nations. Essentially anyone not Jewish.
I came across this blog while searching that book.
There are several things I want to point out. First of all the word “goyem” is not a derogatory word, it’s just the Hebrew word for someone who is not Jewish.
I believe it needs to be emphasized that almost NO Jews in the world believe this. These two rabbis are crazy, and their preachings are against Torah. Most Settlers wouldn’t even buy into their garbage.
This type of mentality goes back very far. In Yiddish, the words for a non-Jewish boy/girl are “shegitz” and “shikza.” These words also denote someone who is idiotic, and violent. It comes from the way Jews were treated in Eastern Europe by their non-Jewish counterparts. This mentality still exists in the psyche of the Ashkenazi world. These Rabbis were merely exploiting this fear in writing their book.
Hi,
I agree with you that basically the word “goyem” means nation (or not Jewish). Throughout time, it has become a word that is used in a derogatory manner. I found that out through Jewish sources as well as Jewish friends.
That being said, that really wasn’t the exception that I was taking but to the commentary that was written. It’s one thing to want to defend oneself against enemies but a full sweep killing against non-Jews makes them as bad as their enemies.
Thanks for your comments.
If god’s commandments are absolute then these Rabbi’s are breaking god’s laws and have shown their faith to be untrue to god’s will.
According to the English translation of commandment 6, it is thou shalt not murder.
If it is incitement to murder it comes under 9, You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor in that murder is not a punishment proscribed by god.
Good Grief, if these men were Germans and Catholic we would be calling them Nazis.
I’m sure that after 2000 years of being kicked around the Earth by the Jew hater’s this man’s position might find some value. Yes, the offal does float to the top but in that adage one must take a very good look at the lies being passed off by the mainstream media and political establishments themselves. Although I’ve not read this man’s work I am more then fairly certain that Islam as a theo-political construct, advocates – no demands – similar ends although the reasoning might well be different. I find it offensive that mass murderers and architects of terror – representing an anti-Jew non-entity – can be twisted into a “peace partner”. Yes this man’s book is probably very offensive – and rightly so – but one must not dismiss what this fellow – in fact all Israelis – and non Muslims – must consider: Jihad. It is obligatory onto the believer just as the belief in monotheism and Mohammad is the Prophet. Even with this book’s publication Jews represent such a low statistic in every area of crime when directly compared to others.
I cannot judge this Rabbi or his work because I’ve not studied it – however its outcome does not reflect the past 3000 years of Jewish history but I have studied other ideologies: Communism/Socialism, Nazism and Islam to which their literary rhetoric was matched by historical deed resulting in millions dead.
Best
SRA
As a Christian I suppose taking issue with your statements about the Islamic Qur’an may appear strange, however it needs be pointed out that the Qur’an is hardly a Theo-political construct. Similar statements began my validating such charges and worse with what is actually found in the Qur’an, essentially all such charges in the past I found without substance or having (full context) validity.
I would suggest that some to better understand the Zionist position, get a copy of the Bagdad-Talmud translated into English in 1935, along with dictionary and other helps, these will give the researcher some interesting findings. If intersted, remember this is not the same as the Torah, and some take this out of context also.
I have the book and have read it in is entirety, its Hebrew title is תורת המלך – דיני נפשות בין ישראל לעמים (The King’s Torah – Capital Cases Between Israel and the Nations).
Unfortunately, most of the apologetic commentaries in this blog are biased based on their ignorance of Jewish law and how it relates to non-Jews; an issue that is NOT predicated to the Jewish-Christian relations for the past 2000 years or Jewish-Muslim relations for the past 1400 years.
Jewish law in its earliest stages (about 100 B.C.)had already manifested an animosity and even hatred towards non Jews in general; it didn’t need Christianity of Islam to appear in the world-scene and interact with Jews in order for Jews to “retaliate” for whatever has happened between them, as it has been assumed by some people here, and the best way to prove it is by analizing the earliest rabbinic works that relate to non-Jews, such as the Mishnah, Tosefta, and various midrashic works.
Yitzhak Shapira and Yosef Elitzur, the authors of the book are no strangers to the Israeli judicial system, especially Shapira, who has been arrested for terrorist acts against Arabs in the West Bank.
Basically, the book is an appraisal of a 12th-century rabbi’s (named Moses Maimonides) work called “Mishneh Torah”; in particular the laws that are supposed to rule the behavior of the “Noahides” (rabbinic name given to non-Jews who are supposed to abide by 7 laws).
In conclusion, Torat HaMelech is a radical piece of literature whose views more likely wouldn’t be applied by most Israelis (at least at this time), but has the potentiality of setting a dangerous precedent if the Palestinian-Israeli conflict continues to escalate as we are continually witnessing in the news.
Although little known, it is important to learn that devout Jewish from the initial beginning of Zionism until this very day have rejected both Zionist program and policy of re-establishing a (political and secular) State of Israel in Palestine. This is completely in contrast to both the Old and New Testament, and why for almost 2000-years (70AD-Today) the scattered Jewish made no attempt to re-establish Israel in Palestine… both Old and New Testament clearly teaching this will only be accomplished by the Messiah, and this in the Last Days when both Israel and Judah return to the creator.
An interesting aside, scripture of the command for distributing the Promised Land among the 12-tribes, also mentions ‘aliens with children’ among the tribes also to be given land as inheritance… these very likely include some Palestinian (descendants) for the past 60-80 years being driven from their land.
You need to point out that this guy was arrested by the Israeli authorities for incitement. And one of his buddies is now about to get arrested for not answering a summons. This is hard in a country that values freedom of speech, i.e. to arrest little old men for talking nutty. I wish that the Arab countries would take active steps in opposing incitement, instead of fomenting it.
Thanks for the additional information. I was not following this story after I posted it almost a year ago.
And the Seventh Commandment: “All animals are equal.”
:^) It’s the Ten Commandments, bronini, not the “Seven,” unless you’re talking about the Orwell classic.
These are lies. Please quote which page and from where exactly? All of the “controversial” positions discussed is if and when in a situation where a Jewish soldier is faced with the possibility of either killing his enemies or endangering himself or the lives of his comrades what should he do? The conclusions include shooting/blowing up the other side and who gets killed gets killed.
Heck this is even by international laws as well, and we see this with all nations fighting wars.
Sam,
I did not read it myself, however, the information I got was from a Jewish source. The authors of the King’s Torah belogn to a fringe group in Israel. Fortunately most Jews both in Israel and outside of Israel do not hold to the views outlined in the King’s Torah. For instance:
Also here’s a quote from the King’s Torah that I took from an Israeli newspaper:
Since I did not read the King’s Torah, my post was only referencing what Jewish folks stated about what was contained. Many of these Jews have spoken out AGAINST what was written.
If these are lies, then you should take it up with the Jewish sources that are spreading these “lies.” I only posted what I read from these Jewish sources.