NEGATIVITY & ISLAM
Q. The BBC recently (incorrectly and falsely) blamed some Orthodox Jewish youth harrassed on a bus in London for insulting Muslims. Does Judaism have a negative attitude towards Islam?
A. The history of inter-religious relations has its highly unpleasant chapters, for reasons that are rather obvious.
There have been times of immense hostility, especially in regard to Christian and Islamic attitudes towards Jews. The pain and persecution which Jews have suffered at the hands of its daughter faiths has generally been excruciating.
In response, Judaism has said, "If you hurt us, how can we not feel the pain?" – a question which echoes Shakespeare in "The Merchant of Venice".
But Judaism has never tried to eradicate Christianity or Islam and has followed the Maimonidean doctrine that the other faiths are in error but must be given respect. Maimonides says, "Whoever accepts the seven Noahide commandments and is careful to observe them, is one of the pious of the nations and has a place in the World to Come".
Maimonides drew a distinction between Christianity and Islam. Whilst seeing idolatrous elements in Christianity, a view with which many of the rabbis of Ashkenaz (e.g. the Me’iri in the 14th century) disagreed, Maimonides said concerning Islam, "The Ishmaelites are not idolaters. They assign unity to God, the Supreme One, and their heart is directed to Heaven".
In certain periods, the Muslims were generally more tolerant towards Jews than the Christians were, and Jews often held a position of respect and esteem in Muslim countries. The Jews themselves harboured no feelings of hatred or disrespect towards Muslims. Their principle was that of Rabbi Jacob Anatoli, who said, "All peoples are made in the image of God, for that was the Almighty’s wish".
Likewise with the Biblical teaching (Lev. 19:18), "Thou shalt not avenge nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself". True, Jews value their own identity and tradition as true and sacred, and they say in their morning prayers, "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has not made me a gentile", but this does not indicate contempt for members of gentile faiths.
A Jewish youth in a bus in the West End would certainly wonder how anyone else could possibly not be a Jew, would be scared to be insulted or threatened by a gentile, but would not expect the BBC to wade in and tell lies about Jews and Jewish beliefs.
KNEELING & GARDENING
Q. Would Jewish law allow me to kneel while gardening?
A. I don’t think there is any problem. Various rabbis I asked agreed with me.
I thought of a person kneeling before the Queen to receive a knighthood, and asked a British rabbi his views. Not only did he find no objection, but he said that one does not kneel on the ground but on an ornate stool, is not kneeling to a deity, and it is all a formality.
Several Orthodox rabbis have been knighted, and presumably they all followed the usual procedure without qualms.
No-one is likely to misconstrue kneeling in the garden or at Buckingham Palace as a form of worship, so you can continue to do your gardening – but take care of your knees.
Rabbi Raymond Apple was for many years Australia’s highest profile rabbi and the leading spokesman on Judaism. After serving congregations in London, Rabbi Apple was chief minister of the Great Synagogue, Sydney, for 32 years. He also held many public roles, particularly in the fields of chaplaincy, interfaith dialogue and Freemasonry, and is the recipient of several national and civic honours. Now retired, he lives in Jerusalem and blogs at http://www.oztorah.com