THE TALMUD, the sacred text of Judaism, is comprised of rabbinic commentaries that were written over a period of hundreds of years and contain the oral traditions that have shaped Judaism since shortly after the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D.

Americans, including many Jews, are generally unfamiliar with the Talmud’s content. While it is widely acceptable to criticize the intolerance of the Quran, the Talmud is off bounds for mainstream commentary. Thus many do not know just how intolerant the revered text of the official religion of the state of Israel is.

Benjamin Freedman was a successful Jewish businessman and Zionist activist who lived from 1890 to 1984. Later in his adult life, he became an outspoken critic of the Judaic mentality and eventually converted to Catholicism. He is said to have devoted much of his fortune to researching and publicizing the history of Judaism.

“The Talmud today virtually exercises totalitarian dictatorship over the lives of so-called or self-styled ‘Jews,’ whether they are aware of that fact or not,” he wrote in his 1954 work “Facts are Facts,” which is an extended letter to another Jewish convert. “Their spiritual leaders make no attempt to conceal the control they exercise over the lives of so-called or self-styled ‘Jews’. They extend their authority far beyond the legitimate limits of spiritual matters. Their authority has no equal outside religion.”

Not only does the Talmud, which includes more than 60 volumes of commentaries, regulate the thinking and daily lives of Jews, he wrote, it inculcates in them hostility toward gentiles, or non-Jews.

Using the translation from the Hebrew by the Latvian priest and eminent scholar, the Rev. I.B. Pranaitis, Master of Theology and Professor of the Hebrew Language at the Imperial Ecclesiastical Academy of the Roman Catholic Church in Old St. Petersburg, Russia, Freedman proved his point by listing summarized Talmudic references for some of the specific laws regarding Christians, and gentiles in general. I list them below. They conform with many other translations of the Talmud. Please feel free to correct any of these summaries if you can prove they are faulty. Again, some of these references refer to all non-Jews, not just Christians.

Hilkhoth Maakhaloth — Christians are idolators, must not associate.

Abhodah Zarah (22a) — Do not associate with gentiles, they shed blood.

Iore Dea (153, 2). — Must not associate with Christians, shed blood.

Abhodah Zarah (25b). — Beware of Christians when walking abroad with them.

Orach Chaiim (20, 2). — Christians disguise themselves to kill Jews.

Abhodah Zarah (15b) — Suggest Christians have sex relations with animals.

Abhodah Zarah (22a) — Suspect Christians of intercourse with animals.

Schabbath (145b) — Christians unclean because they eat accordingly

Abhodah Zarah (22b) — Christians unclean because they not at Mount Sinai.

Iore Dea (198, 48). — Clean female Jews contaminated meeting Christians.

Kerithuth (6b p. 78) — Jews called men, Christians not called men.

Makkoth (7b) — Innocent of murder if intent was to kill Christian.

Orach Chaiim(225, 10) — Christians and animals grouped for comparisons.

Midrasch Talpioth 225 — Christians created to minister to Jews always.

Orach Chaiim 57, 6a — Christians to be pitied more than sick pigs.

Zohar II (64b) — Christian idolators likened to cows and asses.

Kethuboth (110b). — Psalmist compares Christians to unclean beasts.

Sanhedrin (74b). Tos. — Sexual intercourse of Christian like that of beast.

Kethuboth (3b) — The seed of Christian is valued as seed of beast.

Kidduschim (68a) — Christians like the people of an ass.

Eben Haezar (44,8) — Marriages between Christian and Jews null.

Zohar (II, 64b) — Christian birth rate must be diminished materially.

Zohar (I, 28b) — Christian idolators children of Eve’s serpent.

Zohar (I, 131a) — Idolatrous people (Christians) befoul the world.

Emek Haschanach(17a) — Non-Jews’ souls come from death and death’s shadow.

Zohar (I, 46b, 47a) — Souls of gentiles have unclean divine origins.

Rosch Haschanach(17a) — Non-Jews souls go down to hell.

Iore Dea (337, 1). — Replace dead Christians like lost cow or ass.

Iebhammoth (61a) — Jews called men, but not Christians called men.

Abhodah Zarah (14b) T — Forbidden to sell religious works to Christians

Abhodah Zarah (78) — Christian churches are places of idolatry.

Iore Dea (142, 10) — Must keep far away physically from churches.

Iore Dea (142, 15) — Must not listen to church music or look at idols

Iore Dea (143, 1) — Must not rebuild homes destroyed near churches.

Hilkoth Abh. Zar (10b) — Jews must not resell broken chalices to Christians.

Chullin (91b) — Jews possess dignity even an angel cannot share.

Sanhedrin, 58b — To strike Israelite like slapping face of God.

Chagigah, 15b — A Jew considered good in spite of sins he commits.

Gittin (62a) — Jew stay away from Christian homes on holidays.

Choschen Ham. (26,1) — Jew must not sue before a Christian judge or laws.

Choschen Ham (34,19) — Christian or servant cannot become witnesses.

Iore Dea (112, 1). — Avoid eating with Christians, breeds familiarity.

Abhodah Zarah (35b) — Do not drink milk from a cow milked by Christian.

Iore dea (178, 1) — Never imitate customs of Christians, even hair-comb.

Abhodah Zarah (72b) — Wine touched by Christians must be thrown away.

Iore Dea (120, 1) — Bought-dishes from Christians must be thrown away.

Abhodah Zarah (2a) — For three days before Christian festivals, avoid all.

Abhodah Zarah (78c) — Festivals of followers of Jesus regarded as idolatry.

Iore Dea (139, 1) — Avoid things used by Christians in their worship.

Abhodah Zarah (14b) — Forbidden to sell Christians articles for worship.

Iore Dea (151,1) H. — Do not sell water to Christians articles for baptisms.

Abhodah Zarah (2a, 1) — Do not trade with Christians on their feast days.

Abhodah Zarah (1,2) — Now permitted to trade with Christians on such days.

Abhodah Zarah (2aT) — Trade with Christians because they have money to pay.

Iore Dea (148, 5) — If Christian is not devout, may send him gifts.

Hilkoth Akum (IX,2) — Send gifts to Christians only if they are irreligious.

Iore Dea (81,7 Ha) — Christian wet-nurses to be avoided because dangerous.

Iore Dea (153, 1 H) — Christian nurse will lead children to heresy.

Iore Dea (155,1). — Avoid Christian doctors not well known to neighbors.

Peaschim (25a) — Avoid medical help from idolators, Christians meant.

Iore Dea (156,1) — Avoid Christian barbers unless escorted by Jews.

Abhodah Zarah (26a). — Avoid Christian midwives as dangerous when alone.

Zohar (1,25b) — Those who do good to Christians never rise when dead.

Hilkoth Akum (X,6) — Help needy Christians if it will promote peace.

Iore Dea (148, 12H) — Hide hatred for Christians at their celebrations.

Abhodah Zarah (20a) — Never praise Christians lest it be believed true.

Iore Dea (151,14) — Not allowed to praise Christians to add to glory.

Hilkoth Akum (V, 12) — Quote Scriptures to forbid mention of Christian god.

Iore Dea (146, 15) — Refer to Christian religious articles with contempt.

Iore Dea (147,5) — Deride Christian religious articles without wishes.

Hilkoth Akum (X,5) — No gifts to Christians, gifts to converts.

Iore Dea (151,11) — Gifts forbidden to Christians, encourages friendship.

Iore Dea (335,43) — Exile for that Jew who sells farm to Christian.

Iore Dea (154,2) — Forbidden to teach a trade to a Christian

Babha Bathra (54b) — Christian property belongs to first person claiming.

Choschen Ham(183,7) — Keep what Christian overpays in error.

Choschen Ham(226,1) — Jew may keep lost property of Christian found by Jew.

Babha Kama (113b) — It is permitted to deceive Christians.

Choschen Ham(183,7) — Jews must divide what they overcharge Christians.

Choschen Ham(156,5) — Jews must not take Christian customers from Jews.

Iore Dea (157,2) H — May deceive Christians that believe Christian tenets.

Abhodah Zarah (54a) –Usury may be practiced upon Christians or apostates.

Iore Dea (159,1) — Usury permitted now for any reason to Christians.

Babha Kama (113a) — Jew may lie and perjure to condemn a Christian.

Babha Kama (113b) — Name of God not profaned when lying to Christians.

Kallah (1b, p.18) — Jew may perjure himself with a clear conscience.

Schabbouth Hag. (6d). — Jews may swear falsely by use of subterfuge wording.

Zohar (1,160a). — Jews must always try to deceive Christians.

Iore Dea (158,1) — Do not cure Christians unless it makes enemies.

Orach Cahiim (330,2) — Do not assist Christian’s childbirth on Saturday.

Choschen Ham.(425,5) — Unless believes in Torah do not prevent his death.

Iore Dea (158,1) — Christians not enemies must not be saved either.

Hilkkoth Akum (X,1) — Do not save Christians in danger of death.

Choschen Ham(386,10) — A spy may be killed even before he confesses.

Abhodah Zorah (26b) — Apostates to be thrown into well, not rescued.

Choschen Ham(388,15) — Kill those who give Israelites’ money to Christians

Sanhedrin (59a) — `Prying into Jews’ “Law” to get death penalty [Translation: Gentiles who critique the Talmud are to be executed.]

Hilkhoth Akum(X,2) — Baptized Jews are to be put to death

Iore Dea(158,2)Hag. — Kill renegades who turn to Christian rituals.

Choschen Ham(425,5) — Those who do not believe in Torah are to be killed.

Hilkhoth tesch.III,8 — Christians and others deny the “Law” of the Torah.

Zohar (I,25a) — Christians are to be destroyed as idolators.

Zohar (II,19a) — Captivity of Jews end when Christian princes die.

Zohar (I,219b) — Princes of Christians are idolators, must die.

Obadiam — When Rome is destroyed, Israel will be redeemed.

Abhodah Zarah(26b) T. — “Even the best of the Goim should be killed.”

Sepher Or Israel 177b — If Jew kills Christian commits no sin.

Ialkut Simoni (245c) — Shedding blood of impious offers sacrifice to God.

Zohar (II, 43a) — Extermination of Christians necessary sacrifice.

Zohar (L,28b,39a) — High place in heaven for those who kill idolators.

Hilkhoth Akum(X,1) — Make no agreements and show no mercy to Christians

Hilkhoth Akum (X,1) — Either turn them away from their idols or kill.

Hilkhoth Akum (X,7) — Allow no idolators to remain where Jews are strong.

Choschen Ham(388,16) — All contribute to expense of killing traitor.

Pesachim (49b) — No need of prayers while beheading on Sabbath.

Schabbath (118a). — Prayers to save from punishment of coming Messiah.

See the previous post, “Jesus in the Talmud,” here.