Abstract
Jewish exclusivism assumes that the sole domain of truth is the Torah, and Judaism is the sole revealed religion, which differs in meaning from traditional Christian use of the word exclusivism, in that it does not usually deny salvation to gentiles. Instead, Jewish exclusivists limit discussion to acknowledging the merit of individual righteous gentiles, but do not acknowledge the collective virtues in other religious groups.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Notes
Morris Goldstein, Jesus in the Jewish Tradition (New York: Macmillian, 1950), 148–54.
Leon J. Weinberger, Jewish Hymnography: A Literary History (Portland, OR: Littman, 1998), 38.
See the translated selections in Gustaf Dalman, Jesus Christ in the Talmud, Midrash, Zohar, and the Liturgy of the Synagogue (Cambridge, 1893; reprinted New York: Arno Press, 1973).
Israel J. Yuval, Two Nations in Your Womb: Perceptions of Jews and Christians in Late Antiquity and The Middle Ages (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2006), 99.
S.J.D. Cohen, “Does Rashi’s Torah Commentary Respond to Christianity? A Comparison of Rashi with Rashbam and Bekhor Shor, ” in H. Najman and J.H. Newman, eds, The Idea of Biblical Interpretation: Essays in Honor of James L. Kugel (Boston: Brill, 2004), 449–72.;
Elazar Touitou, “Rashi’s Commentary on Genesis 16 in the Context of Judeo-Christian Controversy,” Hebrew Union College Annual 61 (1990): 159–83; idem, “Rashi and His School: The Exegesis on the Halachic Part of the Pentateuch in the Context of the Judeao-Christian Controversy,” in Shimon Schwarzfuchs, Yvonne Friedman, and Bat-Sheva Albert, eds, Bar Ilan Studies in History IV. Medieval Studies in Honor of Avrom Saltman (Ramat Gan: Bar-lian University Press, 1995), 231–51.
Menachem Klein, “Rethinking Jew-Gentile Relations”: http://www.netivot-shalom.org.il/parshaeng/toledot5763.php (January 4, 2009).
Avraham Grossman, Rashi (Jerusalem: Merkaz Zalman Shazar, 2006), 194–9.
Abraham bar Hiyya Savasorda, The Meditation of the Sad Soul, ed. Geoffrey Widoger (New York: Schocken Books, 1968), 111, 128–9.
Shimon ben Zemah Duran, Keshet U-Magen: A Critical Edition, trans. Prosper Murciano, PhD thesis (New York University, 1975), 25b.
Zadok Hakohen, Sefer Mahshevot haruts; Poked Akarim, 19; on Rabbi Zadok, see Alan Brill, Thinking God (Ktav: New York, 2002).
In the volume of his writings edited by his son Yehuda Zvei Orot (5:10) we do find the following passage that reflect his son’s views: “The difference the Jewish soul—its essence, inner light, vitality, construction, and status—from the souls of all the gentiles despite their achievements [or perfections] is greater and deeper than between the human soul and the soul of an animal. The later distinction is only quantitative, but the former there is an essential qualitatitive difference.” The widely cited passage is discussed in Zevi Judah Kook and Shelomoh Hayim Aviner, Sihot ha-Rav Tsevi Yehudah ha-kohen Kuk al Sefer orot (Jerusalem: Ateret Kohanim, 2004), 156.
Zvei Yehudah Kook, Judaism and Christianity [Hebrew] (Sifriyat Chava: Beit El, 2001). One of Zvei Yehudah Kook’s students, with Kahanist leanings, considers Islam as idolatry based on its alleged pagan folk customs such as the Kaaba. Ariel understands, against their grain, the inclusivists as agreeing with him, even those who explicitly state Islam is monotheistic,;
see Israel Ariel, “Israel One Nation in the Land,” Zefiah 3 (1989): 115–222.
Zevi Yehudah Kook, Li-netivot Yiśrael: kevutsat maamarim (Jerusalem: Menorah, 1966), 23.
Daniel Chanan Matt, The Zohar 1 (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2006), 47a, 252.
Reuven Margaliot, ed., Zohar Hadash (Jerusalem: Mossad Ha-Rav Kook, 1978), 78d.
Judah Hayyat (ca. 1450–1510), cited in Joseph Davis, Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller (Oxford: Littman Library, 2004), 93.
For full explanation, see Hayyim Ibn Attar, commentary on Numbers 19:2. A similar statement from Islam, a century before, is brought by Andrew G. Bostom, The Legacy of Islamic Antisemitism: From Sacred Texts to Solemn History (Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 2008). “Whenever a Jew is killed, it is for the benefit of Islam.”
Moses Hayyim Luzzatto, Derech Hashem (New York: Feldheim, 1997), part 2, section 4.
Jacob Katz, Tradition and Crisis (New York: NYU Press, 1993), 23. Katz footnotes to Isaac
Heinemann, “The Dispute over Nationality in the Aggada and in Philosophy during the Middle Ages,” in Yitzhak Baer et al., eds, Sefer Dinaberg (Jerusalem: Kiryat Sefer, 1949), 132–50;
On the Zohar see YF. Lachower and Isaiah Tishby, The Wisdom of Zohar (Jerusalem: Mossad Bialik, 1957), I: 290 ff.
Z.H. Chajes, The Student’s Guide through the Talmud (New York: Feldheim, 1960).
Menahem Mendel Schneersohn, Likute Siihot. hekhal 9, shaar 3 (Brooklyn, NY: Kehot, 2000). Likkute Sikhot 19 kislev 5743–1982.
Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, Sichos in English, vol. 35 (Brooklyn, NY: 1978), Parshat Tzav, 5747, 75–6.
Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, Sichos in English, 6th night of Sukkos (Brooklyn, NY: 1978), 5747, 139.
Yitzhak Nahmani, Sefer Torat ha-gilgul, nefesh, ruah u-neshamah (Netanyah: 1995).
Copyright information
© 2010 Alan Brill
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Brill, A. (2010). The Exclusivist Tradition. In: Judaism and Other Religions. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230105683_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230105683_7
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, New York
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-38398-6
Online ISBN: 978-0-230-10568-3
eBook Packages: Palgrave Religion & Philosophy CollectionPhilosophy and Religion (R0)