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38 · Hilchot Avoda Zara I Tzurba M’Rabanan
p Responsa Tzitz Eliezer 15:47 זמ:וט | רזעילא ץיצ ת”וש . 37
His honor asked how it is permitted to praise the wise ימכחל חבשל רתיה דוסי היא לואשל השקה ’ובכ
people of the nations of the world when they discover or הזיאב עדימ הזיא םיאיצממ וא םישדחמשכ ה”וא
invent something new in any of the wisdoms, as we have וחבשב ל”ז ם”במרהל וניצמש יפכ ,איהש המכח
found the Rambam does in his praise of Aristotle and the םילודג המכ וגהנ תאזכו ,המודכו וטסירא תא
like, and as was the custom of many other gedolei Yisrael…
תמאבש יתיארו יתננובתהו ,לארשי ילודגמ
I considered [the issue] and saw that indeed it is explicit in ת”ל תוצמה רפסב ם”במרה ירבדמ ןכ אצוי שרופמ
the words of the Rambam in the Sefer HaMitzvot (Negative ז”ע ידבוע לע ללכ לומחמ ונריהזה :ל”זו בתוכש ’נ
prohibition 50) and this is his language: “We have been ורמא אוהו םהל דחוימש המ לכמ רבד תופילמו
warned not to have any mercy on idol worshipers and not
to praise anything that is unique to them… it is clear from דע ,ןח םהל ןתת אל הלבקה האבו םנחת אל
the wording of the Rambam as we have stated above הז רמול ונל רוסא הרוצה הפי ז”ע דבועה שיאהש
that the prohibition only applies to a gentile who is an ראיב ל”ז ם”במרהש ונל ירה ,ל”כע ’וכו ראות הפי
idol worshiper. םהל תתל רוסיאהש םירומאה ונירבדכ אידהב ןאכב
I saw this as well in the Sefer HaChinuch, who is also .ז”ע דבועש הזכ שיא אוה ירכנה םא אקוד אוה ןח
precise in his wording when he states… “therefore by קדקדמש ו”כת הוצמ ךוניחה רפסב יתיאר ךכו
our prevention of finding any benefit and favor for idol רובידבו הבשחמב ונענמהב ןכ לעו …בותכל כ”ג
worshippers in our thoughts and speech, we will prevent ךכב םיענמנ וננה ןחו תלעות א”ע ידבועב אוצממ
ourselves from connecting with them and chasing after דומללמו םתבהא רחא ףודרמו םהמע רבחתהלמ
their fancies and learning anything from their evil ways.” ךוניחה םגש ירה ,םיערה םהישעמ לכב רבד
Thus, the Chinuch repeats again and again that the קר אוה הזב רבודמה לכש שיגדמו רזוחו שיגדמ
prohibition only applies to one who serves idolatry.
.ז”ע דבועש ימבו ימ לע
Nevertheless, the Shach (Y.D. 151:18) rules that any gentile is included in the prohibition, and this appears to
be the ruling of the Shulchan Aruch cited above as well.
The Chochmat Adam gives the following reason for this prohibition:
a Chochmat Adam 87:11 אי:זפ | םדא תמכח . 38
It is prohibited to speak in praise [of an idol worshiper] הרז-הדובע האנ המכ“ רמול ,ןחבשב רפסל רוסא
and say “how beautiful is this idol worshiper”; how much ,ויכרד בבחלו וישעמ חבשב רפסל רמוחו לקו ,”וז
more so [is it prohibited] to praise his deeds and endear .ןח םהל ןתת אל – ”םנחת אל“ ללכב אוה הז לכש
his ways, for this is all part of the prohibition of “do not .םהישעממ ודמליו םהמע וברקתי אלש ידכ לכהו
show them favor,” meaning do not give them praise. This
is all in order that we do not come close to them and learn
from them.
If the Jew is an acquaintance of the gentile whom he is praising, such that he may thereby benefit at some
point from doing so, it is permitted, based on the Tosefta (Avoda Zara 3:14), and as ruled by the sefer Torat
HaDerech (18:14) by Rav Mordechai Gross. He adds that any action that is common practice in one’s locale
is also permitted, such as giving a tip to a gentile waiter.
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