Page 43 - Tzurba M'Rabanan Volume1

ןנברמ אברוצ ׳א הרז הדובע תוכלה · 41

Further Iyun

Entering a Church and the Status of Christianity
in Contemporary Times

Rav Yehoshua Asulin (Graduate, the Manhigut Toranit Program)

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Much ink has been utilized in discuss- sects, are all idolaters.” The Meiri held
ing this topic spanning over a millenni- the exact opposite, giving them an ele-
um, from Rishonim to contemporary vated status of “umot hagedurot bedarkei
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poskim. This essay will try and highlight hadatot.” Rav Saadia Gaon held an in-
the major points of discussion and per- termediary position classifying four dis-
haps add a few insights in line with our tinct sects of Christianity, of which only
Sages’ dictum “ee efshar l’beit midrash some were defined as idolaters.
b’lo chidush.” We will also bring some practical Tosafot quote a novel approach of Rabbeinu
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halachic ramifications and conclusions. Tam to the issue, and the Acharonim strongly de-
At the outset, the first point of discussion is to bated what Rabbeinu Tam actually meant by his
clarify the status of Christianity. Is it considered words, as we will clarify.
idolatry or not? Thereafter, we will discuss en- The Rema, Shach, and others understood
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tering a house of idolatry, and whether there are Rabbeinu Tam to mean that there is no prohi-
certain times and extenuating circumstances that bition for non-Jews to believe in G-d and an-
the halacha takes into consideration. other deity b’shituf (as some form of duality or
partnership). This would only be prohibited to
The Status of Christianity Jews. The Noda B’Yehuda vehemently argued
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There are varied opinions among the Rishon- that this was not the intention of Rabbeinu
im whether Christianity is considered idolatry Tam. Rabbeinu Tam only stated that Jews are
or not. The Rambam is famous for his categor- not obligated to concern themselves if a non-
ical decision that all Christians are idolaters. He Jew would take an oath b’shituf, i.e., when swear-
states unequivocally in his commentary to the ing, he would mention the name of G-d togeth-
Mishna: “You should know that this Christian er with the name of a deity. The Noda B’Yehuda
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nation who have messianic claims across all their explains that for a non-Jew to take such an oath

1. Masechet Chagiga 3a
2. Commentary to Mishna, Masechet Avoda Zara 1:3
3. Beit HaBechira, Bava Kamma 113b and Yoma 84a
4. Emunot V’deot pp. 83-85 in the Rav Kapach edition. Today there are many more sects and we will deal with this issue later on in the essay.
5. Tosafot, Masechet Sanhedrin 63b s.v. asur. See also the Rosh there and the Ran at the end of the first chapter of Avoda Zara.
6. Rema, O.C. 156:1
7. Shach, Y.D. 141:7
8. See, for example, the Ya’avetz (Mor Uketzia 242), Pitchei Teshuva Y.D. 147:2.
9. Noda B’Yehuda Tanyana, Y.D. 148

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