Page 91 - Tzurba M'Rabanan Volume1

ןנברמ אברוצ םיוגה תוקוח תוכלה · 89

In the Shulchan Aruch, the laws of interest follow the laws of idolatry. However, since the laws of interest are
more associated with monetary matters, we will deal with them in the “Choshen Mishpat” section of shiurim.
Following the laws of interest, the Shulchan Aruch discusses laws relating to the prohibition of following in
the statutes of the gentiles (chukot hagoyim), which is the subject of this shiur.
As a member of the Chosen People, a Jew has a unique standing in the world. Therefore, his dress and
conduct should reflect this status and may consequently differ from that of non‑Jews. This is the basis for the
prohibition of chukot hagoyim, following the statutes of the gentiles, as explained by the Sefer HaChinuch.

r Sefer HaChinuch, Mitzva 262 בסר הוצמ | ךוניחה רפס 1 .
The root of this mitzva is in order to distance ourselves from לכ תונגלו םהמ קחרתהל ידכ ,הוצמה ישרשמ
them and disgrace all of their practices, even regarding clothes. .שובלמב וליפאו ,םהיתוגהנה

The Source of the Prohibition

The Torah stresses a number of times that one must not imitate the actions of gentiles.

t Vayikra 18:3 ג:חי | ארקיו 2 .
Like the practice of the land of Egypt in which you dwelled, ּוׂש ֲ ע ַ ת אלֹ ּ ה ָּ ב־ם ֶּ ת ְ ב ַ ׁשְי ר ֶ ׁש ֲ א םִי ַ ר ְ צ ִ מ־ץ ֶ ר ֶֽ א ה ֵ ׂש ֲ ע ַ מ ְּ כ
do not do; and do not perform the practice of the land of ה ָּ מ ָ ׁ ש ם ֶ כ ְ ת ֶ א אי ִ ב ֵ מ יִנ ֲ א ר ֶ ׁש ֲ א ן ַ עַנ ְּ כ־ץ ֶ ר ֶֽ א ה ֵ ׂש ֲ ע ַ מ ְ כּו
Canaan to which I bring you, and do not follow their statutes. :ּוכֵֽ ל ֵ ת אלֹ ם ֶ הי ֵ תֹ ּ ק ֻ ח ְ בּו ּוׂש ֲ ע ַ ת אלֹ

r Rashi, Vayikra ibid. םש ארקיו | י"שר 3 .

Like the practice of the land of Egypt – This tells us that לש םהישעמש דיגמ – םירצמ ץרא השעמכ
the actions of the Egyptians and Canaanites are the most ,תומואה לכמ םילקלוקמ םיינענכ לשו םיירצמ
degenerate of all the nations, and the location where Israel :לכה ןמ לקלוקמ לארשי וב ובשיש םוקמ ותואו
dwelled [in Egypt] was the worst of them all.
ןתואש דיגמ – המש םכתא איבמ ינא רשא
To which I bring you there – This tells us that the nations :םלוכמ רתוי םילקלוקמ לארשי ושבכש ןיממע
whom Israel conquered were the worst of all.
אלש בותכה חינה המ – וכלת אל םהיתקחבו
Do not follow their statutes – What did the verse leave
over that hadn’t already been stated? Rather, these are their ןיקוקחה םירבד ,ןהלש תוסומנ ולא אלא ,רמא
social customs [nemusot], which are entrenched [as law], ריאמ יבר .תואידטצאו תואיטרט ןוגכ ,םהל
1
such as [going to] theaters and stadiums. Rabbi Meir says: :םימכח ונמש ירומאה יכרד ולא רמוא
2
These are the ways of the Emorites enumerated by the Sages.
1. The word “תוסומנ” comes from the Greek word νομοζ, meaning either law, tradition or custom. It later came to include social etiquette and norms.
2. In ancient Greece the theaters and stadiums were part of the culture’s idolatrous rituals (as evidenced by discoveries in many archeological digs
throughout Israel, where large gentile populations existed in some cities). Theater developed in Athens as part of three annual festivals celebrated
in honor of the god of wine. During the festivities, various kinds of plays were shown, music was composed, and different types of competitions
took place. Most of these events revolved around stories from Greek mythology. The stadium also developed as a place used in the festivities for
idolatrous rituals in ancient Greece, and later spread to Rome. They were used primarily for sporting competitions, whereby every fourth year, these
competitions took place in a different city. These sporting events in fact formed the origins of the modern Olympic Games. However, at the time,

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