Q&A: Question regarding the prohibition of “do not show them favor”
Question regarding the prohibition of “do not show them favor”
Question
Hello Rabbi Michael,
I wanted to ask you about the prohibition of “do not show them favor.” Recently I had occasion to travel abroad, and there I sometimes found myself helping non-Jews for free or speaking positively about them. I should note that I could have avoided helping them without causing any hostility or unpleasantness, and nevertheless sometimes I did help. My question is whether this involves the prohibition of “do not show them favor,” and more generally, what are the parameters of this prohibition?
Answer
The halakhic decisors disagree as to whether the prohibition of “do not show them favor” applies to non-Jews who are not idol worshipers. And according to Meiri, non-Jews who are bound by the norms of civilized society (= who behave like decent human beings) have the status of Jews in this respect, so there certainly would not be such a prohibition. I personally agree with him completely, and therefore in my view it is proper and right to assist non-Jews.