Q&A: Do Not Show Them Favor
Do Not Show Them Favor
Question
My sister is currently working in a place where non-Jews also work, some of them Christians and some atheists. She has very good relationships with them, and so sometimes she brings them gifts. My question is whether this involves a prohibition because of “do not show them favor.”
Thank you
Answer
First, there are opinions that the prohibition applies only to idol worshippers, and as for Protestants, straightforwardly they are not idol worshippers, while regarding Catholics the opinions are divided. Beyond that, there are normal human relations between people, and if it is customary there to give gifts, I don’t see a problem with it.
Discussion on Answer
I don’t think I said that about “do not show them favor.” This is about the approach of Meiri, who said that regarding all the prohibitions in relation to non-Js. But that was said only about prohibitions that function as a sanction. Stealing from them, returning their lost objects, nullifying their loans, and the like. Specifically “do not show them favor” seems to be a prohibition of a different character. It is so that we should not be drawn into becoming attached to idol worshippers and to idolatry itself. Therefore here it would seem, by logic, that if we are dealing with idol worshippers, the prohibition remains in force even today. But perhaps this is another factor for leniency.
See this link:
https://mikyab.net/%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%AA/%D7%A9%D7%90%D7%9C%D7%94-%D7%9C%D7%92%D7%91%D7%99-%D7%90%D7%99%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%A8-%D7%9C%D7%90-%D7%AA%D7%97%D7%A0%D7%9D%E2%80%8E/
There you wrote this:
The halakhic decisors are divided as to whether there is a prohibition of “do not show them favor” regarding non-Jews who are not idol worshippers. And according to Meiri, since non-Jews who are bound by the norms of civilized nations (= who behave like human beings) have the status of Jews, there certainly would be no such prohibition. I personally agree with him completely, and therefore in my opinion it is proper and right to assist non-Jews.
I didn’t remember. In any case, assisting really is different from giving a gift. Giving a gift is not a sanction, but rather our keeping our distance from them. Not assisting is not our keeping our distance, but a sanction on them. Which of these is included in “do not show them favor”? Straightforwardly, it refers to giving a gift. Therefore I think that specifically regarding “do not show them favor,” I would not apply Meiri’s view.
I also seem to remember that in the past you said that the prohibition of “do not show them favor” was stated about the idol-worshipping non-Jews of old, whose morality was deficient, whereas the non-Jews of today, who are bound by the norms of civilized nations, are not included in the decree.