Hi Rabbi Fried,
I’ve heard the concept that we are not supposed to teach Torah (specifically halacha?) to non-Jews.
In academia, the goal is to develop enough expertise that you are trusted to begin creating or discovering or bringing down new knowledge. Somehow, with social media and openly sharing information, that expertise gets replaced with credentials and popularity and whatever combination of things determines how much other people want to absorb and spread your ideas.
I’d like to extend this concept to Judaism. If every bit of knowledge is given by God, nothing is a coincidence, and ideas are revealed to the world at the moment they are intended and needed, then moving toward Mashiakh is a matter of the global consciousness absorbing higher ideas of love and oneness (compassion, connection, consciousness, creativity, judging favorably, etc. etc.), and considering them common knowledge.
Let me attempt to ask the same question many times in different words: How can I navigate this, when it comes to revealing Truth to the world? What credentials are required to be sure that I am following Torah, and not just spewing my own misunderstanding into the world? How can we understand that there’s a Truth, and that we each resonate with only some part(s) of Torah, and our mission is to spread our unique understanding, but not to muddy that message with individuality…?
If every possible thing I could ever write is both uniquely created by me, and also wholly embodies the will of God bringing information into the world, precisely where and when and how it is needed for His audience, then how can we understand the restriction to not teach Torah (to non-Jews)?
I am (at this point in my life/career) finding my passion for unifying science and religion (and all information that God has made available to man thus far), and making this terribly-misunderstood topic more approachable and accepted in the global mind. So, the fact that I’m drawn to this means that God has given me the tools I need to pursue this. How am I to understand the restrictions around how and what I can teach?
Thanks for your time, and sorry that this email became so long.
All the best,
Michael K.
Dear Michael,
It’s exciting to see someone of your scientific background and inquisitive mind searching the truths of Torah and acquiring its deep knowledge and teachings with so much depth and searching. May you succeed in your journey to much joy in its understanding!
With regards to the teaching of Torah to Gentiles, it is as you have surmised that this applies to the deeper and more esoteric parts of Torah, and halacha. Many authorities maintain it does not apply to the written Torah. This question certainly has no bearing on what you seek to accomplish, namely to bring out the Truth of God in science and in the universe. Not only is this not included in the said prohibition; on the contrary, it is a tremendous mitzvah to show that truth to all of mankind!
The seven “Noahide laws,” those laws which apply to all mankind as commanded to Noah upon exiting the ark, include the belief in God. The Jewish people, the children of Abraham, are first and foremost in the obligation to fulfill God’s mission of promulgating that belief to all peoples.
May you have much success in doing so!