Their wisdom, but NOT their Torah!

As mentioned in the last post, the Sages have long warned against believing a gentile who tries to enlighten Jews about Torah. That they can teach us wisdom - yes. But not Torah.

What really is the difference?

We must be exacting in the words. They say BELIEVE gentile wisdom and DON'T BELIEVE gentile Torah. What does belief have to do with this? Say: learn from. Or: look into. But simply b-e-l-i-e-v-e whatever wisdom they have to promulgate?

Conversely: What happens if they're teaching something in Torah exactly as per the sages? Let's say, for instance, a gentile Biblical Scholar reads the verses about Sabbath observance and starts teaching Jews how much their Torah wants them to keep Shabbos properly. Shouldn't we believe that?

Of course. But not on the level of normal belief. Rather, we should now read "don't believe" as UNbelieve! If you have to hear from a gentile about the importance of Shabbos -- what an UNbelievable Sign of how much H' wants you to renew your relationship with Shabbos. Not that you should let him instruct you about Shabbos, per se, but that you should take his words as a brand new opportunity for doing Shabbos on a new level.

Like many wandering Jews have reported from their experiences in India or Japan and some American indian tribes, they've been told to stop searching "out there" and get back to the Source within their own tradition!

Now, in Obama's case, it's more complicated. Because he really believes he's got the gospel: being his Brother's Keeper. Hmm. As said, our gut Jewish instinct should be never to believe him but at the same time we shouldn't mis the opportunity for using this idea to further our un-belief.

So let us think: When Cain posed that question, G-d never actually responded to it... Rather He shot back: "What have you done? Your brother's blood is screaming out at me..."

A truly UNNNbelievable response. Cain's sarcastic assumption was that we must take total responsibility for our brethren. But that is far from the Creator's way, and he knew that. We are all born as individuals and must learn to survive as individuals. But that doesn't mean to ignore or be cruel to the other. Rather, we should be asking each other our Creator's question: "What have you done?"

I.e. have you done anything in this world of merit?

To actively build a society that stimulates each and everyone to answer that question is the job of the unbelievable Jew.