Dear Jewish Response Staff,

Anti-Semites accuse Jews of being a foreign element in their midst, who are not loyal to the country. Is there anything in the Talmud to shed light on this question?

Mike

Dear Mike,

The Talmud Kethuboth 111a says: I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the deer and hinds of the field, not to arouse or awake the love before it is desires (Song of Songs 2:7)&this means that G-d made the Jewish people swear not to rebel against the nations of the world.

Rabbi Yechiel Epstein (1829-1908) codifies this in his work Aruch Hashulchan Choshen Mishpat 2:1: We are obligated to take care that there not be found, G-d forbid, among the Jews any thought of rebellion, even in their hearts, against our master the King, may his majesty be uplifted, and his ministers. And our Sages of blessed memory have already said that G-d made the Jewish people swear that they would not rebel against the governments. And it is written (Proverbs 24:21), Fear the L-rd, my son, and the king. And our Sages teach (Berachoth 58a) that kingship on the earth is symbolic of the Kingship of G-d in Heaven.