Editing Gentile (section)

=== In modern times ===
Under [[Halakha|rabbinic law]], a modern-day gentile is only required to observe the [[Seven Laws of Noah]], but Jews are required to observe [[Mosaic law]]. During periods of decreased animosity between Jews and gentiles, some of the rabbinic laws against fellowship and fraternization were relaxed; for example, [[Maimonides]] was the personal physician of [[Saladin]]. Even though most contemporary rabbinic schools are not as hostile to Gentiles as Medieval rabbinic schools were{{clarify|date=April 2024}}, some [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox]] rabbinic schools hold extremely xenophobic views. For example, scholars from the [[Zionism|Zionist]] [[Mercaz HaRav|HaRav Kook]] [[yeshiva]] are schooled in the doctrine that Jews and gentiles have different kinds of souls. One of the yeshiva's scholars, [[David Bar-Hayim]], published a paper in 1989 in which he explained the doctrine, entitled "Yisrael Nikraim Adam" (Israel is called ‘Man’). In his conclusion, Bar-Hayim writes:
{{quote|There is no escaping the facts: the Torah of Israel makes a clear distinction between a Jew, who is defined as "Man," and a Gentile. This distinction is expressed in a long list of [[Halakha|Halachic]] laws, be they monetary laws, the laws of the Temple, capital laws or others. Even one who is not an erudite Torah scholar is obligated to recognize this simple fact; it cannot be erased or obscured ... One who carefully studies the sources cited previously will realize the abysmal difference between the concepts "Jew" and "Gentile" -- and consequently, he will understand why Halacha differentiates between them.<ref>Learned Ignorance: Intellectual Humility Among Jews, Christians and Muslims By James L. Heft, Reuven Firestone, Omid Safi, Oxford University Press, USA, 2011, p. 163.</ref><ref>"Yisrael Nikraim Adam", Tzfiyah, v. 3, 1989, pp. 45-73.</ref>}}

Bar-Chayim further quotes [[Abraham Isaac Kook]] (1865–1935), founder of the yeshiva and the first [[Ashkenazi Jews|Ashkenazi]] chief rabbi of British [[Mandatory Palestine]]:
{{quote|The difference between the Jewish soul, in all its independence, inner desires, longings, character and standing, and the soul of all the Gentiles, on all of their levels, is greater and deeper than the difference between the soul of a man and the soul of an animal, for the difference in the latter case is one of quantity, while the difference in the first case is one of essential quality.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Daat Emet: Gentiles in Halacha|url = http://www.daatemet.org.il/daathalacha/en_gentiles1.html|website = www.daatemet.org.il|access-date = 2015-12-25}} citing ''Orot Yisrael'' chapter 5, article 10 (p. 156)</ref>}}

Similar anti-gentile remarks have been expressed by the late chief Sephardi Rabbi [[Ovadia Yosef]], in which he stated in a sermon in 2010 that "The sole purpose of Gentiles is to serve Jews". He said that gentiles served a divine purpose: "Why are Gentiles needed? They will work, they will plow, they will reap. We will sit like an effendi and eat. That is why Gentiles were created.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/5-of-ovadia-yosefs-most-controversial-quotations/|title=5 of Ovadia Yosef's most controversial quotations|website=[[The Times of Israel]]}}</ref> These remarks by Yosef were sharply criticized by many Jewish organizations such as the [[Anti-Defamation League]] (ADL) and [[American Jewish Committee]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.haaretz.com/jewish/adl-slams-shas-spiritual-leader-for-saying-non-jews-were-born-to-serve-jews-1.320235|title=ADL Slams Shas Spiritual Leader for Saying non-Jews 'Were Born to Serve Jews'|first1=Natasha|last1=Mozgovaya|first2=Haaretz|last2=Service|date=20 October 2010|newspaper=Haaretz}}</ref>

Those who hold these views do not necessarily support any sort of harm to non-Jews. Rav Ovadia Yosef, himself, condemned those who vandalized Arab property, as did the vast majority of Orthodox leaders.

Many Orthodox schools have expressed more humanistic views. Rav Aharon Lichtenstein, Rosh Yeshivah of Gush, for example, strongly opposed what he saw as racist attitudes among certain segments of Religious Zionism.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-04-22 |title=The dilemma of modern Orthodoxy & Religious Zionism: A tribute to Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein zt''l |url=https://www.jpost.com/blogs/on-the-front-lines-with-rav-shmuly/the-dilemma-of-modern-orthodoxy-and-religious-zionism-a-tribute-to-rabbi-aharon-lichtenstein-ztl-398934 |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com |language=en}}</ref> 

Jewish philosopher and professor [[Menachem Kellner]] criticizes the assumption of some Orthodox Jews that there is an "ontological divide between Jews and Gentiles", which he believes is contrary to what the Torah teaches.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jewishideas.org/article/orthodoxy-and-gentile-problem |title=Orthodoxy and "The Gentile Problem" |last=Kellner |first=Menachem |date=Spring 2016 |website=[[Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals]] |publisher=[[Marc D. Angel]] |access-date=1 June 2020}}</ref>