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Jewish Life Reviewed in Latest Cables and Letters

September 20, 1934
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Legal authorities are warned to be careful in dealing with Jews who live according to the Shulchan Aruch, Hebrew manual of rituals, in an article in the current Better Future, semi-official Catholic publication, by Dr. Severin Grill.

The article attempts to show the difference between the teachings of the Shulchan Aruch, and the teachings of the Talmud.

“It is generally contended,” the writer states, “that the Talmud only concedes minor rights to the non-Jew, the Goy. The Goyim of the Talmud are not the Christians but only heathens.”

The Shulchan Aruch is attacked as discriminating against Christians rather than heathens.

“Legal authorities therefore should be careful in dealing with those who live according to the Shulchan Aruch,” the writer concludes.

The Neue Welt sees in this article a blow to the Agudist movement. The Neue Welt comments as follows:

HOPED FOR LEADERSHIP

“Many Agudists accepted the downfall of the Parliamentary system in Austria and the establishment of a strict ecclesiastical Catholic regime with satisfaction. They hoped that their aims would be fully understood by the new government. Some circles even went so far as to see a victory for the Agudist movement over the national, liberal and other Jewish movements. With more or less words it was said that the Agudist leaders would from now on be able to act as the chosen leaders of the Austrian Jews.

“But an influential Catholic periodical prints an article by a writer highly estimated in Catholic circles in which the Shulchan Aruch is vehemently attacked. This is the very book which forms the foundations of the Agudah’s belief. The Catholic writer alleges that the content of the Shulchan Aruch is unethical and immoral and even proposes to threaten the equality before the laws of those who live according to the book.

“This will prove a great disappointment to the Agudists. They should learn from this that there are no privileged and selected groups among the Jews as it is believed by the Agudists. Jewdom is subject to enmity and persecution regardless of the form in which it presents itself to its environment.”

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