Čak i nežidov, koji se bavi proučavanjem Tore, smatra se Velikim svećenikom
U članku “Izraelski Židovi o gojimima, Talmudu i Mesiji” pojavljuju se razne tvrdnje o položaju nežidova u judaizmu.
Valja krenuti od Talmuda koji u raspravi Sanhedrin 59a kaže da je nežidov koji uči Toru poput vrhovnoga svećenika: “From where is it derived that even a gentile who engages in Torah study is considered like a High Priest? It is derived from that which is stated: “You shall therefore keep My statutes and My ordinances, which if a man does he shall live by them” (Leviticus 18:5). The phrase: Which if priests, Levites, and Israelites do they shall live by them, is not stated, but rather: “A man,” which indicates mankind in general. You have therefore learned that even a gentile who engages in Torah study is considered like a High Priest.”
»Drži dakle moje zakone i moje naredbe; ako ih čovjek vrši, živjet će po njima” (Levitski zakonik 18:5). Izraz: Što ako svećenici, leviti i Izraelci čine, živjet će od njih, nije navedeno, nego radije: “Čovjek”, što ukazuje na čovječanstvo općenito. Stoga ste naučili da se čak i nežidov koji se bavi proučavanjem Tore smatra Velikim svećenikom.«
Tu presudu spominje i objašnjava rabin Moše Weiner u svom djelu The Divine Code: “If the Gentile is one of the pious of the nations of the world who keep the Seven Noahide Commandments as their part in the Torah of Moses, because he is commanded to do them, and he is careful in their proper observance according to the Noahide Code, and he is involved in learning the parts of Torah that relate to these seven commandments, he is indeed considered before God as being as honorable as a proper Jewish High Priest who served in the Holy Temple” (2. izdanje, str. 92).
“Ako je nežidov jedan od pobožnih naroda svijeta koji drže Sedam Noahovih zapovijedi kao dio Mojsijeve Tore, jer mu je naređeno da ih čini, i on je pažljiv u njihovom ispravnom obdržavanju prema Noahideu Kodeksa, a on je uključen u učenje dijelova Tore koji se odnose na ovih sedam zapovijedi, on se doista smatra pred Bogom jednako časnim kao pravi židovski veliki svećenik koji služio u svetom hramu”.
Majmonid u Zakonima Kraljeva 8:11 smatra da pobožan nežidov ima udio u budućem životu: “Anyone who accepts upon himself the fulfillment of these seven mitzvot and is precise in their observance is considered one of “the pious among the gentiles” and will merit a share in the world to come. This applies only when he accepts them and fulfills them because the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded them in the Torah and informed us through Moses, our teacher, that Noah’s descendants had been commanded to fulfill them previously.”
“Svatko tko prihvati na sebe ispunjenje ovih sedam mitzvota i bude precizan u njihovom obdržavanju, smatra se jednim od “pobožnih među nežidovima” i zaslužit će udio u budućem svijetu. Ovo vrijedi samo kada ih prihvati i ispuni jer ih je Sveti, blagoslovljen bio, naredio u Tori i obavijestio nas preko Mojsija, našeg učitelja, da je Noinim potomcima naređeno da ih ispune prethodno.”
Iako smo u ovom komentaru koristili izraz nežidov, goj je potpuno neutralan i standardni hrvatski prijevod engleske riječi gentile (Filipović, Englesko-hrvatski rječnik, 24. izdanje, str. 465.).
