Why the key point of difference

Submitted by Stuart Teich (United States), Aug 6, 2009 at 16:05

The difference between Halakhah contains a doctrine called, "Dina d'malkhuta dina."

It means, roughly, "the law of the land is the law."

Unless civil law explicitly requires what the Torah forbids, or forbids what is required, Jews are required BY JEWISH LAW to comply with civil law.

I can refuse to eat pork, no matter how powerful the pig lobby may be. If the US goes vegetarian, I have to comply: no commandment requires me to eat meat. I can refuse to work on Shabbat. I cannot refuse to serve my country. BTW, the whole "conscienscious objector" thing is based on a mistranslation of the commandment against MURDER, not KILLING. But I have to pay my taxes. I won't even bother with the "how much of western law is biblically based" bit. It's true, and implies a low level of conflict with civil law, but the point has been made so MANY times.

Judaism tells me my people has a right to a small chunk of the eastern Mediterranean littoral. Nowhere else. Islam aspires to global hegemony.

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