Talmud - Criticism

Criticism

Historian Michael Levi Rodkinson, in his book The History of the Talmud, wrote that detractors of the Talmud, both during and subsequent to its formation, "have varied in their character, objects and actions" and the book documents a number of critics and persecutors, including Nicholas Donin, Johannes Pfefferkorn, Johann Andreas Eisenmenger, the Frankists, and August Rohling. Many attacks come from antisemitic sources, particularly Christian antisemites such as Justinas Pranaitis, Elizabeth Dilling or David Duke. Criticisms also arise from Muslim sources, Jewish sources, and atheists and skeptics. Accusations against the Talmud include alleged:

1. Anti-Christian or anti-Gentile content
2. Absurd or sexually immoral content
3. Falsification of scripture

Defenders of the Talmud argue that many of these criticisms, particularly those in antisemitic sources, are based on quotations that are taken out of context, and thus misrepresent the meaning of the Talmud's text. Sometimes the misrepresentation is deliberate, and other times simply due to an inability to grasp the subtle and sometimes confusing narratives in the Talmud. Some quotations provided by critics deliberately omit passages in order to generate quotes that appear to be offensive or insulting.