The Talmud on non-Jews

What the Babylonian Talmud says about non-Jews (gentiles, goyim).

What the Talmud is

In short: the Talmud is a very large, ancient book of Jewish law and teaching. It was written by rabbis (Jewish religious teachers) about 1,500 years ago, and it explains how Jews should live, pray, work and treat other people. Religious Jews still study it and follow its rules today.

Key ideas in the Talmud about non-Jews

What the Talmud says about gentiles (non-Jews, goyim), starting with a blessing it requires every day.

Thanking God "Who did not make me a gentile"

"It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Meir would say: A man is obligated to recite three blessings every day praising God for His kindnesses, and these blessings are: Who did not make me a gentile; Who did not make me a woman; and Who did not make me an ignoramus."

Menachot 43b (opens in a new tab)

The blessing "Who did not make me a gentile" is part of the traditional Jewish daily morning prayers.

Other passages

Each point names who said it and links to the page. Quotations are from the William Davidson Edition English translation published by Sefaria.

Laws for non-Jews

• Non-Jews are bound by seven laws: set up courts; do not curse God; do not worship idols; no forbidden sexual relations; do not murder; do not rob; do not eat a limb from a living animal. Sanhedrin 56a (opens in a new tab)
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  "…all of humanity, were commanded to observe seven mitzvot: The mitzva of establishing courts of judgment; and the prohibition against blessing, i.e., cursing, the name of God; and the prohibition of idol worship; and the prohibition against forbidden sexual relations; and the prohibition of bloodshed; and the prohibition of robbery; and the prohibition against eating a limb from a living animal."

• A gentile can be executed on the verdict of one judge and the testimony of one witness, without being warned first. A woman may not judge him or testify against him; a relative may. Sanhedrin 57b (opens in a new tab)
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  "Contrary to the halakha with regard to a Jew, a descendant of Noah is executed on the basis of the verdict of even one judge, and by the testimony of even one witness, and without being given forewarning before committing the transgression. He can be judged or testified against only by the mouth of a man and not by the mouth of a woman; but even a relative may judge his case or testify against him."

The afterlife

• One view: no gentiles have a share in the World-to-Come. Another view: gentiles who fear God do. Sanhedrin 105a (opens in a new tab)
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  "From the fact that it is written: 'All the gentiles,' it is apparent that none of the gentiles have a share in the World-to-Come."

  "Gentiles who fear God do have a share in the World-to-Come."

• Anyone who rejects idolatry is called a Jew (Yehudi). Megillah 13a (opens in a new tab)
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  "…anyone who repudiates idolatry is called Yehudi."

Nature and status of gentiles

• The snake infected Eve with "contamination". For Jews it ended when they stood at Mount Sinai; for gentiles, who were not there, it never ended. Shabbat 146a (opens in a new tab)
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  "When the Jewish people stood at Mount Sinai, their contamination ceased, whereas gentiles did not stand at Mount Sinai, and their contamination never ceased."

• "The animal of a Jew is more appealing to gentiles than their own wives." Avodah Zarah 22b (opens in a new tab)
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  "…as the Master said: The animal of a Jew is more appealing to gentiles than their own wives, as Rabbi Yoḥanan says: At the time when the snake came upon Eve, at the time of the sin of her eating from the Tree of Knowledge, it infected her with moral contamination, and this contamination lingers in all human beings."

  "With regard to the Jewish people, who stood at Mount Sinai and received the Torah, their contamination ended, whereas in the case of gentiles, who did not stand at Mount Sinai and receive the Torah, their contamination has not ended."

• A gentile man has no legal fatherhood: his offspring count as no more related to him than those of donkeys and horses (Rava, citing Ezekiel 23:20). Yevamot 98a (opens in a new tab)
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  "Learn from this that the Merciful One dispossesses the male gentile of his offspring, as it is written with regard to Egyptians: 'Whose flesh is the flesh of donkeys, and whose semen is the semen of horses' (Ezekiel 23:20), i.e., the offspring of a male gentile is considered no more related to him than the offspring of donkeys and horses."

• Jews are called adam (man); gentiles are not. So gentile graves do not convey ritual impurity through a tent (Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai), and anointing a gentile with the holy anointing oil is not an offence. The Gemara objects with verses that do call gentiles adam. Yevamot 61a (opens in a new tab) (also Bava Metzia 114b (opens in a new tab), Keritot 6b (opens in a new tab))
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  "The graves of gentiles do not render items impure through a tent, as it is stated: 'And you My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, are men [adam]' (Ezekiel 34:31), from which it is derived that you, the Jewish people, are called men [adam] but gentiles are not called men [adam]."

  "The Gemara raises an objection based upon the verse with regard to captives taken during the war against Midian: 'And the persons [nefesh adam] were sixteen thousand' (Numbers 31:40), which indicates that gentiles are also referred to as adam."

  "…one who applies it to gentiles or to corpses is exempt."

• On seeing gentile graves, one recites: "Your mother shall be sore ashamed." Berakhot 58b (opens in a new tab)
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  "One who sees graves of gentiles recites: 'Your mother shall be sore ashamed, she who bore you shall be confounded; behold, the hindermost of the nations shall be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert' (Jeremiah 50:12)."

• The charity and kindness of the nations is "counted as a sin for them" (Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabban Gamliel). Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai: charity atones for the nations. Bava Batra 10b (opens in a new tab)
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  "'But the kindness of the peoples is sin,' meaning that all the acts of charity and kindness that the nations of the world perform are counted as a sin for them, since they perform them only to elevate themselves in prestige…"

  "Just as a sin-offering atones for Israel, so charity atones for the nations of the world."

Torah study, the Sabbath, striking a Jew

• Rabbi Yoḥanan: a gentile who studies Torah deserves death. Sanhedrin 59a (opens in a new tab)
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  "And Rabbi Yoḥanan says: A gentile who engages in Torah study is liable to receive the death penalty; as it is stated: 'Moses commanded us a law [torah], an inheritance of the congregation of Jacob' (Deuteronomy 33:4), indicating that it is an inheritance for us, and not for them."

• Rabbi Meir: a gentile who studies Torah is like a High Priest. Sanhedrin 59a (opens in a new tab) (also Avodah Zarah 3a (opens in a new tab), Bava Kamma 38a (opens in a new tab))
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  "Rabbi Meir would say: From where is it derived that even a gentile who engages in Torah study is considered like a High Priest? … You have therefore learned that even a gentile who engages in Torah study is considered like a High Priest."

• Reish Lakish: a gentile who keeps the Sabbath deserves death. Sanhedrin 58b (opens in a new tab)
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  "And Reish Lakish says: A gentile who observed Shabbat is liable to receive the death penalty, as it is stated: 'And day and night shall not cease' (Genesis 8:23)…"

• Rabbi Ḥanina: a gentile who strikes a Jew deserves death. Sanhedrin 58b (opens in a new tab)
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  "Rabbi Ḥanina says: A gentile who struck a Jew is liable to receive the death penalty…"

Killing, property and courts

• A gentile who murders a gentile or a Jew is liable to death. A Jew who murders a gentile is "exempt". Sanhedrin 57a (opens in a new tab)
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  "With regard to bloodshed, if a gentile murders another gentile, or a gentile murders a Jew, he is liable. If a Jew murders a gentile, he is exempt."

• Robbery and similar acts are forbidden from a gentile to a gentile or from a gentile to a Jew, but permitted from a Jew to a gentile. Sanhedrin 57a (opens in a new tab)
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  "With regard to the following types of robbery: One who steals or robs, and likewise one who engages in intercourse with a married beautiful woman who was taken as a prisoner of war, and likewise all actions similar to these, if they are done by a gentile to another gentile, or by a gentile to a Jew, the action is prohibited; but if a Jew does so to a gentile, it is permitted."

• In a court case between a Jew and a gentile, the judge rules for the Jew under Jewish law or gentile law, whichever favours him; if neither does, he finds an indirect way to rule for the Jew (Rabbi Yishmael). Rabbi Akiva: not by indirect means, because it would desecrate God's name. The Gemara infers: "Apparently, it is permitted to deceive a gentile," then raises Rabbi Akiva's teaching that robbing a gentile is forbidden. Bava Kamma 113a (opens in a new tab)
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  "In the case of a Jew and a gentile who approach the court for judgment in a legal dispute, if you can vindicate the Jew under Jewish law, vindicate him, and say to the gentile: This is our law. If he can be vindicated under gentile law, vindicate him, and say to the gentile: This is your law. And if it is not possible to vindicate him under either system of law, one approaches the case circuitously, seeking a justification to vindicate the Jew. This is the statement of Rabbi Yishmael. Rabbi Akiva disagrees and says: One does not approach the case circuitously in order to vindicate the Jew due to the sanctification of God's name, as God's name will be desecrated if the Jewish judge employs dishonest means."

  "Consequently, if there is no consideration of the sanctification of God's name, the court does approach the case circuitously. Apparently, it is permitted to deceive a gentile."

  "The Gemara challenges this assertion: But is robbery from a gentile permitted? Isn't it taught in a baraita: Rabbi Shimon said that Rabbi Akiva taught this matter when he came from Zephirin: From where is it derived that it is prohibited to rob a gentile?"

• Robbing a gentile is forbidden, but a gentile's lost item does not have to be returned to him (Rabbi Shimon Ḥasida). Bava Kamma 113b (opens in a new tab)
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  "Rav Beivai bar Giddel says that Rabbi Shimon Ḥasida says: It is prohibited to rob a gentile, but it is permitted to retain his lost item, i.e., one is not required to return it to him."

• If a Jew's ox gores a gentile's ox, the Jew owes nothing. If a gentile's ox gores a Jew's ox, the gentile pays the full damage. Rabbi Abbahu: because the gentiles did not keep the seven laws, God "permitted their money to the Jewish people". Bava Kamma 37b (opens in a new tab), 38a (opens in a new tab)
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  "With regard to an ox of a Jew that gored the ox of a gentile, the owner of the belligerent ox is exempt from liability. But with regard to an ox of a gentile that gored the ox of a Jew, regardless of whether the goring ox was innocuous or forewarned, the owner of the ox pays the full cost of the damage."

  "…God saw the seven mitzvot that the descendants of Noah accepted upon themselves to fulfill, and since they did not fulfill them, He arose and permitted [vehittir] their money to the Jewish people, so that in certain cases Jews are not liable for damage caused to gentiles."

• Shmuel: a gentile's business mistake may be kept. Shmuel bought a gold bowl from a gentile at the price of an iron one and paid one extra dinar "so that the gentile would not realize his mistake". Bava Kamma 113b (opens in a new tab)
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  "Shmuel says that it is permitted to financially benefit from a business error of a gentile, i.e., it need not be returned. The Gemara notes that this is like that incident where Shmuel purchased a golden bowl [lakna] from a gentile in exchange [bemar] for the price of an iron bowl, which was four dinars, and Shmuel included one additional dinar in the payment so that the gentile would not realize his mistake."

Everyday dealings

• No business, lending or borrowing with gentiles for three days before their festivals. Avodah Zarah 2a (opens in a new tab)
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  "On the three days before the festivals of gentiles the following actions are prohibited, as they would bring joy to the gentile, who would subsequently give thanks to his object of idol worship on his festival: It is prohibited to engage in business with them; to lend items to them or to borrow items from them…"

• Gentiles are "suspected" of bestiality, forbidden sexual relations and bloodshed: do not leave an animal at their inns, and do not be alone with them. Avodah Zarah 22a (opens in a new tab)
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  "One may not keep an animal in the inns [befundekaot] of gentiles because they are suspected of bestiality. … And a woman may not seclude herself with gentiles because they are suspected of engaging in forbidden sexual relations. And any person may not seclude himself with gentiles because they are suspected of bloodshed."

• When walking with a gentile, keep him on your right, to defend yourself. Avodah Zarah 25b (opens in a new tab)
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  "A Jew who encounters a gentile on the road and continues his travels with him should position the gentile to his right, so that the Jew's dominant hand is closest to the gentile, which will enable him to defend himself against a potential attack."

• A Jewish woman may not nurse a gentile's child. A Jewish midwife may deliver a gentile's child for pay, not for free. Gentiles are neither pulled out of a pit nor pushed into one. Avodah Zarah 26a (opens in a new tab)
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  "A Jewish woman may not nurse the child of a gentile woman because in doing so she is effectively raising a child who will engage in idol worship."

  "With regard to gentiles and shepherds of small domesticated animals, one may not raise them out of a pit and one may not lower them into a pit."

  "A Jewish woman may deliver the child of an Aramean woman in exchange for payment, but not for free."

• "You shall not show them favor" (Deuteronomy 7:2): do not let them acquire land in the Land of Israel, do not praise them, do not give them free gifts. Rav: it is forbidden to say "How beautiful is this gentile woman!" Avodah Zarah 20a (opens in a new tab)
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  "'You should not show them mercy'; this teaches that you should not give them a chance to encamp in the land of Eretz Yisrael. Another matter: 'You should not show them mercy'; this indicates that you should not give them favor. Another matter: 'You should not show them mercy'; this teaches that you should not give them an undeserved gift."

  "As Rav says: It is prohibited for a person to say: How beautiful is this gentile woman!"

• Gentile girls are treated as menstruating from the cradle. A gentile boy is ritually impure like a man with a discharge, "so that a Jewish child will not become familiar with him". Gentiles' bread, oil, wine and daughters were prohibited together. Avodah Zarah 36b (opens in a new tab) (also Niddah 34a (opens in a new tab))
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  "They decreed upon their daughters that they should be classified as menstruating women from the time they are in their cradle, i.e., they decreed that from when they are young, gentile women are always considered to be menstruating."

  "They decreed upon a male gentile child that he imparts ritual impurity as though he were a Jew who experienced a gonorrhea-like discharge [ziva], so that a Jewish child will not become familiar with him, leading to homosexual intercourse."

  "The prohibitions with regard to gentiles' bread and their oil, their wine and their daughters, are all from the eighteen matters issued in a single day in the time of the students of Shammai and Hillel."

  "…the Sages decreed concerning them that they shall be like zavin in all their matters of ritual purity."

• The Hasmonean court ruled that a Jew who has sex with a gentile woman is liable as if she were a menstruant, a slave woman, a gentile and a married woman (or a prostitute). Avodah Zarah 36b (opens in a new tab)
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  "The court of the Hasmoneans decreed that a Jew who engaged in intercourse with a gentile woman bears liability for transgressing four prohibitions, represented by the mnemonic: Nun, shin, gimmel, alef. These letters stands for: Menstruating woman [nidda], maidservant [shifḥa], gentile [goya], and married woman [eshet ish]."

• Support poor gentiles, visit their sick, bury their dead and greet them, "on account of the ways of peace". Gittin 61a (opens in a new tab)
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  "One sustains poor gentiles along with poor Jews, and one visits sick gentiles along with sick Jews, and one buries dead gentiles along with dead Jews. All this is done on account of the ways of peace, to foster peaceful relations between Jews and gentiles. … Similarly, one may extend greetings to gentiles on account of the ways of peace."

The Talmud's words for non-Jews include goy, nokhri and oved kokhavim (akum); this translation renders them "gentile". Some printed editions changed these words under censorship, so wording can differ between editions.

Last updated 30 October 2026. Questions: [email protected].