Israel and the Nations
The Sephardic sages preserved the dignity of every person created in the image of God. They prayed for the well-being of the kingdom, showed kindness to their neighbors, and were wary of harming the stranger and the resident. We have gathered from their Torah the ways of peace and concern for the stranger.
Hacham Abraham Bechor Evlagon - in which he teaches how he extended his hand towards non-Jews to help meet their needs
Hacham Abraham Chen - in which he teaches that mutual responsibility for humanity in its entirety begins with Abraham
Hacham Abraham Dayan - in which he explains the reason for the niche in the Aleppo Great Synagogue wall
Hacham Avraham Arussi - in which he teaches about Abraham's descendants' attribute of compassion for all creatures
Hacham Avraham Dahan - in which he teaches that it is an attribute of the righteous to attend to the positive aspects of people
Hacham Avraham David Shalem - in which he teaches to do what is just and right with no discrimination of race, color or religion
Hacham Avraham Meyuhas - in which he explains that Abraham's inheritance of the Land can be for all people, if they behave as he did
Hacham Eliezer Papo - in which he teaches to be generous with gifts to all people, and that doing so increases peace
Hacham Eliyahu Benamozegh - in which he teaches that we do not "walk in their statutes" [applies] only in what the Torah distanced from.
Hacham Eliyahu Pardes - in which he teaches that the Nation of Israel is destined to be a light shining on all countries
Hakham Abraham Halevi - in which he teaches to give half to his relatives and half to all the other poor.
Hacham Bechor Yaakov Yavetz - in which he explains that being born of woman, love increases and the world remains steadfast.
Hacham David Amado - in which he teaches of the dangers of charity done from robbery and oppressing the non-Jew
Hacham David Haim Yitzhak Hacohen Tennoudji - in which he teaches that Esau required a blessing because he had no Torah to his credit
Hacham David Halevy Carasso - in which he teaches that concerning laws governing money even the customs of non-Jews are learned by Jews
Hacham Haim Aboulafia - in which he interprets Esau's cry as Esau's also being Jacob's son, despite being wicked
Hacham Haim Abraham Gagin - in which he teaches that Jacob's most passionate wish was to make peace with Esau
Hacham Haim David Halevy - in which he instructs to fulfill commandments with non-Jews, not only "because of peaceful ways"
Hacham Haim Mordecai Labaton - in which he rules to sustain poor non-Jews even when Jews are not sustained along with them
Hacham Hezekiah Shabtai - in which he teaches the obligation of "Love thy neighbor as thyself" towards our non-Jewish neighbors
Hacham Hizkiya David Aboulafia - in which he offers a prayer that the seed of peace be sown in the hearts of all residents of Khaled
Hacham Yoseph Faladji - in which he teaches that customs should be changed and the custom of the nations to rise when blessing the king should be followed
Hacham Israel Moshe Hazzan - in which he declares that Christian savants of our time cherish wisdom and science
Hacham Yaakov Chaim Sofer - in which he teaches that our Teacher Moses sought to grant merit to all people and nations
Hacham Yaakov Moshe Toledano - in which he teaches that in our time, crosses are made for commemoration and not for idol worship
Hacham Yehuda Alkalai - in which he says that our Holy Land will be a land of liberty for all its residents
Hacham Yihya Korach - in which he teaches that Abraham did not purchase a plot in the Land of Israel because he was not one of little faith
Hacham Yitzhak Akarish - in which he praises merciful monarchs, who support people keeping their own faith
Hacham Yom Tov Yedid Halevy - in which he teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, is chagrined by the suffering of the poor from all nations
Hacham Yosef David - in which he instructs on the prohibition of maligning a non-Jew, which leads to defaming one's mother's son
Hacham Yosef Massass - in which he teaches that it is obligatory to attend the funeral of a deceased Gentile, even the lesser ones among them.
Hacham Yosef Soso Hacohen - in which he permits drinking fermented palm juice prepared by Ishmaelites, rather than being stringent
Hacham Yoseph Elmaliakh - in which he rules against a decree that is the result of slanderous and incendiary words
Hacham Yoseph Tsobari - in which he teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, is beneficent to His creatures so that they defend peace in the world
Hacham Kalphon Moshe Hacohen - in which he teaches not to ignore argument but to eliminate it entirely
Hacham Mehallel Ha’adani - in which he recounts that they would find shelter from robbers in the Arab house of prayer
Hacham Moses Pardo - in response to a question concerning the leading of a Torah scroll procession on a Festival accompanied by musical instruments played by non-Jews
Hacham Moshe (Moussa) Haddad - in which he permits the rental of bicycles to non-Jews for use on the Sabbath
Hacham Moshe Herrera - in which he teaches that it is the Divine will that we act for the benefit of our enemies and forget our hate when they are suffering
Hacham Moshe Soulam - in which he teaches that had they not risen to the aid of France, the entire world would have been destroyed by war
Hacham Mullah Mattityah Garji - in which he teaches two stipulations: that a student be meek and that he study for the sake of learning.
Hacham Nissim Elyakim - in which he teacher that the learning of the children of converts has special sanctity
Hacham Nissim Hacohen Rabin - in which he teaches to be observant of the Almighty's attributes so as to be useful to all dwellers of the universe.
Hacham Allwan Shimon Avidani - in which he speaks of the sin of Sodom and in praise of those who welcome guests
Hacham Rachamim Haim Yehuda Israel - in which he places on educators the responsibility of determining the limits and boundaries necessary for repair (tikun) so that all nations equal and in fellowship
Hacham Raphael Aaron Ben Shimon - in which he teaches that non-Jews were invited to come on the Sabbath Eve so they could play on the Sabbath of a circumcision
Hacham Raphael Asher Kovo - in which he allows reading from a Bible printed by non-Jews who are not heretics
Hacham Raphael Haim Moshe Ben Naim - in which he teaches of the Holy One blessed be He's love for all mankind, with no differentiation between nations or tongues.
Hacham Raphael Yitzhak Israel - in which he teaches that it is absolute theft to mislead a non-Jew and that one should avoid doing so as one avoids desecrating the Sabbath
Hacham Reuven Maurice Alush - in which he teaches to pursue peace in the world wherever peace-making is required
Hacham Samuel David Luzatto - in which he instructs that taking interest from a non-Jewish poor person is forbidden, for he is to be considered a sojourner, whom we are commanded to sustain
Hacham Shaul Hacohen - in which he teaches that the poor must be fed – all who are hungry, not only those who seek to fulfill the commandment
