Pope's 'Subtle Revolution' in Catholic/Jewish Relations

Israeli Priest Comments on Pope Benedict's Address to Jewish Leaders in Paris, France.

JERUSALEM (Zenit) - Benedict XVI worked a "subtle revolution" with regard to relations with Jews during his trip to Paris earlier this month, simply by quoting the Talmud, says an Israeli priest.

Jesuit Father David Mark Neuhaus, the secretary-general of the Hebrew-speaking Catholic Vicariate in Israel, known also as the Association of St. James, explained this in an article posted on the Web site of the Hebrew-speaking Catholic Vicariate in Israel. Father Neuhaus also serves as the priest in charge of the Hebrew-speaking Catholic community in Haifa.

"We have become used to the friendly tone of papal statements and greetings of different Jewish communities as the Popes since the Second Vatican Council travel around the world," he said. "It should perhaps be pointed out though that in the recent meeting with the representatives of the Jewish community in France, the Holy Father worked another subtle revolution."

In the context on commenting on the importance of the Sabbath, the Pope said: "Does not the Talmud Yoma (85b) state: 'The Sabbath has been given to you, but you have not been given to the Sabbath?'"Father Neuhaus explained that the Church in France has a history of censoring the Talmud, the body of Jewish civil and ceremonial law.

"In 1239, Pope Gregory IX sent out a letter to the monarchs in Europe ordering them to confiscate the volumes of the Talmud from the Jewish communities that lived in their lands," the Jesuit wrote. "Accusations had been made that the Talmud contained blasphemies against Christian belief and constituted an obstacle to Jewish conversion to Christianity.

"Little action was taken by the European monarchs outside of France, although in many places censorship of the Talmud was imposed.In France, as a result of the Pope's letter condemning the Talmud, the first public disputation was staged between Jews and Christians between June 25 and 27, 1240, in Paris. Two years later, in June 1242, 24 wagonloads of books, including many precious handwritten volumes of the Talmud, were burnt.

"The French King, Louis IX, ordered further confiscations in 1247 and 1248 and future monarchs in France upheld the principle. A further book burning was held in Toulouse in 1319." The Jesuit asked, "Is it not then a subtle revolution that to the Holy Father not only warmly greets the Jewish community in Paris, but that he also quotes the same Babylonian Talmud? Is it not significant too that he quotes from a Talmudic teaching that resonates deeply with the teaching of Jesus of Nazareth?"