Jewish Oral Law Part 3, Treatment of Heretics

Continued from Jewish Oral Tradition Part 2, Treatment of Women

The Jewish Oral law is discriminatory, intolerant (and worse) towards Jews or Israelites who act as non believers or are non believers - the laws I believe are referring to Jewish people like me, someone who was born into a Jewish family and taught 'traditional Judaism'. I do not think the laws were meant to apply to children born into non religious households and grow up to be non believers. 

Many in the Orthodox Jewish community behave consistent with the gestalt of these laws. This would include for example shunning,  family cutting off relations with the 'heretic', financial pressure and all sorts of tactics to bring the heretic in line. 

As if these laws are not outrageous enough, people like me are threatened by Oral Law and Tradition with suffering greatly after death and losing my share of the world to come. 

1) Kitzur Schulchan Aruch 1927 Rabbi Solomon Ganzfried - Translated by Hyman Goldin. From Volume IV, Chapter CCI : Apostates, Denouncers, Heretics when they die their brothers should eat, drink and rejoice.

2) The Code Of Maimonides Book 14, The Book of Judges - Translated by Abraham M. Hershman 1949, 1947

From Chapter III - One who publicly repudiated the Oral Law is put to death. These are classed as epicurens and any person has the right to put them to death.

Heretics, Apostates, those who deny the divine origin of scriptures are excommunicated. Whoever puts them to death fulfills a great precept. (On page 314 Epicuran means one who denies the reality of prophecy or Moses prophecy or maintains G-d has no knowledge of the deeds of man.)

The law regarding those who reject the Oral Law would not apply to those born into say a Karaite family. 

3) The Code Of Miamondies Book 11, The Book of Torts - Translated by Hymen Klein 1954, 1982

Chapter IV. At one time it was meritorious to kill apostates (and sectarians see below): Israelites who worship Idols; provocatively does sinful things; wears mingled clothing; eats carrion;

(Sectarians - Deny the authenticity of the Torah or prophecy. If you have the power, slay them publicly by the sword. Otherwise plot to bring about their death. Thus, if they fell in a well remove the ladder saying I need it for my son and will bring it back later.)

4) Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah  § 158, 2 - One who does not believe in the divine origin of the Law and in prophecy may be killed directly, or his death may be caused indirectly.

5) A heretic's testimony was not admitted in evidence in Jewish courts (Choshen Mishpat, 34, 22)

6) If an Israelite found an object belonging to a heretic, he was forbidden to return it to him. (Choshen Mishpat 266, 2).

Continued Jewish Oral Law Part 4, Demons