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<p style="margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0">Many years ago when my two oldest grandsons were in elementary school in yeshiva, they began to speak in a derogatory manner abut non-Jews. They had heard these things from their fellow students. Their father, my
oldest son, and I made it clear to them that this was not the appropriate way to speak about human beings who were created by Ha Shem with a neshama. Fortunately, they listened to us and changed their attitude.</p>
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<p style="margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0">No one is saying that one must be "buddy buddy" with gentiles, but they are to be treated with proper respect.</p>
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<p style="margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0">I have posted letter 11 of RSRH's 19 Letters at
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<p style="margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0"><a href="http://personal.stevens.edu/~llevine/letter_11.pdf" class="OWAAutoLink" id="LPlnk755537" previewremoved="true">http://personal.stevens.edu/~llevine/letter_11.pdf</a></p>
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<p style="margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0">While I suggest that everyone read the entire letter, below are some excerpts from it.</p>
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<div>MISHPATIM. All these insights, however, are of value only if<br>
you truly live your life according to what you, as man and<br>
Yisraelite in God's world, with your God-given powers, have<br>
recognized. The first requirement is, therefore, that you<br>
practice justice:<br>
<br>
-Respect every being in your surroundings, as well as<br>
everything within yourself, as a creation of your God,<br>
<br>
-Respect whatever is theirs as given to them by God or as<br>
having been acquired according to Divinely sanctioned law. Let<br>
them keep, or have, whatever they are entitled by right to call<br>
their own; do not be a source of harm to -others!<br>
<br>
-Respect every human being as your equal. Respect him,<br>
his inner self as well as his outer garment-his body-and his<br>
life) Respect his property, too, as a legal extension of his<br>
<div>body. Respect his claim to property or services that you have<br>
to render to him, 1 properly measured or counted, as well as<br>
his claim to compensation for harm done to his body or<br>
property.<br>
<br>
-Respect his right to know the truth and his right to<br>
freedom, happiness, peace of mind,P honor and a peaceful<br>
existence. <br>
<br>
-Never abuse the frailty of his body, mind or heart/ and<br>
never misuse your legal power over him. <br>
<br>
<div>The Chukkim require of you:<br>
<br>
-respect for all that exists, as God's property: do not<br>
destroy anything! do not misuse it! do not waste! use<br>
everything wisely<br>
<br>
-respect for all the species: their order was established by<br>
God-do not intermingle them;u respect for all creatures: they<br>
are servants in the household of Creation; v respect for the<br>
feelings and instincts of animals;w respect for the human body,<br>
even after the soul has departed;x respect for your own body:<br>
maintain it, as it is the repository, messenger and instrument of<br>
the spirit;<br>
<br>
-limitation of your own instincts and animal-like actions:<br>
subordinate them to God's Law, so that, truly human and<br>
sanctified, they can help you attain the holy goal of mankind and<br>
will not turn you into a mere animal;<br>
<br>
-respect for your soul, when you nourish its tool, the<br>
body: supply the body only with such nourishment that will<br>
enable it to act as a pure and willing messenger of the world to<br>
the spirit, and of the spirit to the world, rather than giving it<br>
food that will induce sluggishness and sensuality; <br>
<br>
<div>-concealment and sublimation of the animal in you, rather<br>
than according it too much respect and attention: only thus will<br>
the conflict within you ultimately be resolved, and the animal in<br>
you will also aspire only to the truly human;<br>
<br>
-lastly, respect for your own person in its purest<br>
expression-your power of speech.<br>
<br>
In light of the above I simply cannot understand how some Torah sources can express a derogatory view of gentiles.<br>
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YL<br>
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