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Is it permissible to learn Torah - for example, Mishnayot - l'iluy nishmat a non-Jew?

Harel13
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  • Why might it not be that you think to ask? – Double AA Jun 18 '20 at 16:20
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    @DoubleAA two reasons: a. Non-Jews can't learn most of Torah (only specific things) and there's also a problem of teaching non-Jews Torah, so there might be some relation to that. b. When trying to find answer online, I saw mention of an idea that I may have heard in the past, that non-Jews don't have a soul or have a different kind of soul or something like that. Maybe there's a nafka mina to that. – Harel13 Jun 18 '20 at 17:13
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    How is this opinion based? – robev Jun 19 '20 at 02:16
  • @robev what do you mean? – Harel13 Jun 19 '20 at 05:34
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    This question has three votes to close it as opinion based. I'm expressing my bewilderment. – robev Jun 19 '20 at 12:09

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Rav Yaakov Hillel has a lengthy 20 page response on this in מקבציאל ל"ה where he summarizes the outcome of a ger doing things for his deceased non-Jewish parents as follows:

1 - A non-Jew has no neshama like a Jew, and therefore it makes no sense to say kaddish, learn Torah, or do any mitzva "l'iluy nishmat" a goy.

2 - One should have hakorash hatov to goy that helped them, and if they were not antagonistic to Judaism he should give tzedaka and daven that Hashem should reduce punishment for sins they may deserve.

3 - If they kept the seven mitzvos on Noach, he can add on a tefila that they should be able to enter the special Gan Eden set aside for such people.

4 - If they did not serve Avoda Zara, had good middos and surely if they were nice and helpful to Jews, one can daven that they should enter the gan eden for chasidie umos ha'olam.

[Rav Elyashiv is quoted in וישמע משה that it is a disgrace to have a goy's name on a torah.]

M,m'Kab'tziel

פרי זהב
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    If you say Liliui Nefesh instead then it's ok? – Double AA Jun 18 '20 at 19:55
  • So learning isn't okay? If so, what's the difference between learning and praying & giving tzeddakah? – Harel13 Jun 18 '20 at 19:58
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    Rav Ovadia Yosef allowed Kaddish for a non-Jew https://judaism.stackexchange.com/a/3843/759 – Double AA Jun 18 '20 at 19:59
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    @Harel13 It doesn't say learning isn't ok. It just says it doesn't do anything special for the gentile. Learning is always a good thing. – Double AA Jun 18 '20 at 20:02
  • Do gentiles not get credits for causing Jews to do good things? This author may be very kabbalistic about how 'ilui neshama' works, but he can't deny the rationalistic explanation still applies here. – Double AA Jun 18 '20 at 20:05
  • @DoubleAA in other words, it's pointless to learn for the sake of a deceased non-Jew. Of course learning is always good, but for that person's sake it wouldn't have any effect? – Harel13 Jun 18 '20 at 20:10
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    @Harel13 No one said anything about learning "for the sake of" only learning "lilui nishmas". I know it sounds like I'm picking hairs, but that's what this answer is addressing, taking "nishmas" very literally. (Also remember, as noted above from ROY, not everyone agrees with this answer.) – Double AA Jun 18 '20 at 20:18
  • @Harel13 - He writes that praying and giving Tezdaka are things that are equal to all, while Torah and Mitzvos they have no connection to. – פרי זהב Jun 18 '20 at 20:21
  • @Harel13 - All of his conclusions are sourced in his 20 page response. – פרי זהב Jun 18 '20 at 20:23
  • @פריזהב oh, sorry, I missed the part about not learning Torah. Thanks. – Harel13 Jun 18 '20 at 20:33
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    @פריזהב Is praying and charity not included in Mitzvos? I dont understand how to determine what goes in which category. (or what 'having a connection to' means or why it affects their ability to benefit from my doing something I'm supposed to because they caused me to) – Double AA Jun 18 '20 at 21:06
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    This Shut is difficult to understand. The word Nishmat is from Tora, Nishmat Chayim, not from a kabala concept of NRNCY, the 5 nefashot. – kouty Jun 19 '20 at 11:01
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    There is a lot of Rabanim in Gemara with a name that is not jew. Onkelos, etc... and the Gemara did not change their names – kouty Jun 19 '20 at 11:02