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The gemara Avodah Zara (20) explains that praising a non-Jew is a violation of "lo sechaneim", and this is quoted in the Rambam (Hil. Avodah Zara 10:6) and the Shulchan Aruch (Y"D 151, and Shach s.k. 18 says that this applies to all non-Jews).

However, it seems like we aren't so careful about this. After all, Chazal themselves praised Antoninus and Dama ben Nesinah, and it seems like no one, from Rishonim (such as the Rambam's praises of Aristotle) to today, has any serious issue with this. Does anyone know of a source that discusses these specific cases or has a list of 'kulos' that would cover the common practice?

I know of a few exceptions (such the Shulchan Aruch there allows it if it's meant as a praise of Hashem or Jews) and the most widely applicable is probably that of R. Moshe Shterbach (Teshuvos Vehanhagos 4:197) who allows praising a non-Jew whom one doesn't know personally, but it seems like there must be more leniencies.

msh210
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הנער הזה
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    V'Gam Charvonah Zachur LaTov though some say it was Eliyahu http://jtf.org/forum/index.php?topic=56317.5;wap2 – ray Mar 14 '14 at 06:41
  • @ray Nice, well put indeed (appropriate that he should be added as an afterthought just as in the song!) – הנער הזה Mar 14 '14 at 16:54
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    To add to this: "One who says something wise is called a chacham, even if he's not a Jew"- Megillah daf 16 amud aleph. – PixelArtDragon Mar 16 '14 at 17:22
  • Sounds like you want source only, not a chidush? – user6591 Mar 29 '16 at 00:44
  • Note that it is pretty clear from the Rambam that this only a problem for idolaters; not like the Shakh. This is pretty much explicit in the Hinukh and Shulhan Arukh. See http://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/75268/setting-up-non-jews-for-marriage/76039?noredirect=1#comment222980_76039. Depending on which people one interacts with, this may be a significant leniency (so much so, that would be more accurate to say that Shakh is a major stringency). If you are interested, I will post this as an answer. – mevaqesh Sep 04 '16 at 20:13

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The Rambam in Hilchot Avodat Kochavim 10:1 states that the seven nations are included in the prohibition of lo techaneim, but Jews and Gerei Toshav are not. This seemingly leaves generic idol worship up in the air. The context of the verse in Deuteronomy is clearly restricted to the seven nations, although most Rishonim seem to extend it to all Idolators.

Society today has few idolaters in the classical sense of the word, and with all the murkiness around the law, for the sake of peace (Eivah), like many other laws involving relationships with non-jews, many rabbanim I have come into contact with are lenient. (As per the Shach's klalei hora'ah that state in a time of need one can rely on even a da'at yachid (single opinion) in the Rishonim.

Yehuda
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  • "for the sake of peace" means Darkhei Shalom, not Mishum Eivah. – Double AA Mar 18 '14 at 05:47
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    Re: Hilkhot Avodah Zarah 10:1: Although Shiv'ah Amamin is used here (and presumably in most printed editions), the Mechon Mamre edition (here) uses Ovdei Avodah Zarah and Goy instead, and even Eliyahu Touger's translation (here) uses the more generic "idolaters" and "gentiles". – Tamir Evan Mar 18 '14 at 07:49
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    The context of the next verse in Deuteronomy is also "clearly restricted to the seven nations" with regard to marrying into them. Does that mean we could be lenient on that (Lo Ta'aseh 52 and Isurei Bi'ah 12:1) too? – Tamir Evan Mar 18 '14 at 08:24
  • Thanks, I'm aware of the implications of the verse's context, which I why I noted in the question that the Shach 151:18 says that this applies to all non-Jews. Do you know of any post-Shakh halakhic source which supports your position? – הנער הזה Mar 18 '14 at 21:04
  • @Tamir - By your logic, Gerei Toshav should also be included in the category, and even according to the Shach, if I remember correctly, they aren't. – Yehuda Mar 21 '14 at 03:23
  • @Matt - Why do you want another post-Shakh halachic opinion if according to the Shach himself, you can rely on a da'at yachid in Rishonim bsha'at hadchak (see in his klalei hora'ah). – Yehuda Mar 21 '14 at 03:27
  • @Master_Yoda First of all, it's unclear whether or not there's any opinion in the Rishonim who thinks this applies to only Shiva Ammin (after all, the Gemara in Avodah Zara seems to apply it to Romans). Second, since I'm not a posek I'm not going to apply this concept of the Shakh until a posek tells me that 'mishum eivah' constitutes a shaas hadchak that allows for relying on single opinions. If anything, I'd think today is the opposite of a shaas hadchak because it's unlikely (in Western countries) that you'll be murdered or even jailed for being impolite, as opposed to in Medieval times. – הנער הזה Mar 21 '14 at 03:42
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    @Matt: see the Chiddushei ha-Meiri (Beit Habechirah), Avoda Zara 20a for a clear rishon. I don't see how you could conceivably construe this as not a sha'at hadchak.Additionally, in my understanding of the Torah's hashkafah, "deracheha darchei noam v'chol netivoteha shalom." As such, before looking for chumrot here (because the Shach and Netziv are both clearly machmir), I will rely on the leniencies of the the Meiri as paskened by Rav Henkin, the Seridei Eish, and my own personal posek. – Yehuda Mar 21 '14 at 04:12
  • @Master_Yoda Awesome, thanks! Can you please edit those sources into your answer? I assumed someone would quote the Meiri – הנער הזה Mar 21 '14 at 05:57
  • @Master_Yoda What "logic" of mine are you referring too? My first comment extends the prohibitions to all gentile idolaters. Gerei Toshav, being forbidden Avodah Zarah, would be outside this category. (See also the last Halakhah in the chapter, which says that all this applies only when - and because - we can't have Gerie Toshav.) – Tamir Evan Mar 21 '14 at 07:24
  • @Tamir, if it's prohibited to marry a Ger Toshav, it should be prohibited to praise a ger toshav, which we know not to be the case. – Yehuda Mar 21 '14 at 13:15
  • @Matt - I don't have time to find the sources again now, but I'll take a look over shabbat bli neder. – Yehuda Mar 21 '14 at 13:16
  • @Master_Yoda I'm not arguing that anything is to be learned from the context of the verse. I'm arguing that restricting the Halakhah to the Seven Nations based on the context of the verse is problematic. – Tamir Evan Mar 21 '14 at 14:52
  • @TamirEvan Except that the Rambam seems to do it. Clearly there is a need to try to work out the intention of the Torah when understanding its Mitzvot and apply this intention in determining the halacha, as the Rambam does. (I'm not talking about the reason for the mitzvot but the intention of the Mitzvot.) – Yehuda Mar 21 '14 at 17:29
  • @Master_Yoda I don't see that he does. With regard to marrying them (which I mentioned in my second comment) the Rambam clearly states that, in spite of the context, all gentiles are included (Seven Nations or others). As I said in my first comment, the printed editions (which may be prone to censorship emandations) may restrict Lo Techonem to the Seven Nations, but the Mechon Mamre edition (based on Yemenite manuscripts) and Eliyahu Touger's translation (which usually prefers to follow the printed edition) don't. – Tamir Evan Mar 22 '14 at 21:39
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    That Shach is quoting the Beis Yosef who in turn was explaining the Tur, who as the Bach points out was simply quoting the Gemara which says Goy, not Akum. Akum was interpolated by the, well, Akums. So anyone who wants to be midayek Akum as opposed to goy is working against all the sources. Second, any meiri quoted from maseches Avoda Zara being lenient concerning Akums is assumed to be not halakhically helpful as no one relies on him to treat Christians as not Ovdei Avoda Zara. – user6591 Mar 29 '16 at 00:43
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The Tzitz Eliezer has a well explained Tshuva on Lo Sechonem, and goes through heterim on the subject. It goes through the Rambam praising Aristotle, and Gemaras praising Goyim, and Goyish nations. Tzitz Eliezer Chelek 15, Siman 47

Ari
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I knew a Rav in Jerusalem who would refer to Shakespeare and other great gentile authors, only semi-sarcastically, as "moreinu v'rabbenu." I've never heard that one isn't supposed to praise a gentile. We don't poskin directly from the gemara.

Tatpurusha
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    Of course we don't pasken directly from the gemara. But when that gemara is quoted by the Rif, Rosh, and Rambam, then codified in the Shulchan Aruch, and discussed by the nosei keilim and in contemporary teshuvah literature... – הנער הזה Mar 17 '14 at 03:41