Selling Gemara to non-Jews

Question

Is it permissible for someone to sell sefarim (e.g., a gemara) to non-Jews?

Does it make a difference if they are messianic "Jews" (people who believe Jesus is Moshiach)?

Also you might find MY's official tour to be helpful https://judaism.stackexchange.com/tour — mbloch, Dec 25 '17 at 04:45
Related:https://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/23520/501 - Can a Jew sell a sefer Torah to a non-Jew? Why or why not? — Danny Schoemann, Dec 25 '17 at 10:54
@ezra - in days long past "Messianic Jews" used Gemaras and other seforim as fuel for their alleged "disputations" in Paris, Barcelona, etc. — Gary, Dec 25 '17 at 14:39
@Gary Good luck if any Messianic Jew could even read the Gemara... None of them have training save those who grew up in Orthodox homes, went to yeshiva, etc. but those are few and far between. — ezra, Dec 25 '17 at 21:31

mbloch · Answer 1 · 2017-12-25T20:44:30.663

You definitely need to ask a rav. It is possible this is permitted in case of non-Jews who will handle the sefarim with respect but likely this is NOT permitted in case of messianic Jews.

Two relevant sources you might consider when asking are

dinonline writes the prohibition of selling tefilin and similar items to non-Jews is out of concern for disrespect to the item. If there is no concern they will handle with disrespect (the case there is a person in the process of conversion), it is fine to sell them

HOWEVER

elsewhere dinonline mentions the Rema and Maharil in SA YD 291:2 that forbids handing over a mezuza to a non-Jew. They cite lenient rulings but, when discussing the reasons this is forbidden write that people will think that the non-Jew is Jewish (the assumption, based on Menachot 43a, is that this confusion is liable to endanger Jews).

The latter could be exactly the scenario of Messianic Jews using these gemarot to spiritually endanger other Jews.

Again, CYLOR before acting on what you read here.

Selling Gemara to non-Jews

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