Are Gentiles Cattle?

The Talmud does not tell Jews to see gentiles as "cattle", donkeys, etc. The often-cited Berakoth passage in support of the misconception rather describes a Rabbi telling Roman authorities that a Jewish man who he held in trial had sex with a donkey, when in reality, he had sex with a gentile.

The Rabbi did not conflate or equate humans and donkeys as moral equals, but rather lied to the Roman authorities to avoid informing them that he held a court of Jewish law, an illegal act under Roman occupation.

Sources:

Back to all topics