Is it permissible to learn Torah - for example, Mishnayot - l'iluy nishmat a non-Jew?
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Why might it not be that you think to ask?– Double AA ♦Jun 18, 2020 at 16:20
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1@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.– Harel13Jun 18, 2020 at 17:13
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2How is this opinion based?– robevJun 19, 2020 at 2:16
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@robev what do you mean?– Harel13Jun 19, 2020 at 5:34
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2This question has three votes to close it as opinion based. I'm expressing my bewilderment.– robevJun 19, 2020 at 12:09
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1 Answer
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.]
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2Rav Ovadia Yosef allowed Kaddish for a non-Jew judaism.stackexchange.com/a/3843/759– Double AA ♦Jun 18, 2020 at 19:59
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1@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, 2020 at 20:02
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3@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, 2020 at 21:06
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2This Shut is difficult to understand. The word Nishmat is from Tora, Nishmat Chayim, not from a kabala concept of NRNCY, the 5 nefashot.– koutyJun 19, 2020 at 11:01