The Talmud on Jews in Rome

b. Avodah Zarah 54b–55a

The sages taught: [Certain] philosophers asked the [Jewish] sages [who were] in Rome: If it is not your God’s will [that people should engage] in idol worship, for what [reason] does He not eliminate it? [The sages] said to them: Were [people] worshipping [only] objects for which the world has no need, He would eliminate it. [But] they worship the sun and the moon [and] the stars and the constellations. Should He destroy [the] world because of the fools? Rather, the world follows its course, and [the] fools who sinned will be held to judgment in the future [for their transgressions]. [ . . . ]

A certain philosopher asked Rabban Gamaliel, “It is written in your Torah [with regard to the prohibition against idol worship]: For the Lord your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God (Deuteronomy 4:24). For what [reason is] He jealous [and does He exact vengeance] from the [idol’s] worshippers, but [He is] not jealous of [the idol] itself [and does not destroy it]?”

[Rabban Gamaliel] said to [the philosopher]: I will relate a parable to you. To what is this matter comparable? [It may be compared] to a king of flesh and blood who had one son, and that son was raising a dog. And [the son] gave [the dog] a name, [naming him] after his father. When [the son would] take an oath, [he would] say: [I swear] by the life of [the] dog, my father. When the king heard [about this], with whom [was the king] angry? Is he angry with the son or is he angry with the dog? You must say [that] he is angry with the son. [So too, God is angry with the worshippers who attribute divinity to objects of idol worship and not with the objects of idol worship themselves.]

[The philosopher] said to [Rabban Gamaliel]: Do you call [the idol] a dog? But [the idol truly] exists, [i.e., has power. Rabban Gamaliel] said to [the philosopher]: And what did you see [that caused you to believe that the idols have power? The philosopher] said to [Rabban Gamaliel]: A fire once broke out in our city, and the entire city was burned down, but that temple of idol worship was not burned down.

[Rabban Gamaliel] said to [the philosopher]: I will relate a parable to you. To what is this matter comparable? [It may be compared] to a king of flesh and blood whose province sinned against him. When he wages war, does he wage [war] against the living or does he wage [war] against the dead? You must say [that] he wages [war] against the living. [God punishes the living worshippers and not the idol, which is not alive.]

[The philosopher] said to [Rabban Gamaliel]: You call [the idol] a dog; you call [the idol] dead. If [it is] so, let [God] remove it from the world. [Rabban Gamaliel] said to [the philosopher]: Were [people] worshipping [only] objects for which the world has no need, He would eliminate it. [But] they worship the sun and the moon, the stars and the constellations, [and] the streams and the valleys. Should He destroy His world because of fools? And so [the verse] states: Shall I utterly consume all things from off the face of the earth? says the Lord. Shall I consume man and beast? Shall I consume the fowls of the heavens and the fish of the sea, and the stumbling blocks of the wicked? . . . (Zephaniah 1:2–3). Should [God] remove [objects of idol worship] from the world due to [the fact] that the wicked stumble because of them? [If so, He would have to destroy all of humanity as well, as] do not [idol worshippers also] worship people? [This is expressed in the continuation of the verse:] And shall I cut off man from off the face of the earth? [says the Lord] (ibid.).

Agrippas [the] general asked Rabban Gamaliel: It is written in your Torah [with regard to idol worship]: For the Lord your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God (Deuteronomy 4:24). Doesn’t [jealousy arise] only [in the following cases]: A wise man [might be] jealous of [another] wise man, and a mighty [man might be jealous] of [another] mighty [man], and a rich [man might be jealous] of [another] rich [man? If so, why is God jealous of objects of idol worship, which are not gods?]

[Rabban Gamaliel] said to [Agrippas]: I will relate a parable to you. To what is this matter comparable? [It can be compared] to a person who married [a second] wife in addition to his [first] wife. [If the second wife is] more distinguished than [the first wife, the first wife] is not jealous of her, [and she does not feel anger toward her husband. But if the second wife is] less distinguished than [the first wife], she is jealous of her.

b. Gittin 58a

[There was] an incident involving R. Joshua ben Ḥananiah who [once] went to the great city of Rome, [where] they said to him: There is a child in prison [with] beautiful eyes [and] an attractive appearance, and his curly hair is arranged in locks. [R. Joshua] went and stood by the entrance to the prison. He said, [as if speaking to himself]: Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? (Isaiah 42:24). That child answered by reciting [the continuation of the verse]: Did not the Lord, He against Whom we have sinned, and in Whose ways they would not walk, neither were they obedient to His law? (ibid.).

[R. Joshua] said: I am certain that, [if given the opportunity,] this [child will] issue [halakhic] rulings in Israel, [as he is already exceedingly wise. He said, “I take an oath] by the Temple service that I will not move from here until I ransom him for whatever [sum of] money they set for him.” They said [that] he did not move from there until he ransomed him for a great [sum of] money, and not [even] a few days [had passed when this child then] issued [halakhic] rulings in Israel. And who was [this child? This was] R. Ishmael ben Elisha.

b. Sanhedrin 32b

The sages taught: [The verse states:] Justice, justice, shall you follow (Deuteronomy 16:20). [This teaches that one should] follow the sages to the academy [where they are found. For example, follow] after R. Eliezer to Lod, after Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai to Beror Ḥayil, after R. Joshua to Peki’in, after Rabban Gamaliel to Yavneh, after R. Akiva to Bnei Brak, after R. Matthia to Rome.