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We disagree with Rabbi Eliezer Melamed’s position on Hinduism

In an article entitled The Attitude toward Hinduism Rabbi Eliezer Melamed writes:

Idolatry B’Shituf

In fact, since on one hand, Hinduism believes in a supreme source for all the gods, and on the other hand, in Hindu worship statues are venerated, offerings are made before them, and incense is burned, Hinduism is considered idolatry b’shituf (ed., the combination of belief in G-d with other idolatrous and alien beliefs). For Jews, who received the Torah from Sinai and were specifically commanded to believe in one God, idolatry with b’shituf is forbidden like absolute idolatry, and the idols and all their implements, images, and sacrifices offered before them, are prohibited by Jews to derive benefit from them.

However, for the B’nai Noach (Sons of Noach), according to most halakhic authorities, there is no prohibition against practicing idolatry b’shituf. Therefore, as long as the idol worshiper also directs his worship to the one God above all the gods, he does not violate any prohibition.

We strongly believe that idolatry b’shituf is forbidden both for Jews and Non-Jews. For an explanation read the post Did Rabbi Moshe Isserles Permit Gentiles Who Are Obligated by the Noahide Laws to Believe in the Creator of the Universe in Partnership With Foreign Gods?

Living under strong censorship in the lands of the exile the rabbis often could not spell out their position on other religions in clear ways. Or if they did spell out their positions in clear ways, the printing companies that published their works decided to use vague code words or totally omit the controversial statements about other religions. After a while religious liberals made inferences from censored texts as proof for their liberal outlook.

Regardless of what you hold about the idolatry b’shituf issue, Hindus and many other Gentiles are anyways guilty of the spiritual crime brought up by Rabbi Moshe Feinstein in Igrote Moshe, Y.D. Vol. 2, Siman 7.

As a side point, since Rabbi Feinstein talks about extra-credit mitzvas for Gentiles, in the source mentioned above, scholars are urged to see what the Rambam himself wrote on circumcision for Gentiles as an extra-credit mitzva in

שו”ת הרמב”ם סימן קמח.

Appendix: Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan, known by his nickname “The Chafetz Chaim” wrote a number of important books on Halacha. In Likutei Halachot to the Talmud, Sanhedrin page 56b, the Chafetz Chaim seems to accept the strict view that it is forbidden for a Gentile to be an idol worshiper b’shituf.

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Book 2: Interpretation of the Bible

• Messianic Movements That Failed
• False Prophet
• The Tradition
• The Mitzva To Appoint Judges and Officials to Enforce the Law
• Let Us Make Man… (Genesis 1:26)
• The Man That Blasphemed
• Resurrection of the Dead
• Most of The Prohibitions of The Bible Do Not Apply To Gentiles
• Was It a Mitzvah [Good Deed] Or a Sin Not To Kill King Sha’ul {Saul}? – Part 1
• Was It a Mitzvah [Good Deed] Or a Sin Not To Kill King Sha’ul {Saul}? – Part 2
• The Task of the Spy, Eli Cohen, H”YD. – A Torah Hint About This
• Why the Bible is Immune to Scientific Criticism
• The 430 Year Gap
• Biblical And Historical Precedents For Resisting Army Service

B”H Excerpts from An Anthology of the Gaon by Rabbi Moshe Zuriel {Tzuriel}

A Selection of sayings of the Vilna Gaon regarding beliefs, extracted from most of the writings of his disciples, of those faithful to him, and from some of his own writings.

Swiftness

The fact that a person puts off performing a mitzvah until the morrow leads to his not performing it at all, rather, as soon as he has the opportunity he should immediately perform it – to Proverbs 10/8, 14/23, 27/1

If not now, then when?” (Avot I) – the Sages did not say ”if not today”, for even on the same day, one should already now, perform the mitzvah.- to Proverbs 6:9

This Anthology of the sayings of the Vilna Gaon is Not Appropriate For Non-Jewish
Souls. Instead they should scroll up this page to the section A Light Unto the Nations which is more appropriate for a mixed audience.

Anthology Topics: 1 Cruelty  2 Erev Rav  3 Father  4 The First Man  5 Forefathers  6 Heretics 7 The Holy Temple  8 Limbs 9 Love of G-d  10 Man  11 The Nations of the World 12 Prophecy 13 Reproof  14 Reward and Punishment 15 Suffering  16 Swiftness  17 Torah   18 Torah Study  19 The World to Come

–B”H