Matthew’s “Do Not Give What is Holy to Dogs” and the Talmudic Interpretation/Response

Here is an interesting passage that helps you see the way the Talmud appropriates two popular gospel periscope and makes them its own by creating its own unique story. In the first instance, Jesus provides a rather general teaching. 

Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. (Matthew 7:6)


In a second passage, a sort of reversal of theme, Jesus begins by denying a Canaanite woman healing, but through her persistence, she is able to convince Jesus and he relents again. Either Jesus is surprised by the “faith” expressed by the outsider or Jesus knows (though perhaps not through divine precognition) that this woman will press him, and so tests her by denying her what she wants until he no longer can relent.

The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”“Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment. (Matthew 15:25)

Now read this Talmudic version. This comes from tractate Baba Bathra 8a. I will reproduce the passage in total. The writer draws a distinction between two kinds of people. This time, however, notice it is not about the righteous and the unrighteous, but the learned and the uneducated.  Those who follow the textual tradition of Rabbinic Judaism are the learned. Those who do not are the uneducated. What is interesting is that the outcome is just as ironic as the gospel version's outcome.  

Rabbi once opened his storehouse in a year of scarcity, proclaiming: Let those enter who have studied the Scripture, or the Mishnah, or the Gemara, or the Halachah, or the Aggada; there is no admission, however, for the ignorant. R. Jonathan b. Amram pushed his way in and said, ‘Master, give me food.’ He said to him, ‘My son, have you learnt the Scripture?’ He replied, ‘No.’ ‘Have you learnt the Mishnah?’ ‘No.’ ‘If so,’ he said, ‘then how can I give you food?’ He said to him, ‘Feed me as the dog and the raven are fed.’ So he gave him some food. After he went away, Rabbi’s conscience smote him and he said: Woe is me that I have given my bread to a man without learning! R. Simeon son of Rabbi ventured to say to him: Perhaps it is Jonathan b. Amram your pupil, who all his life has made it a principle not to derive material benefit from the honour paid to the Torah. Inquiries were made and it was found that it was so; whereupon Rabbi said: All may now enter. Rabbi [in first refusing admission to the unlearned] was acting in accordance with his own dictum. For Rabbi said: It is the unlearned who bring misfortune on the world.


The Torah, just like Jesus, is recast as a means of making salvation available for all people. Just as faith in Jesus is a way to salvation regardless of the abhorrence of one's upbringing, background, or knowledge, so the Torah demonstrates the same power. All who accept it's authority and respect its place in the community, regardless of their understanding, can now by such an attitude enter into the salvation it promises. And Jonathan b. Amram is seen to have accepted a principle of respect for the Torah in the same way the Canaanite woman was thought to have put into practice a principle of faith.