“王国之法便是法”:散居犹太人的国家权威观

Dina de Malkhuta Dina: Attitudes toward State Authority by Diaspora Jews

源自《巴比伦塔木德》的著名法律箴言——"王国之法便是法",经过许多拉比的讨论辩驳,逐渐发展成为散居犹太人处理与非犹太人关系的基本准则之一。一方面,它明确了散居犹太人对于居住国的义务,作为所在地域的居民,应当像本地人一样尊重属地权威、承担纳税职责;另一方面,所在国的权威又是有限的,一旦超出某种限度或与犹太律法相冲突,它便不再是法。这种准则的实质,是为维持犹太社团而向外邦权威作必要的妥协。与其说它是一项法律准则,毋宁说是一种生存策略。

The Talmudic legal dictumdina de-malkhuta dina （the law of the Kingdom is law） was discussed by many rabbis, which gradually developed into a basic norm which is used for Diaspora Jews to deal with the relationships with non-Jews. On the one hand, it set the obligation of Diaspora Jews to their country of residence; Jews should comply with territorial authority and bear the tax responsibilities like natives. On the other hand, such kinds of obligations to the country were also limited. Once it exceeds a certain limit or conflict with Halakhah, it is no longer law. The substance of this principle is a necessary compromise to gentile authority in order to maintain Jewish community; in sum, it is not so much a legal principle as a survival strategy.