How Judaism Rebranded a Criminal Moral Code into a Religion

Considering the incredible overlap between the “morality” of Judaism and that of the world’s most infamous mafia, it has to be considered: is Judaism actually the world’s oldest, most powerful mafia?

Cato Dezorra

In 2007, a police raid of the Italian home of reputed “Boss of Bosses” of the Sicilian Mafia, Salvatore Lo Piccolo, yielded a fascinating one-page, hand-written list.

The contents of that list confirmed what many officials and outside observers have suspected for generations: that the secretive criminal organization known as “the Mafia” (more properly referred to as “la Cosa Nostra,” which translates to “Our Thing”) does in fact operate according to its own secret “code” of internal laws.

This code went well beyond the traditional “code of silence” that the sophisticated, hierarchically organized criminal organization has at its single most important rule. Known as Omerta, this is a code that absolutely forbids any members of the Cosa Nostra from revealing any information about the organization, even its very existence, to government authorities. This code is taken extremely seriously by members, and is sworn to in the presence of fellow members through various rituals and blood oaths.

The penalty for betraying the code is death, often involving torture, and punishment can be brought not only the transgressors but on their families. While severe, the existence of this code has a highly functional purpose, because it can make it next to impossible for authorities to bring to justice members of this organization.

Even in cases where individuals are convicted, the organization as a whole can persist with remarkable resilience. The Cosa Nostra itself is reputed to have been in continuous operation since the late 1700s or early 1800s, making it one of the world’s longest-running international organizations of any kind.

Omerta is the most foundational rule of the Cosa Nostra. But that in itself is not extraordinary; after all, any military unit, government intelligence agency or secret society operates the exact same way.

What was extraordinary about the list found in Lo Piccolo’s home is that it confirmed that the organization operates on a secret set of rules that covers far more than simply staying quiet to authorities – and it even includes some requirements that many might find surprising.

The list was as follows:

1. No one can present himself directly to another of our friends. There must always be an intermediary contact.

2. Never look at the wives of our friends.

3. Never be seen with police.

4. Never go to pubs and nightclubs.

5. Always be available for la Cosa Nostra – even if your wife’s about to give birth.

6. All appointments must be respected.

7. Wives must be treated with respect.

8. When asked for any information [by a Cosa Nostra member] the answer must be the truth.

9. Money cannot be appropriated if it belongs to other members, or to other families.

10. People who can never be part of Cosa Nostra are: anyone with a close relative in the police; anyone with a two-timing relative in the family; or anyone who behaves badly and doesn’t hold to moral values.

What we see in this 10-item list (reminiscent, of course, of the Ten Commandments) is a kind of “code of conduct” for the Cosa Nostra, one which aids in maintaining order and discipline within the organization, and enhances its strength and staying power.

But most surprising, considering the nature of the organization, are the last three rules: here we see strict requirements for honesty, financial transparency, and upstanding “moral conduct” among members of the Cosa Nostra.

This seems at first glance to be nonsensical, considering that the Cosa Nostra is a fundamentally immoral criminal organization, engaging in everything from extortion and drug trafficking to arms dealing and murder-for-hire.

But as we’ve learned thus far in this course on Judaism and its “inverted moral code,” the very concept of “morality” is very open to interpretation – and by twisting words and meanings, an organization can regulate the personal conduct of its members to enhance its overall effectiveness, and call that “moral” (even if the group engages in immoral actions as part of its fundamental nature.)

This twisted logic works even more effectively if the group itself exists in fundamental opposition to a power structure which it perceives to be corrupt and abusive. For the Cosa Nostra, that was indeed the case, as it began as a “protection racket” in an environment where government corruption and abuse toward Italian farmers and small-time merchants had become untenable.

In other words, even a sinister, violent criminal organization can call itself “moral,” and adhere internally to certain agreed-upon “morals,” as long as it that organization perceives itself to exist in opposition to a government that is “immoral.”

This distinction is absolutely critical to understand, as we begin to examine the nature of Judaism.

Judaism has, for at least the last two thousand years, perceived itself to be unfairly oppressed by many “immoral” governments – from the pagan Roman Empire to the Christian kingdoms of Europe – and it has existed in a perpetual state of antagonism and revolt against them.

So, like the Cosa Nostra, it has created for itself its own “moral code” that allowed it to persist and even thrive on actions that most people would consider to be immoral, by simply redefining what “morals” mean to them, inside their own alternate, engineered reality.

Step One: Call Ourselves the “Most Moral” Everything

More than likely, you’ve heard that the Israeli Defense Force is “the world’s most moral army”; that is one of the favorite propaganda points of both Israel and of international Jewry which supports the state.

Though Israel itself came into existence through prolific terrorism, and it has violated every imaginable rule in international diplomacy – from stealing nuclear secrets to operating blackmail rings to staging multiple major false flag operations – it has a powerful and well-funded international propaganda operation that pummels the Western world with talking points. As a result, the “world’s most moral army” trope has proven to be one of its most enduring.

But in a twisted way, these aren’t just overt lies (though for Jews, lying is always fair game, as we’ll soon learn.) Rather, they are based on a complete re-imagination of what the idea of the word “moral” even means.

As a result many Jews can, with a completely straight face, claim that their blatantly immoral actions are “moral” simply because what morality means to Jews is altogether different than what it would mean to virtually any other group of people.

This type of norm-breaking conduct is extensively found in the Talmud, and it came about both during the coexistence of the ancient Hebrews with peoples they found to be unworthy of equal human rights (such as the Canaanites) and as the result of living under the imposed authority of outside governments (like the Roman Empire.)

As a result, lying, concealing revenue, giving false testimonies, cheating on taxes and census reports, and applying a double-standard in legal matters are all not only fair game in the Talmud, they are even presented as “moral duties” by Jews.

Here are multiple examples of how these “moral duties” are presented in the Talmud, with the complete text included for each:

“The reason that the court does not employ trickery in order to vindicate the Jew is only because there is the consideration of the sanctification of God’s name. Consequently, if there is no consideration of the sanctification of God’s name, the court does approach the case circuitously. Apparently, it is permitted to deceive a gentile.”

Bava Kamma 113a

Here, we find a convenient loophole as to when it is appropriate for a Jewish court of law to bend legal rules in order to generate an outcome beneficial to a Jew, at the gentile’s expense. The only requirement: that doing does not violate the “sanctity of God’s name” (whatever that might mean.) If this is not an issue in the matter at hand, however, then the court manipulating the outcome to benefit the Jew is both permitted and expected.

“In the case of a Jew and a gentile who approach the court for judgment in a legal dispute, if you can vindicate the Jew under Jewish law, vindicate him, and say to the gentile: This is our law. If he can be vindicated under gentile law, vindicate him, and say to the gentile: This is your law. And if it is not possible to vindicate him under either system of law, one approaches the case circuitously, seeking a justification to vindicate the Jew.”

Bava Kamma 113a

In another part of the same section of the Talmud, we find this even more brazen use of the law to destroy non-Jew legal opponents. This portion is particularly vindictive, as it instructs the court to flip-flop between legal systems to utilize whichever would be more advantageous to the Jew, even using the gentile’s own laws against him.

But if even that doesn’t work, it is permitted to circumvent the law completely, in order to come up with a rationalization that will work. (An inference can be made here that Jews need to have infiltration the legal system itself, in order to position themselves to help other Jews in this manner. This is part of why Jews have long had a cultural tradition of seeking careers as attorneys and judges – something other mafias, like la Cosa Nostra, were unable or unwilling to do.)

“From where is it derived that it is permitted to retain the lost item of a gentile? It is derived from a verse, as it is stated with regard to the mitzvah of returning a lost item: “With every lost thing of your brother’s” (Deuteronomy 22:3), indicating that it is only to your brother that you return a lost item, but you do not return a lost item to a gentile.”

Bava Kamma 113b

Here we learn that there is a legal basis to not return property lost by a gentile, including the supporting scriptural basis that is – as always in Judaism – interpreted bizarrely and only to the benefit of Jews.

The Gemara (a section of each Talmud page that explains and gives commentary on the law) in this section adds an even more advantageous interpretation: Rabbi Shmuel says that it is also permitted to financially benefit from a business error of a gentile, i.e., money “lost” in this manner need not be returned.

“it is permitted to take advantage of a gentile if he should make a mistake in counting, whether making or collecting payment, as long as he does not realize this is blasphemy.”

Shulchan Arukh, Chosen Mishpat 348

The Shulchan Arukh is not part of the Talmud proper, but is a highly authoritative legal reference text based on the Talmud. We can see here the same concept as expressed in Bava Kamma 113b, in which the Jew is legally permitted to keep money attained through the error of the gentile; this opens the door to attempts at fraud which, if not noticed by the gentile, are considered to be fair and legal acquisitions.

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As we can see, this handful of examples illustrates the use of dishonesty and manipulation as tools, always available to the Jew by way of the Talmud.

Whether pertaining to “heathens” living under Jewish authority pre-70 A.D., or to Jews living as outsiders under Christian authority during the Middle Ages, the Jew is always rationalized to be exempted from needing to behave fairly and honestly with respect to the outsider – and it is even encouraged to sabotage them wherever possible.

This is considered “moral” behavior in Judaism, as it is deemed to be in accordance with the will of God.

A “Religion” of Deception and Betrayal

In the same vein as the intentional permissiveness of dishonesty seen in the previous passages is the strange Jewish “prayer” known as Kol Nidre, recited by Jews every Yom Kippur (the most sacred holiday in Judaism.)

A bizarre piece of liturgy that is virtually incomprehensible to non-Jews, Kol Nidre – Aramaic for “all vows” – is not really a prayer, but more of a legal formula designed to officially annul all vows a Jew is likely to make in the coming year. In the ritual recital, it is repeated three times by the entire congregation in a synagogue, each time louder in volume, with the entire recital set to music (often the cello, though may compositions and musical variations exist.)

The text of Kol Nidre is as follows:

“All vows, [self-imposed] prohibitions, oaths, consecrations, restrictions, interdictions, or [any other] equivalent expressions of vows, which I may vow, swear, dedicate [for sacred use], or which I may proscribe for myself or for others, from this Yom Kippur until the next Yom Kippur which comes to us for good, [from now] we regret them all; all shall be hereby absolved, remitted, cancelled, declared null and void, not in force or in effect.

Let our vows not be considered vows; let our [self-imposed] prohibitions not be considered prohibitions; and let our oaths not be considered oaths.”

Though it is one of the most important rituals in all of Judaism, it is claimed to be of unknown origin. Some theories trace it to the forced conversions of Jews to Christianity in Europe during the Middle Ages, with the vow intended to annul any Christian commitments the Jew might make to appease his Christian oppressors. Other theories trace the tradition all the way back to ancient Babylon in the 6^th and 7^th centuries, when the Talmud was originally being compiled.

Whatever the case, this strange ritual, very unique to Judaism, makes a public display out of swearing to not hold up one’s word for an entire year, effectively guaranteeing that Jews will not be expected to hold up their part of any bargain (including vows made to God himself.)

As bizarre as this may sound, it can easily be verified – the text of Kol Nidre is no secret.

To Tell the Truth is a Sin (if it Will Harm a Jew)

Yet another strange Jewish legal maxim is that of lashon hara, which literally translates to “evil tongue.” This is the halakhic (Jewish religious law-based) term for speech about a person that would be harmful to him or her, even if it is true.

It covers any kind of speech, written or verbal, that would in any way damage that person’s reputation and impact them negatively, but which is nevertheless accurate or truthful in its content. (This is in contrast to hotzaat shem ra, or harmful speech that is not true – what we could call slander – which is an even graver sin in Judaism.)

What is extraordinary about this serious rule in Judaism is this: what is considered to be “morally wrong” when one commits lashon hara is only the harm that is done to a Jew. The concept of truth itself being virtuous by its very nature is disregarded – it is a moot concept in the Jewish worldview.

The doctrine of lashon hara gives a clear indication that the priority in Judaism is not truth, and the moral, spiritual and earthly good that can come from proclaiming and living in accordance with it. On the contrary, philosophical or moral concerns are disregarded in favor of the earthly benefits conferred when an entire race of people is indoctrinated to believe it is “moral” to deny and conceal truth reflexively, wherever they stand to gain from doing so.

This doctrine exists in fundamental moral opposition to Christianity, in which living in truth is paramount when living aligned with the will of an omniscient God. It is also in opposition to the Greco-Roman philosophical tradition, in which living in truth is a prerequisite to self-improvement and moral and intellectual enlightenment.

In Judaism, by contrast, these higher ideals are trampled on in favor of the relentless drive toward self-preservation. While this willingness to instinctively “live a lie” for each other has given them remarkable resilience, it has also marked them indelibly as a people for whom dishonesty, betrayal, and even pathological collective delusion are hardwired.

This has been a repeating criticism of Jews wherever they have lived for all of history, and the reason isn’t “antisemitism” – it is their inverted moral code.

It is also yet another example of where the Jewish “inverted moral code” bears more in common with the perverse “morality” of sophisticated criminal organizations like the Cosa Nostra, in which the highest good is not living in accordance with the truth, but rather, simply covering for another member of the “family” by concealing the truth at all costs –

Still Not Sold? Here’s More Talmudic Criminal “Morality”

Here are a few more examples of where the Talmud provides “religious” justifications for committing actions most people would consider to be immoral and/or criminal.

“All who ascend upward to Eretz Yisrael and all who descend downward to Babylonia agree that in the case of a Jew who knows of evidence concerning the legal claim of a gentile, if the gentile did not demand from him that he testify, but the Jew nevertheless went and testified for him in a gentile court against his fellow Jew, we excommunicate him.”

Bava Kamma 114a

Here we find yet another example of Jews being severely discouraged from being forthcoming, especially in court, if it will harm another Jew. In this case it doesn’t say specifically that the Jew should lie; rather, the Jew is forbidden from putting himself in a position to help a gentile with the truth in court altogether.

(In fairness, however, there is also a technical basis here; in gentile courts, only one witness was required, whereas in Jewish court two are required, and the difference in legal standards was part of the basis for this prohibition.)

“One is permitted to kill an informer in all places, even today. One is permitted to kill him before he informs. As soon as he says he is going to inform on so and so’s person or money, even if it is a small amount of money, he has given himself up to be killed. We would warn him and say do not inform.

“If he is brazen and says he still plans on informing, there is a mitzvah to kill him. Whomever kills him first would receive the merit. If there is no time to kill him, no warning is necessary.”

Shulchan Aruch: Choshen Mishpat, Section 388

Here in the Shulchan Aruch (which again is not technically in the Talmud itself, but is a highly authoritative Medieval legal text based on the Talmud) we find an extraordinary example of where the Jewish legal code bears strong similarities to the secret laws of serious criminal organizations.

“Snitching,” of course, is the ultimate crime in the Cosa Nostra and the basis of Omerta. But in Judaism, being an informer against a fellow Jew would earn you the same fate as it would in the Mafia (but you get to use the “Gold told me to” excuse!)

Considering the incredible overlap between the “morality” of Judaism and that of the world’s most infamous mafia, it has to be considered: is Judaism actually the world’s oldest and most well-established criminal organization? Did this “religion” serve as the theoretical model for mafias throughout history, giving them the tools to become both resilient and unburdened by conscience by weaponizing the idea of morality?

Source: https://catodezorra.substack.com/p/how-judaism-rebranded-a-criminal?publication_id=3912422&post_id=223032072&isFreemail=true&r=q32pq&triedRedirect=true