What is the Jewish Stance on Interaction With Other Cultures and Religions?

1. Torah Source 3: Numbers 36:8 Every daughter among the Israelite tribes who inherits a share must marry someone from a clan of her father’s tribe, in order that every Israelite may keep his ancestral share.

1.1. Talmud/Mishnah: Bava Batra 110b:2 Abaye said to him: But is the verse necessary in order to teach us that when he has only one child, that child should inherit all of his property? If you say that the right of the son and daughter to the inheritance is equal, then the verse: “If a man dies, and has no son” (Numbers 27:8), which teaches that when there is no son his daughter inherits, is superfluous. Rav Pappa responded: And perhaps this verse teaches us this: That a daughter is also subject to receiving inheritance. The Gemara replies: No, the verse does not need to teach us this, since that halakha is derived from the verse: “And every daughter who possesses an inheritance” (Numbers 36:8), which clearly states that a daughter is subject to receiving inheritance.

1.2. Commentary: Rashi AND EVERY DAUGHTER THAT INHERITS A POSSESSION because her father had no son, [SHALL BE WIFE, etc.]

2. Torah Source 4: Deuteronomy 23:3 A mamzer (see 1) shall not come into the congregation of the L-rd [i.e., he may not marry an Israelite woman]. Even the tenth generation shall not come for him into the congregation of the L-rd.

2.1. Mishnah: Kiddushin 73a:10 And in any case, this does not suffice to prevent her shetuki child from marrying a Jew with unflawed lineage, since the Torah states: “A mamzer shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 23:3), which indicates: It is a definite mamzer who may not enter, but one who is a mamzer as a result of an uncertainty may enter. Similarly, it is into a congregation of those with definite unflawed lineage that he may not enter, but into a congregation of those with uncertain lineage he may enter. Therefore, even if it is uncertain if one is a mamzer, by Torah law he may marry a Jew with unflawed lineage.

2.2. Targum: Targum Jonathan on Deuteronomy 23:3 He who is born of fornication, or who hath upon him the evil mark which is set upon the unclean Gentiles, is not fit to take an upright wife from the congregation of the people of the Lord; nor unto the tenth generation shall it be fit for him to enter into the congregation of the Lord.

2.3. Midrash: Sifrei Devarim 248:1 (Devarim 23:3) "A mamzer may not come into the congregation of the L-rd." ("mamzer" =) "mum zar" ("a foreign blemish" [i.e., a blemish resulting from "foreign" (i.e., non-permitted) relationships]), whether a man or a woman.

2.4. Commentary: Rashi: ONE BORN IN INCEST OR ADULTERY SHALL NOT COME INTO THE ASSEMBLY OF THE LORD — i.e. he shall not marry an Israelite woman (Yevamot 78b).

3. My Answer: From a biblical standpoint, Judaism is an exclusive religion, and should be kept that way. The bible even talks about how you should stay married within your own group or tribe, furthering the exclusivity. I personally believe that interfaith marriage is okay in modern times, and in some cases needed to keep Judaism alive. Although, in ancient times it was important to not intermarry in order to keep Judaism going, and in most cases should still be the practice nowadays.

4. Torah Source 1: Deuteronomy 7:3 neither shalt thou make marriages with them: thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.

4.1. Mishnah: Mishneh Torah, Negative Mitzvot 52. Not to get married to those that serve idol worship as it says “do not get married to them“ (Devarim 7:3) [This is a prohibition for a Jew to marry someone who is a gentile.]

4.2. Targum: Targum Jonathan on Deuteronomy 7:3 You shall not intermarry with them; your daughters you shall not give to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons; for whosoever marrieth with them is as if he made marriage with their idols.

4.3. Commentary: Shulchan Arukh, Even HaEzer 16:1 If a Jew engages in sexual relations with a female idolater, derech ishut (that is, for the purpose of marriage), or a Jewess engages in sexual relations with a male idolater, that Jew or Jewess is given lashes on a Biblical level. As it is written (Deuteronomy 7:3): "You shall not marry them." (There are those who disagree with this ruling). However, if he engages in sexual relations derech zenut (that is, for licentiousness), casually, he is culpable only on a Rabbinic level for idolatry and for engaging in relations with a prostitute and he is given makat mardut (that is, lashes on a Rabbinic level). And, if he sets her aside for licentious activity, he is culpable on a Rabbinic level for having sexual relations with a nida (that is, menstruant), having sexual relations with a shifcha, (that is, slavewoman), idolatry, and having sexual relations with a prostitute. And, if he is a Kohen (that is, a priest), even if he engages in sexual relations casually, he receives lashes on a Biblical level, as it is written (Leviticus 21:7) ["(A kohen) may not marry a prostitute..."]

5. Torah Source 2: Numbers 36:3 Now, if they marry persons from another Israelite tribe, their share will be cut off from our ancestral portion and be added to the portion of the tribe into which they marry; thus our allotted portion will be diminished.

5.1. Commentary: Rashi: AND IF THEY BECOME WIVES TO ANY SONS OF THE OTHER TRIBES … THEN WILL THEIR INHERITANCE] BE ADDED TO THE INHERITANCE OF THE TRIBE [WHEREUNTO THEY SHALL BELONG] — for her son will be her heir and the son reckons his pedigree after his father’s tribe.

5.2. Targum: Targum Jonathan on Numbers 36:3 But if these marry into any of the tribes of the children of Israel, their inheritance will be withdrawn from that of our fathers, and will be added to the inheritance of the tribe which will have become theirs, and our lot will be diminished.