Reply To: Non-Jewish novels

Baruch—ridiculous comparison. The talmud is written in complete kedusha, with a lashon naki and goes into as little detail as possible, especially in matters that have a component of tumah. When there is uncleanliness in secular books, it is generally the complete opposite. The Netziv (or maybe the Nodah Beyehuda) was particularly livid about people not teaching certain sugyos. He says it is intrinsically kadosh, and if someone gets machshovos raos it’s an issue with him, not the gemorrah hakdosha. (Disclaimer, I have never seen this inside. I was told this by a rebbe who was then teaching my class the third perek of brochas, just before we got into the baal keri sugyos. As this was a few years ago, it is very possible I am misattributing or misquoting. If so, please correct me).

On the other hand, secular novels are either intrinsically tamei or neutral, depending on how you look at them, and possibly on the author as well. These scenes are almost certain to cause hirhurim, independant of who you are.