Editing Archaos (Non-Jewish Courts) (section)

== Laws Regarding One Who Turns to Civil Courts ==
A person who turns to civil courts (Arkoas) - Rambam lists those whom the Beis Din is permitted to excommunicate, including among them one who turns to civil courts. In the Shulchan Aruch, regarding who is fit to serve as a Shliach Tzibur, it states: "A Chazzan should not be removed from his position unless a disqualification is found in him." The Be'er Heitev comments: "One who went to gentile courts is not fit to be a Shliach Tzibur on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur unless he does teshuva." The Zohar explains that the inner reason why we don't turn to gentile courts is because gentiles have no part in our faith. The severity of one who turns to civil courts is extremely great: "This is a sinner who diminishes the secret of faith, and turns himself to that side which has judgment without merit."