One of the favorite tactics of anti-Semitic writers is to cite supposed lines in the Talmud that prove various accusations against the Jewish people: that they approve of child abuse, that they approve of dishonesty to Gentiles, etc.

Like any complex text, the Talmud is vulnerable to having bits and fragments taken out of context and misused to "prove" a point that is contrary to the actual text. Because the Talmud is a record of scholarly discussion, it often includes debates in which various possible ways of dealing with a difficult situation are weighed. If one simply takes one of the possibilities that are subsequently dismissed and presents it as if it were being promoted, one can create the illusion of a document that encourages perfidity.

Furthermore, the entire Talmud must be understood in the context of the culture in which it developed.