Q: Is it true that the Ten Commandments do not apply to non-Jews?
Work on Shabbat
Q: Is a Noahide allowed to work on Shabbat?
Courts of Law: Are we guilty?
Hi there
I’m speaking to a fellow Noahide, one much more learned than me who has studied a lot more Jewish sources than me, including Hirsch’s Nineteen Letters and the commentaries of Ramban, who has gone through much more extensive Jewish learning than a simple reader like myself. He brings up a question that I find difficult to budge.
In the Path of the Righteous Gentile it states.
“The Children of Noah are commanded to establish courts of law that will carry out justice and maintain human righteousness and morality in accord with the Seven Universal Laws.[1] A court system that perverts justice by handing down rulings in conflict with the Seven Universal Laws is an instrument for driving God’s blessings out of the world. Anyone who fails to establish a court system, that is, who lives in a community or city in which there are no courts, and who does nothing to correct the situation, is punishable by death. One who establishes or maintains courts of law that operate contrary to the Seven Universal Laws is similarly liable.” (Chapter 12, Chapter 1, Law 1)
The noahide I’m speaking to points to the fact that we are not living in a righteous governmental system that upholds the Noahide laws. Even the page on AskNoah that speaks of this law admits we don’t live in a time where governments uphold the seven commandments. In his (the noahide’s) eyes, we are not keeping this law as long as this is the current state of affairs. So if this law has to do with an observant community and no community is observant of this law and the other six, then aren’t we guilty of breaking this law? I’m understanding this law as setting up a court that actually upholds the seven commands, not just setting up any court to go with any legal philosophy.
I live in a country that doesn’t respect the Seven Commandments. I can’t think of a country, not even the current secular government of Israel, that upholds the Seven Commandments. Yet I continue to live here. I know that personally I try to live according to HaShem’s commandments and be a good example. I don’t know if the videos I produce are enough. But if I didn’t do such videos, but just tried my all to keep the laws that I can keep but under a godless, anti-Sheva-Mitzvos government, then am I breaking this law of courts of law? According to HaShem’s standard, am I guilty? Are we noahides/gentiles guilty?
I have pointed out to this person that seeing the law as he does, then the vast majority of “observant” noahides throughout history, from the Syrian Naaman who returned to his own country, to the God-fearers of old, up until today, all of whom lived under governments that didn’t uphold the seven commandments, are guilty. And thus according to Rambam who says that one only has a place in the world to come if he is careful to do all the commands [because God commanded them to Moses], not one Noahide has reached that level. So whether we think of the World to Come or just this world, we’re all guilty. There is something within me that disagrees with this interpretation of this “seventh” commandment, but I don’t think I have a good response at all apart from the fact that just as Jews are not punished for not being able to perform most of their laws because of the current state of the Temple, in the same way noahides are not punished for this law because many of them are not in the position to change the current world government system except to teach their children and do their best with their example in the eyes of those around them.
Do you have an answer for this?
Courts of Law: Are we guilty?
Hi there
I’m speaking to a fellow Noahide, one much more learned than me who has studied a lot more Jewish sources than me, including Hirsch’s Nineteen Letters and the commentaries of Ramban, who has gone through much more extensive Jewish learning than a simple reader like myself. He brings up a question that I find difficult to budge.
In the Path of the Righteous Gentile it states.
“The Children of Noah are commanded to establish courts of law that will carry out justice and maintain human righteousness and morality in accord with the Seven Universal Laws.[1] A court system that perverts justice by handing down rulings in conflict with the Seven Universal Laws is an instrument for driving God’s blessings out of the world. Anyone who fails to establish a court system, that is, who lives in a community or city in which there are no courts, and who does nothing to correct the situation, is punishable by death. One who establishes or maintains courts of law that operate contrary to the Seven Universal Laws is similarly liable.” (Chapter 12, Chapter 1, Law 1)
The noahide I’m speaking to points to the fact that we are not living in a righteous governmental system that upholds the Noahide laws. Even the page on AskNoah that speaks of this law admits we don’t live in a time where governments uphold the seven commandments. In his (the noahide’s) eyes, we are not keeping this law as long as this is the current state of affairs. So if this law has to do with an observant community and no community is observant of this law and the other six, then aren’t we guilty of breaking this law? I’m understanding this law as setting up a court that actually upholds the seven commands, not just setting up any court to go with any legal philosophy.
I live in a country that doesn’t respect the Seven Commandments. I can’t think of a country, not even the current secular government of Israel, that upholds the Seven Commandments. Yet I continue to live here. I know that personally I try to live according to HaShem’s commandments and be a good example. I don’t know if the videos I produce are enough. But if I didn’t do such videos, but just tried my all to keep the laws that I can keep but under a godless, anti-Sheva-Mitzvos government, then am I breaking this law of courts of law? According to HaShem’s standard, am I guilty? Are we noahides/gentiles guilty?
I have pointed out to this person that seeing the law as he does, then the vast majority of “observant” noahides throughout history, from the Syrian Naaman who returned to his own country, to the God-fearers of old, up until today, all of whom lived under governments that didn’t uphold the seven commandments, are guilty. And thus according to Rambam who says that one only has a place in the world to come if he is careful to do all the commands [because God commanded them to Moses], not one Noahide has reached that level. So whether we think of the World to Come or just this world, we’re all guilty. There is something within me that disagrees with this interpretation of this “seventh” commandment, but I don’t think I have a good response at all apart from the fact that just as Jews are not punished for not being able to perform most of their laws because of the current state of the Temple, in the same way noahides are not punished for this law because many of them are not in the position to change the current world government system except to teach their children and do their best with their example in the eyes of those around them.
Do you have an answer for this?
Noahides and kabbalah
Can noahides study kabbalah? If so whare should they start?
cruelty to animals
I am quite surprised that it is permitable to eat animals that are so poorly treated as many must know about. Organic produce does not have this issue, but non-organic farming is just horrible. In addition, all the antibiotics, hormones, and bad food they are given makes the meat very unhealthy. Is anything being done in the Jewish community to stop this? What does halacha say?
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not even the stranger canont eat of it’ it must mean the type of Gentile who has taken on Judaism, converted or the like.When it says a stranger can eat of this’ it must mean a Gentile not keeping Torah.Now a question is shouldn’t the stranger be forbidden unslaughtered meat whether he’s practicing the dietary laws given to Israel or not? Even if this gentile isn’t a Torah keeper, shouldn’t he still be encouraged not to eat unslaughtered meat on the basis of the commandment that was given to Noah and to the children of Noah(you shall not eat meat with it’s blood)?Again a contradition.But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its bloodThe above seems to say that the minimum standard for gentiles, not covenant members(those not practicing Judaism) is to not to eat meat with blood still in it. Gentiles can’t eat unslaughtered meat.On the other hand Deut 14:21 says You shall not eat anything that dies of itself; you may give it to the alien who is within your gates, that he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner; for you are a holy people to the LORD your God. That you can give meat like that to the stranger and he may eat it. So this is another contradiction.One says don’t give it to him and the other says give it to him he’ll eat it.So obviously the stranger and alien in Deut 14:21 are NOT holy people of God because they can eat it so it’s not a holiness issue for them. If they were covenant members they couldn’t eat it as per the Torah.So Deut 14:21 contradicts the minumum standards for Gentiles in Genesis 9 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its bloodA contradiction so what are we going to do?The sages came up with a slightly different meaning in Genesis 9:3-4.3 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs.4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its bloodThe sages says the Hebrew really is: you shall not eat flesh with it’s soul still in it’s blood’. Meaning you shall not eat something still alive’. Every moving things are food for the sons of Noah just as long it’s not moving, as long as it’s dead.This means that a Gentile outside of the covenant of Israel can eat anything as long as it’s dead.So you can give anything to a non covenant member as long as it’s dead.So the minimum is don’t eat things that are still alive.So the question is are you or are you not a covenant member of Israel?Judaism teaches that the laws of Noah apply to Gentiles(non Jews) to the exclusion of the rest of the Torah. Judaism teaches that the rest of Torah is not applicable to Gentiles.And there are some in Judaism that say to just keep the laws of Noah the Gentile will be welcomed into the World to Come.So the question is are you or are you not a covenant member of Israel?Marc
G-d as “Father” of Gentiles
1) As Jews, we are called “bonim atem Elokaichem” (G-d’s children). Are gentiles also “G-d’s children”? Is G-d each person’s (gentile) ultimate loving parent? (I have always relatd to / connect with G-d as the father of all – both Jew and gentile. Is this belief proper (I also encourage gentile colleagues to connect to their “Father in Heaven.”) Is it proper and true for gentiles to feel and internalize that they have a loving “Father in Heaven”?
2)Does Hashgocha pratis (Divine Providence) exist in the life of non-Jews? Somebody had pointed out that the Ramchal (in Derech Hashem) staes that it is klallis (not pratis, that heir individual lives are not “directed by H’). I know there are other sources that say that Hashem is intimitately involved, directing the lives of all people. I have always believed this to be true. Can you provide your insight here (Either I don’t understand the Ramchal, or I find it completely contrary to what I have always believed – that Hashem is intimately involved / directing the personal circumstances of each and every person). If that is the case, how are we to interpret the Ramchal?
3)Is there merit in G-d’s “eyes” for gentiles who keep the 7 Noachide laws, but in the framework of being Christians (they never reached the point of enlightenment of the gentiles in the videos on your website to break away from church, etc.)? Since most non-Jews never declared themselves as Noachides in front of a beis din, do they still have a closeness to G-d and a share in Olam Haba?
Drinking Blood
Q: Is a Noahide allowed to eat blood?
Eating Fish
Q: Should we stop eating fish because of the cruel way they are often killed?