The Laws of Noah - Universal Moral Standard
From Sebomenoi
KEEP IN MIND: The terms 'ben Noah' (lit: son of Noah) & "Noahide" as used throughout this site always refer to someone whose mother is not Jewish according to traditional Jewish law, or someone who has not volentarily accepted the Law of Moses as binding on himself in the manner by which a person joins the people of Israel. A 'ben Noah' is only strictly obligated in Noahide Laws, in contrast to the People of Israel who are obligated in all of the Instruction Divinely given via Moses, before the eyes of all his people in his generation.
The "Noahide Laws" are those Divinely given laws (Torah) which are binding on all nations outside the Covenant of Israel. These Noahide Laws most essentially include seven crucial laws fundamental to the preservation of a healthy society; careful observance of them is therefore of utmost importance. The first six of these seven were given to Adam, the first man; the seventh was given to Noah after the Great Flood.
The information found in the right-hand column of this page is organized from the codification of Talmudic law known as the Mishneh Torah. It is only from the Talmudic texts that precise knowledge of the Noahide laws has been preserved, though a careful study of the Bible reveals that such a system of distinct obligations for non-Israelites must certainly exist.
Any individual who accepts the Bible as the authoritive expression of the Creator's Will should take a serious look into what the Noahide Laws are, for this is demanded by the Creator's instruction as represented in Deuteronomy 17:11 "you shall do according to the oral dictation of the law [oral law] which they teach you, according to the judgment which they tell you; you shall not turn aside to the right or to the left from the verdict which they proclaim upon you."
The Court established by Moses, referred to in the above Bible passage, is the only Court divinely granted universal instructional authority on Biblical matters. Since the Talmudic texts are the only preservation the teachings of this Court, there is therefore no other way to fulfill this Biblical command other than by upholding the rulings contained therein.
AFTER having become well aquinted with the Noahide Laws, you may find it benifical to look into other decrees of the Almighty which are not absolutly binding on the non-Israelite nations of the world, but which are sure to strengthen your devotion to the Creator and the quality of your relationship toward mankind. For more info: "Torah Observance."
Guide for the Noahide - everything on one page.
PLEASE READ THIS INTRODUCTION FIRST
- NO IDOLATRY no religious devotion or acts of religious devotion toward any created thing
- NO BLASPHEMY no cursing directed toward the Creator, the Sustainer of existence.
- NO MURDER abortion, suicide, murder..
- NO FORBIDDEN INTERCOURSE bestiality, homosexual intercourse, adultery, incest, ..
- NO STEALING theft, robbery, rape, kidnapping...
- NO EATING MEAT REMOVED FROM AN ACTIVE ANIMAL not to eat meat removed from an animal before it stopped convulsing after slaughter
- ESTABLISH JUDICIAL SYSTEM take action toward establishing courts which uphold Noahide laws.
The following are additional laws binding upon the nations, the violation of which a human court is not enjoined to punish, but which the nations are obligated to uphold:
1) No cross-breeding animal species
2) No inter-mingling trees
3) Not to hit an Israelite causing even the least bit of harm
4) Offspring of Abraham with Qetura are obligated to perform circumcision on the 8th day of a male child's life. This includes all Arabic peoples, since the descendents of Yishmael and Qetura have thoroughly intermingled.
5) To be occupied only in study concerning the Laws of Noah, and not to be occupied in the study of all the Torah like a Jew.
6) Not to establish any religious innovations, whether to cease from malakhoth on any day to make it for himself like a Sabbath, to create for himself a holy-day, or anything else: One must either become a 'righteous convert' fully obligated in all the Torah as an Israelite, or remain subject to the Instruction (Torah) applicable to him [known as the Seven Laws of Noah], without adding or taking away from that Instruction. A non-Jew may volentarily do a commandment from the other Torah-commandments which only Israelites are obligated to do, in order to receive reward, except for the Israelite obligations specified in numbers 5 and 6 of this list; See: Hilkhot Melakhim 10:13 and "Torah Observance."
Mishneh Torah and the Seven Laws
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Below you will find articles related to the observance of this Torah for the Nations, such as the the concept of "Commandments of Reason" written about in Duties of the Heart.
"The wise in heart shall take-up commandments..." - Mishlei (Proverbs) 10:8
READ DISCLAIMER TO NOAHIDE LAWS
[Printable Flyers on Monotheism and the 7 Laws]
Religious Freedom & the Laws of Noah
7 Commandments that Abraham Kept
Biblical Allusions to the 7 Laws
The Faith of Abraham
"Commandments of Reason"
Marriage and Divorce Defined
Is Judaism Man-Made Rules?
What Jews Think Concerning Non-Jews
Homosexuality
Death Penalty in the Noahide Laws
Prayer & Noahide Laws
House of Prayer
Abortion
Are Non-Jews Inferior to Jews?
The United States and Noahide Law
CLEARING UP MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT NOAHIDE LAWS
"Anyone who accepts the seven commandments, and is careful to do them, behold, this [person] is from among the pious of the nations of the world, and he has a portion in the World to Come (eternal life), and he is [a person] that will accept them (the seven commandments) and do them because the Holy [One], Blessed is He, commanded concerning them in the Instruction (lit. Torah), and He informed us by means of Mosha our teacher, that the offspring (lit. sons) of Noah were commanded concerning them (the seven commandments) from before hand. But if [a person] did them [only] because it is logically appealing, he is not a resident convert (lit. 'gehr toshav' - the legal term for one who officially keeps the Noahide laws), and he is not of the pious of the nations of the world, but rather [he is] of their wise men." - from the Mishneh Torah in Hilkhoth Melakhim u'Milhhamotheyham 8:14 [11]
From the above text it appears that one is only assured eternal life, a portion in the World to Come, on the condition that one keeps the Seven Laws of Noah due to a sincere faith in the Almighty which is inseparable from serious obedience to His commandments. Notice that the above text doesn't just say that a person who accepts the Noahide Laws has eternal life; rather, it states that a person who accepts the Noahide Laws AND is careful in doing them has a portion in the World to Come (eternal life).
I know of and have heard of many many people who to some degree accept the Noahide Laws, but who at the same time are very carefree in their knowledge of the Noahide Laws to the extent that they don't even bother looking into the details of these commandments. Such a person's nonchalant attitude toward the commands of the Almighty reveals a nonchalant attitude toward the Almighty Himself. I fear for a person such as this and am saddened by his state of being, for we are not assured that he will have a portion in the World to Come. Therefore, it is necessary that when we inform people of the Noahide Laws, that we make clear to them that their receiving a portion in the World to Come (eternal life) is only assured on the condition that they have a faith in the Almighty that is serious toward these Noahide Laws to the point that the individual will be careful concerning the observance of them. Such a person will not only look at the headings of the Noahide Laws, but will also study their details.
At the same time, we can assure the individual that he is regarded as wise even if he only observes the Noahide Laws due only to his own logical reasoning, and not out of obedience towards the Almighty, even though there is no confidence granted to him that he will have eternal life due to keeping the Noahide Laws in this manner. Maybe we should remind him that suicide is forbidden by the Noahide laws. Then perhaps his acceptance of the Noahide Laws without the Almighty will lead to his acceptance of the Laws out of obedience to Him, and then without doubt he is saved from death.
