Noahide

B'nei Noah (Hebrew: בני נוח) or Children of Noah or Noahides is a modern monotheistic movement which observes the Seven Laws of Noah. According to Jewish law, non-Jews are not obligated to convert to Judaism, but they are required to observe the Seven Laws of Noah.

Technically, the Hebrew term B'nei Noah applies to all non-Jews as descendants of Noah. However, nowadays it is also used to refer specifically to those non-Jews who observe the Noahide Laws.

Theological background

According to the Hebrew Bible, all humanity are descendants of Noah. Noah and his three children Shem, Ham, and Japheth survived the Flood aboard the Ark, along with their wives. Once the survivors were able to leave the ark for dry ground, they began to start new families and repopulate the earth. When Noah's family left the Ark, God made a covenant with them. According to the Talmud, this covenant included the Seven Laws of Noah. Thus, to the B'nei Noah, all living humans, as descendants of Noah, are subject to the Noahide laws — although Jews as the chosen people have further responsibilities placed on them.

Maimonides (Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon, or the Rambam) collected all of the talmudic and halachic decisions in his time and laid them out clearly in his work the Mishnah Torah; in addition to Jewish Laws and their explanations, Noachide Laws were also collected with their explanation in the Rambam’s work in Sefer Shoftim in the last book Hilchot Melachim U’Milchamot, portions of which are available in English online¹.

The Seven Laws of Noah

1. Prohibition of Blasphemy: RESPECT GOD AND PRAISE HIM - Do Not Blaspheme His Name:

When we feel disappointed with life, when things do not work out as they should, how easy it is to point an accusing finger and blame everything;even GOD. Loyalty and trust are crucial in life. To blame God, curse, or to curse others in His name, is an act of disloyalty - akin to treason. It is an act which undermines the basis of all order and stability, on which a just society must stand.

Man, the weakest of creatures, is surrounded by forces of life and death far greater than himself. Confronted with the vastness of these universal forces, man might well try to serve them in order to protect himself, and better his lot. The essence of life, however, is to recognize the Supreme Being who created the Universe - to believe in Him and accept His laws with awe and love. We must remember that He is aware of all our deeds, rewarding goodness and punishing evil. We are dependent on Him, and to Him alone do we owe allegiance. To imagine that there could be any other power that could protect us or provide for our needs, is not only foolish, but perverts the purpose of life, and, as history has shown, potentially unleashes untold forces of evil in ourselves, and in the world.

3. Prohibition of Sexual Immorality: RESPECT THE FAMILY - Do Not Commit Immoral Sexual Acts:

The Bible states, It is not good for man to be alone, so God made a helpmate for Adam, the first man, and in marriage He blessed them. In a wholesome family, man's creativity finds meaningful expression. Wholesome families are the cornerstone of healthy communities, nations, and societies. Nations which have condoned immorality - adultery, homosexuality, sodomy, incest - have never lasted long. Sexual immorality is the sign of an inner decay which spawns a ruthless society, bringing confusion into God's life plan.

The record of man's inhumanity to man begins with the story of Cain and Abel. Man is indeed his brother’s keeper. The prohibition against manslaughter comes to protect man from the bestial tendency which lies within him. Man the attacker, denies the sanctity of human life, and ultimately attacks God, who created us in His image.

Since our sustenance comes from God, we should seek to earn it honestly, with dignity, and not through false means. To violate the property of others, by robbing or cheating, is a fundamental attack on their humanity. This breeds anarchy, plunging mankind into the depths of selfishness and cruelty. It was for this sin, above all, that the Flood was brought upon the world.

6. Prohibition of eating the limb of a living animal: RESPECT ALL CREATURES - Do not be cruel to animals:

God gives man dominion over the fish of the sea, the fowl of the heaven, over cattle, and over all of the earth. We are caretakers of God's creation. Ultimately our responsibility extends beyond our family, even beyond society, to include the world of nature. Eating meat so fresh that the animal is still alive, may be healthy, but it is cruel, even barbaric, displaying a decadent insensitivity to the pain of others. This law is the touchstone, if you will, that measures how well the other six laws are being observed. When man fulfills his potential, the whole of creation is nurtured and elevated to realize its goal. This transforms the world into a beautiful gem - a place where God can dwell.

7. Requirement to have just Laws: CREATION OF A JUDICIAL SYSTEM - Pursue justice:

A robust and healthy legal system, administering justice fairly, creates a society worthy of God's blessings. Establishing a system of judges, courts, and officials to maintain and enforce the law is a far-reaching responsibility. This precept translates the ideals of our personal life into a formal order for society at large. It is the extension and guarantee of all the preceding laws.

Modern movement

A modern movement known as the B'nei Noah or B'nei Noach has appeared in which members endeavour to follow the Noahide Laws.

Orthodox Judaism does not usually promote conversion to Judaism but does, on the other hand, believe that the Jewish people have a duty to help establish the Noahide Laws, based on Maimonides. Some Jewish groups have been particularly active in promoting the Seven Laws, notably the Chabad-Lubavitch movement (whose late leader, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, launched the global Noahide Campaign), groups affiliated with Dor Daim, and strict students of Maimonides.

Small groups calling themselves the B'nei Noah (children of Noah) have recently organised themselves to form communities to abide by these laws and lead their lives with morality. The High Council of B'nei Noah is particularly reflective of an apparent success at forming ties with Orthodox Judaism and Observant Noahides. There are several very different approaches within Judaism to B'nei Noah,³ and in recent years tens of publications⁴ and websites⁵ have appeared.

United Noahide Academies®

The United Noahide Academies® was launched in 2004 as a project of Ask Noah International. It is patterned after a "university" where students have an opportunity for in-depth learning based on selected materials provided online at their website.⁶. With the UNA, resources are provided on-line for several introductory courses, as well as a question-and-answer forum with Rabbinical participation, and a service for global networking. Most recently, books have been published in Hebrew ("Sefer Sheva Mitzvot HaShem") and English ("The Divine Code"), as the first "Shulchan Aruch" (Torah-law codification) of the Noahide Commandments. These in-depth texts have received approbation from leading Torah scholars, including the Chief Rabbis of Israel.⁷

High Council of B’nei Noah

A High Council of B’nei Noah was endorsed on January 10, 2006 by a group established in Israel in 2004 that claims to be 'the new Sanhedrin'; this Council was set up to represent B'nei Noah communities around the world.⁸⁹

United Noahide Council

In April 2006, Noahide leader Billy Jack Dial founded a noahide council called the "United Noachide Council, Inc." to serve the needs of Noachides worldwide.¹⁰ It was the second council to be formed in conjunction with the Jerusalem Court for Bnei Noah¹¹¹²

Holy Fellowship International

Holy Fellowship International is a Noahide movement which unlike most other Noahide organizations, disclaims any association with Jewish organizations. Holy Fellowship International stresses adherence to the Seven Laws of Noah and support for the local community. Their official doctrine states that they owe no allegiance to Jews unless their members actually live in Israel and that Israel has an operating Beis Hamikdash, is ruled by a king and has an operating Sanhedrin. It is believed that Holy Fellowship International was formed by disgruntled members of another Noahide organization who thought that too much emphasis was being placed on reverence for Jews.

B'nei Noah in popular media

Chabad-Lubavitch has been the most politically active in Noahide matters, believing that there is spiritual value to non-Jews by even just acknowledging the seven laws. In 1989 they had a reference to these laws enshrined in a congressional proclamation: Presidential Proclamation 5956¹³, then-President George H. W. Bush, recalling Joint House Resolution 173, and recalling that the ethical and moral principles of all civilizations come in part from the Seven Noachide Laws, proclaimed April 16, 1989 and April 6, 1989 as "Education Day, U.S.A." Subsequently, Public Law 102-14, formally designated the Lubavitcher Rebbe's birthday as "Education Day, U.S.A.", with Congress recalling that "without these ethical values and principles the edifice of civilization stands in serious peril of returning to chaos", and that "society is profoundly concerned with the recent weakening of these principles that has resulted in crises that beleaguer and threaten the fabric of civilized society".¹⁴

In April 2006, the spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel, Sheikh Mowafak Tarif, met with a representative of Chabad-Lubavitch to sign a declaration calling on all non-Jews in Israel to observe the Noahide Laws as laid down in the Bible and expounded upon in Jewish tradition. The mayor of the Galilean city of Shefa-'Amr (Shfaram) — where Muslim, Christian and Druze communities live side by side — also signed the document.¹⁵

In March 2007, Chabad-Lubavitch gathered ambassadors from six different countries to take part in a gathering to declare, in the name of the states they represent, their support of the universal teachings of Noahide Laws. They represented Poland, Latvia, Mexico, Panama, Ghana, and Japan. They were part of a special program organized by Harav Boaz Kali.¹⁶

In April, the Abu Gosh mayor Salim Jaber accepted the seven Noahide laws as part of a mass rally by Chabad at the Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv.¹⁷

In May, the newly elected president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, met with a Chabad-Lubavitch rabbi, Dovid Zaoui, who presented him with literature on the universal teachings of the Noahide Laws¹⁸.

References

^ "Maimonides’ Law of Noahides". WikiNoah.
^ Sanhedrin 56
^ "Approaches". WikiNoah.
^ "Publications". WikiNoah.
^ "Websites". WikiNoah.
^ "Ask Noah".
^ "Academy Info". Ask Noah.
^ Sanhedrin Moves to Establish Council For Noahides
^ Arutz Sheva
^ "United Noachide Council". WikiNoah.
^ Recognition of Noahide Councils by the Sanhedrin, and the Court for Bnei Noah
^ TheSanhedrin.org: Bnei Noah, the Sanhedrin's relationship with non-Jews
^ "Presidency". UCSB.
^ "Thomas". LoC.
^ "Arutzsheva".
^ Ambassadors Sign 7 Mitzvos Declaration
^ Arab mayor attends Chabad rally - Israel News, Ynetnews
^ French President Sarkozy Discusses Sheva Mitzvos

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