How do the Six Constant Commandments apply to Noahides?

Question: I have a question about the six constant commandments that Jews must observe. Can Noahides include them in their lives without violating the prohibition of adding commandments? They’re wonderful, because you could fulfill them even while trapped on an island and unable to perform other commandments. How and in what ways can Noahides do these or something similar? Could it bring blessings to one’s daily mindset, attitude, and connection to G-d, and are they incumbent on Gentiles?

The Six Constant Commandments:

The six constant commandments for the Jews are all part of the Noahide Code. Our book The Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner covers them, as I will explain.

But first, note footnote 11 in Part I of The Divine Code:

…One needs to have a general acceptance of the yoke of [the Kingdom of] Heaven* as a preparation for keeping the Seven Noahide Commandments. (However, when Gentiles perform a precept, they do not need to [but they may] specifically intend that they are doing it because G-d has commanded them…)

The following points explain where concepts of the six constant commandments appear in The Divine Code.

Correspondence of the Six Constant Commandments to precepts in the Noahide Code:

Jump-links are provided to the footnotes, which have the text of excerpts from the book.

1. Know there is a G-d.
In Part I: Precept 1 (p. 33) [1], topics 1:1 [2] and 1:5 [3].

2. Don’t believe in other gods.
The actual commandment to Gentiles is not to worship other gods (i.e., idols). If a Gentile believes that another god is equal to or on the same level with the True G-d, he is believing in idolatry. If he believes in the false idea that G-d created and appointed lesser spiritual powers to have independent control over aspects of the creation, that is the false idea of sheetuf (a “partner” with G-d).

The majority opinion is that the Noahide Commandments do not forbid Gentiles to have the incorrect belief in a sheetuf. Nevertheless, it is unrighteous, and such a person is not a Pious Noahide (Chasid Umot HaOlam). However, the Noahide Commandments do forbid Gentiles to worship or serve a sheetuf, because that is idol worship.

In Part II (p. 105): Precept 3 [4]. Also see Precept 2 [5], that Pious Gentiles do not believe in sheetuf.
Also see Part I, topic 1:7 [6].

3. G-d is one.
In Part II (p. 105): see Precept 2 [5] – Pious Gentiles do not believe in sheetuf.
In Part I, see topics 1:3 [7] and 1:7 [6].

4. Love G-d.
See Part I, Precept 4 (p. 33) [8], and topic 6:1 [9].

5. Fear G-d.
See Part I, Precept 3 (p. 33) [10], and topic 6:1 [9].

6. Don’t be misled by your heart and eyes.
See Part II, Precept 3 (p. 105) [4], and topic 2:7 [11], and also the qualification in topic 2:9 [12].

You can therefore see that the six constant commandments are relevant as precepts for Noahides.

Footnotes with excerpts from The Divine Code that are related to the Six Constant Commandments:

1. Know there is a G-d.

[1] To know that there is a G-d, and that He created all that exists.

[2] The basic foundation and the first principle of faith is to know that there is a Primary Being who brought all existence into being. All of the entities in the spiritual and physical realms come into existence only from the truth of His Being.

[3] Knowing this fundamental principle … was included in the commandment and the warning that prohibited idolatry to Adam the first man and all his descendants… [It] is a continuous obligation for every person to think about and contemplate the existence of the Master of the universe and His greatness, in order to set the knowledge of G-d strongly in his heart and mind … as the righteous King David wrote, “I place G-d before me always; because He is at my right hand I shall not falter”. (Psalms 16:8)

*This command of knowing and recognizing the existence of G-d includes acceptance of His Kingship and His constant authority (this is called “accepting the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven”). This means that each Gentile is obligated to accept upon himself all things which he is commanded by G-d – i.e., this recognition, and the Seven Noahide Commandments and their details as transmitted in the Torah – because G-d … commanded them and informed us of them in the Torah through the prophecy of Moses.

2. Don’t believe in other gods, and 3. G-d is one.

[4] Not to take interest in an idol or any ideas of idolatry, which includes not to contemplate an idol or the ways it is worshiped, not to read books about idolatrous doctrines or ways of service, and not to enter a house of idol worship except for a temporary practical need.

[5] According to Rambam and Ramban: Not to believe in the false idea of a “partner” (sheetuf) with G-d, or to say words which imply that a sheetuf is true. According to Tosafot and Rema, a Gentile is not prohibited to believe in a sheetuf or to combine a sheetuf with G-d’s name in an oath, but one who does is not a Pious Gentile.

[6] One who believes there is another god denies the basic foundation of faith, for knowledge of the existence, truth and oneness of the Master of the universe is the foundation upon which all else depends…

[7] This G-d is one, and only can be one, and not two or more. He is one with a complete unification that surpasses any of the types of unity that are part of the created realms; He is not one in the manner of a category that includes multiple individual entities, nor one in the manner of a body that is divided into portions or dimensions. Rather, He is completely unified, and there exists no unity similar to His within the created realms…

4. Love G-d, and 5. Fear G-d.

[8] To love G-d.

[9] It has already been explained in topic 1:5 [3] that it is incumbent on every person to try to achieve comprehension and understanding of the Creator according to his capability, and he should meditate always on the greatness of the Creator, and on His supervision over the whole creation, in order to awaken his heart to love and fear Him.

[10] To fear G-d.

6. Don’t be misled by your heart and eyes.

[11] It is forbidden for a person to ponder in his heart on concepts of idol worship, or to research idolatrous concepts in an attempt to discover if they are true or not (since they are certainly false). These are included in the Torah’s prohibition, “Do not turn to the idols”… (Leviticus 19:4)

[12] All the things mentioned in this chapter as forbidden involve a serious prohibition, because they can cause a person to turn away from G-d to the point that he will come to serve idols, or cause him to become a deviant believer or an apostate. Nevertheless … they are only a preface to idol worship, and not idol worship itself.

– By Dr. Michael Schulman, Director of Ask Noah International