Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

Noahide Outreach

What is the connection between Jews and Noahide outreach?

The following personal essay was submitted by a Noahide woman who wishes to share her thoughts with our visitors.

At the simplest level, what is the point of a Jew? Of being a Jew? According to the Jewish Sages, it’s to make the physical world into the dwelling place for G-d that He desires.

Then – again at the simplest level – what does that mean for the Jewish people as a whole? As a whole, how are Jews to accomplish that? To condense it down and to make it broad enough for every Jew, there’s the well-known phrase from the Hebrew Bible (Isaiah 49:6): “I [G-d] will make you a light for the nations.” Read more »

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Why isn’t there more outreach for the 7 Laws?

Question: I am a Noahide… Why does the organized Torah community not take a more active role in disseminating the Seven Universal (Noahide) Commandments? – From Mr. R. N. G. Read more »

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Have the Noahide Laws been recognized by any governments?

The site www.jifga.org includes information on recognition which the Noahide Commandments have received from leaders in a number of countries. This is reprinted here, from http://www.jifga.org/government-leaders-and-the-seven-noahide-laws.html, with permission from the Director of J.I.F.G.A. :

The universality of these principles and global import was recognized in 1982 by President Ronald Reagan when he spoke of “the eternal validity of the Seven Noahide Laws [as] a moral code for all of us regardless of religious faith” (Proclamation on the National Day of Reflection, April 4, 1982).

Seven years later, in 1989, President George H.W. Bush not only proclaimed that these “Biblical values are the foundation for civilized society,” but he also recognized that “A society that fails to recognize or adhere to them cannot endure.”

He understood how these “principles of moral and ethical conduct that have formed the basis for all civilizations comes to us, in part, from the centuries old Seven Noahide Laws.” And, in doing so, he noted their origins: “The Noahide Laws are actually seven commandments given to man by G-d, as recorded in the Old Testament. …” (Proclamation 5956-Education Day, USA 1989 and 1990, 102 Stat. 3016, April 14, 1989)

Both the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States Congress in 1991, on a [unanimous] bipartisan basis, further recognized how this “historical tradition of ethical values and principles…upon which our great Nation was founded … have been the bedrock of society from the dawn of civilization, when they were known as the Seven Noahide Laws.” The American Congress understood how “the most recent weakening of these principles … has resulted in crises that beleaguer and threaten the fabric of civilized society.” Thus, they warned us that “without these ethical values and principles the edifice of civilization stands in serious peril of returning to chaos.” (Public Law 102-14, 102d Congress, 1st session, H.J. Res. 104)

Other world leaders have joined the call for further observance and knowledge of these laws. For example, Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Union wrote (in July, 2014) that he seeks greater “dissemination of the universal values known as the Noahide Laws,” and Major General Michael Jeffery, Governor General of Australia, lamenting family breakdowns and drug and alcohol abuse in modern society in a 2008 letter, wrote that he believed that observing the fundamental values of the Noahide Laws can be an antidote to such ills of society.

We only need to look at the havoc in which we find ourselves living today in order to recognize the validity of these truthful assertions

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102nd U.S. Congress (1991-1992)

Click here for full text of:

House Joint Resolution H.J.RES.104.ENR

Designating March 26, 1991, as Education Day, U.S.A.

The Seven Noahide Laws:

“Congress recognizes the historical tradition of ethical values and principles which are the basis of civilized society and upon which our great Nation was founded … these ethical values and principles that have been the bedrock of society from the dawn of civilization, when they were known as the Seven Noahide Laws.”

Righteous governance is the foundation of peace.

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What is the universal lesson of Purim?

Charity can

Gifts to the Poor

The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, provided the following explanation:*

Aside from the lesson Purim teaches us to spread Judaism amongst the Jewish people, it also teaches us that we must bring goodness, justice, and righteousness to the entire world, including the Gentile nations…

Not only should a Jew behave with total firmness and not allow himself to be intimidated by the Gentile, but he should also influence the Gentile to behave in a just, righteous manner, by bringing him to adhere to the Noahide Code. This is highlighted in the narrative of the Megillah [the Book of Esther]:

After Mordechai was appointed viceroy [of Persia], he strove to promote the well-being of all the inhabitants of the countries under King Achashverosh – both the Jews and the Gentiles of the one hundred and twenty-seven countries…[1]

Thus, the story of the Megillah holds another lesson: A Jew should exert effort to promote the well-being of all the Gentile nations. He accomplishes this by influencing them to follow the Noahide Code, whose underlying theme is maintaining a civilized world.[2]

Footnotes

[1] Historical background: On Nissan 13, 357 B.C.E., a royal decree was issued by King Achashverosh of Persia. It ordered the killing of all the Jews in the following year. It was in his power, because the entire Jewish people resided within his empire. This decree was initiated by the wicked Haman, an Amalekite who rose to power as viceroy of the king. In that following year, G-d’s saving miracles, along with Queen Esther’s intervention, prevailed. A second decree was issued by King Achashverosh, empowering the Jews to defend themselves.

On Adar 13 and 14 of that year, 356 B.C.E., the Jews fought battles throughout the empire. The fought against Haman’s fellow Amalekites who were planning to carry out the annihilation of all the Jews, G-d forbid. With G-d’s help, the Jews were victorious over these enemies. The righteous sage Mordechai, Queen Esther’s uncle, replaced Haman as viceroy. The Jewish festival of Purim was then established by Queen Esther, Mordechai, and the other Jewish sages of their generation.

[2] This directive is found in the Hebrew Bible in Isaiah 45:18. It reads, “For so said the L-rd, the Creator of Heaven, Who is G-d, Who formed the earth and made it, He established it; He did not create it for a waste, He formed it to be settled [through people acting righteously with one another], ‘I am the L-rd and there is no other.’ ”


*Free translation from Hisvaaduyos 5743, Vol.2, p. 105, as featured in the book “To Perfect the World: The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Call to Teach the Noahide Code to All Mankind.”

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Do non-Torah religions conflict with the 7 Noahide Laws?

There are rungs of ascending spiritual levels that one can achieve as a Gentile. The most basic level of righteousness, which G-d expects from every Gentile, is to refrain from actions that would transgress any of the Seven Noahide Commandments, regardless of what your beliefs are about the source or basis of those commandments. Thus, adding on observance of the eternal 7 Noahide Commandments to whatever you are presently following is a very positive and worthwhile step, that will certainly bring you into a more personal relationship with G-d. Read more »

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