Remembering the Seventh day

[Director Michael]

Hello. I'd like to ask your opinion. I have a book for Noahides which has some prayers to mark the seventh day of creation. As Noahides don't keep the Sabbath, it doesn't seem appropriate to call it that. Is it OK to call it the seventh day?

Yes, it's OK to call it "the seventh day", because it is in fact the seventh day of the week, and it does commemorate the seventh day of creation. It's also OK to call it Saturday, or the name of that day of the week in any language. This is just like calling Sunday "the first day", because it is the first day of the week, and it commemorates the first day of creation.

Also included are some Havdalah prayers

According to the accepted teaching from Rabbi Moshe Weiner, author of "The Divine Code" (which explains the fundamental principles and the practical details of the Torah-based Noahide Code), it is not appropriate for a Noahide to say any "Havdalah" prayers, because those only apply for Jews. "Havdalah" means "separation", and it signifies that the person is making a ritual separation for him/herself between the end of the seventh day and the beginning of the first day. But declaring that one is making such a separation is part of the essence of "making a holy ['kadosh'] Sabbath" (because 'kadosh' also means "separated"), and that is something that Gentiles (Non-Jews) are not permitted to do. The same thing applies to making any "Kiddush" ("Sanctification") prayer associated with the start of the seventh day, to make a ritual separation between the end of the sixth day and the beginning of the seventh day.

This does NOT mean that a Noahide isn't permitted to recognize, understand and honor the specialty of the seventh day, by doing some normal, non-ritual activity that will make the day more enjoyable. See Post #1 by our second overseeing Rabbi in this thread: https://asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=145

I would go so far as to suggest that if Noahides want to light candles in honor of the Jewish Sabbath or Holy Days, they can do so but in context of adding festivity [enjoyment] to the day (since it is a custom of the world in general to light candles for festive occasions), and to do so when sitting down to have a special meal (thus after sunset - unless it is summer and they have their meal much earlier, or alternatively, have then a special "festive snack" after sunset - if they ate before - to mark the seventh day which begins after sunset).

In the Jewish prayerbook liturgy (the Siddur) there is a particular Psalm that was chosen for each day of the week, that expresses the theme of the corresponding day in the week of creation, as described in the beginning of the Book of Genesis. Noahides can recite these Psalms for each day of the week. For the seventh day, that Psalm specifically states that is dedicated for the seventh day:

Day 1 -- Sunday -- Psalm 24
Day 2 -- Monday -- Psalm 48
Day 3 -- Tuesday -- Psalm 82
Day 4 -- Wednesday -- Psalm 94
Day 5 -- Thursday -- Psalm 81
Day 6 -- Friday -- Psalm 93
Day 7 -- Saturday -- Psalm 92

These daily Psalms are included in our booklet "Prayers, Blessings, Principles of Faith, and Divine Service for Noahdies".

and they suggest using a multiwicked candle (maybe 7 to represent the 7 laws), Would it be OK to use the same type of Havdalah candle as Jews use, or is the significance there different? Thank you! Shanti

Again, a Noahide should not make any ritual separation between the 7th and the 1st day, or between the 6th and the 7th day. Copying the Jewish ritual with some small change like the number of wicks in a "separation (havdalah) candle" does not make it a permitted ritual for Noahides. Specifically because of its ritual nature, it would be in the category of adding a new commandment.