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2014 Series on the Noahide Laws by Rabbi Zvi Aviner

Know your CREATOR, know yourself and know the difference

The Seven Commandments’ List

1: Our list

Welcome to our 2014 Noahide Torah classes. We’ll learn about the Noahide Seven Commandments, their origin, meaning, and where they are derived from the text.
Note that unlike the Ten Commandments of Sinai, the Noahide Commandments are not mentioned explicitly as a group in the Torah text. They do not appear as a block of Commandments given impressively by G-d from a burning mountain, or from the sky. They are derived, rather, from the text’s narrative.
According to tradition, G-d gave Adam and Eve Six Commandments in the Garden of Eden, which are:
I: IDOALTRY
II: ADULTERY
III: BLOODSHED
IV: THEFT
V: INJUSTICE
VI: BLASPHEMY
Later in the Book of Genesis, Noah received from G-d the Seventh Commandment which PROHIBITS the EATING of BLOOD and LIMB TORN FROM A LIVING ANIMAL.
Don’t worry if you can’t remember them now. As we proceed with our class you’ll get to know them by heart.

The Rabbis found a hint in the verse for them. In Eden it says: “And HE Commanded on the Adam, saying: Form all the tree fruits of the Garden you can eat, but form the Tree of Knoledge Good and Evil you shall not eat…” Genesis 2: 15). The words “Commanded, saying” seem superfluous. Hence G-d “Commanded” on the Adam the Six Commandments, then also told him not to eat from the forbidden Tree.

These Seven Noahide Commandments are universal. They pertain to all humans, regardless of race, affiliation or ‘religion.’ No society can survive without them. They are primordial, important, given to us back in Eden.

The USA
Lately the U.S. Congress in its wisdom has recognized the Seven Noahide Commandments as the “Basis for the moral fabric of our great nation” (see the front page of this Site.) By this, the USA has become the first nation in history to adopt the Commandments officially. It behooves every good American to know these Commandments, irrelevant of religious affiliation.

Different Commandments lists
Note that tradition describes several Commandments lists, with various numbers of commandments in each list. But in fact they all basically concur. What happens is that since every Commandment can be broken down to many subtitles, several authorities have recognized some splits as separate, independent Commandments. The list we use in our class is the most common one in rabbinical literature.

References
There are several excellent books we recommend:
“The Seven Laws of Noah,” by Aaron Lichtenstien, a scholarly work.
“The Seven Commandments,” by Michael Dalen, an easily read book.

2: The Commandments as Headlines

Before we dive into the study of each individual Commandment, let’s observe them as a group.
Let’s note that they are given as principles, ‘headlines.’ They do not use the language of “Thou shall do” or “thou shall not do.” Instead, they sound like a thunder in the air, announcing basic MORAL DICTUMS for Mankind: IDOLATRY! ADULTERY! BLOODSHED! THJEFT! JUSTICE! BLASPHEMY!
Indeed, every Commandment comprises of many subtitles. For instance:
IDOLATRY entails many issues and laws. It forbids not only the worshipping idols of wood and stone, but also the surrendering of our lives to any attraction that could steer us away from G-d. Thus one should not worship Science, thinking that it would solve all our problems, replacing G-d. One should not surrender his life to pursue Wealth, Power, with the cost of morality. One should not surrender one’s life to pursue Art, Music, and forget G-d. One should not revere political party, or social philosophy, to the price of forgetting G-d. One should not surrender his or her life to Alcohol, Drugs and other attractions. Hence there are modern idols, as well as ancient ones.
ADULTERY too is a large headline which forbids rape, incense, as well as having sexual relationship outside our marriages, or with another people’s spouse.
BLOODSHED too forbids different kinds of murder, such as indirect or direct killing. It forbids Suicide, Abortion, Mercenaries as well as the ending of life by removing essential breathing machine.
THEFT likewise is a large headline which prohibits ABDUCTION, ROBBING and STEALING. It allows SLAVERY only on rare circumstances and only under strict conditions, honoring the slaves and protecting their welfare. Abraham, as we’ll see, fought bitterly against forced slavery and abduction.
JUSTICE pertains to passing just laws, establishing just court, electing qualified judges and erecting dedicated police. The Commandments also deal with electing the best and most just government: the rule of the majority.
BLASPHEMY prohibits not only cursing G-d, but also dictates our behavior.
Eating flesh from torn Limbs of a living animal does also prohibit drinking Blood. It teaches to avoid cruelty to animals.
As you see, every Commandment is a huge topic, a headline, on which we can and should dwell for weeks.

3: Noahide are Free People

The Seven Commandments are told without stipulating the punishment incurred for their violation. Some carry the death penalty by G-d, and some by the human court. Some carry severe monetary retribution, and others carry a relatively mild penalty.

The Seven Commandments were given in unimpressive way
There Seven Commandments differ from the Ten Commandments of Sinai by tone and language. Whereas on Sinai G-d spoke to Israel in tough language, accompanied by thunders and fire and large voices, the Seven Commandments of Eden were given ‘quietly.’ The reason for that difference is essential. On Sinai, G-d spoke to former Egyptian slaves who had just been redeemed from captivity, to become His Slaves. G-d therefore impressed the Children of Israel by a spectacular show and harsh tone. Noahides, in contrast, were never enslaved by anyone and they are not considered slaved of G-d. Israel has to abide by 613 Commandments, which dictate our life from morning to night. These many Commandments ensure that Israel serves as a Kingdom of Priests to other Nations. Noahides in contrast are G-d’s congregation, to which Israel has been appointed as a priest. Who is more important? The answer is that there is no meaning to being a priest without a congregation, and there is no congregation without a priest. Both constitute G-d’s community on earth.

Israel is obliged too.
From here you see that Israel is but a special brand of the Seventy Noahide Nations. Israel, therefore, is also obliged by all the Noahide Seven Commandments. These Commandments are incorporated in the Ten Commandments of Sinai. On the other hand, there are numerous Commandments which were given to Israel, whereas Noahide are exempt. Fasting on Yom Kippur or celebrating Passover, for instance, are geared to Israel only.

4:Natural reflexes?

The Seven Commandments are very basic. They seem almost natural. All human societies have taken for granted that no one should be allowed to rape, murder, steal or commit injustice. Many scholars have pointed out that these Commandments reflect a basic, natural moral code that seems to come to us from birth. If so, critics claim, why would we need G-d to inform us about them?
In fact, the Torah concurs with the notion that these Commandments are primordial, and that they are inherent in us from our birth. They were given, after all, in the Garden of Eden, way before Man arrived to ‘real’ Earth. As we’ll learn soon, the Talmud holds that the Garden of Eden was planted on the Third Day, before there was rain, shrub or tree on Earth (Genesis 2: 5). It was therefore planted before there was life on Earth, not even vegetation. Tradition holds that the Garden was ‘virtual’ still hovering over the Holy Land above Mount Moriah. Its ‘gates’ are open to the site of the Holy of Holies, inside the Holy Temple. Hence by saying that G-d gave Adam the Commandments in Eden, the Torah actually says that the Commandments preceded life on Earth. Eden is a kind of a cradle for Mankind. The Commandments are therefore very primordial. We are born to withstand their challenge. Their awareness is embedded in our souls.
Yet, the Torah also says that we are not born with the Commandments’ awareness as natural reflexes. Our CREATOR gave them to us as a basis for our life long trial. We are blessed by a free will, and we are given the option to either abide by them, or violate them.

5: The Commandment’s Order

What is the Commandments best order on the list? Which one should come first and which second, third and forth?
There are several lists with different Commandments at the top:
The Talmud’s list: JUSTICE, IDOLATRY, BLASPHEMY, IDOLATRY, ADULTERY BLOODSHED, THEFT, LIMB OF A LIVING CREATURE
The RaMBaM’s list: IDOLATRY, BLASPHEMY, BLOODSHED, ADULTERY, THEFT, JUSTICE.
Most commonly used list (our list): IDOLATRY, ADULTERY, BLOODSHED, THEFT, JUSTICE, BLASPHEMY.
The lists differ because of different hallachic and logical points.

We use our list because:
The top there on our list, IDOALTRY, ADULTERY and BLOODSHED, come together since they are often quoted together.
They are considered more ‘serious’ than the others, since they incur the death penalty.
Note that the death penalty is very difficult to reach at by the Torah’s Court. The Death Penalty was extremely rare in Jewish history. A Torah Court that executed one person in seventy years was an exception.

They are also considered ‘serious,’ since we are obliged to sacrifice our life rather than violating them.
Thus if an evil person forces us to worship idol, we should surrender our life rather than comply.
If an evil person forces us to rape, or have a forbidden sexual relationship we should surrender our life rather than comply.
If an evil person forces us to kill other people, we should surrender our life rather than comply.
There is no such obligation to sacrifice one’s life for the sake of the other Commandments.

The above pertains to Israel. We are obliged to sacrifice our lives rather than violating the top three.
There is a debate in the Rabbinical literature whether or not Noahides are similarly obligated.
The details of this important debate are beyond the outline of this course. Most of the Torah authorities of today hold that Noahides should regard themselves obligated. Certainly they are rewarded by G-d for their self sacrifice.

Logical reasons for our list order

IDOLATRY should come first, since without accepting G-d there is no meaning to the ‘Commandments.’
ADULTERY should follow IDOLATRY, since if we breach our acceptance of G-d, what would pop up on our mind if not violating ADULTERY?
Statistics shows that incense and sexual abuse is extremely prevalent in the USA. It can be found in the most seemingly devout families, such as families of preachers and priests as well as notorious celebrities and political figures. About 75% of Americans confess today about having at least one extramarital affair.
Do not see ADULTERY as “cheating on one’s spouse,” rather than ‘cheating G-d.’
BLOODSHED should follow DULTERY, since once you’ve violated someone’s wife, what would you expect if not her husband running at you with a knife?
THEFTshould follow, since once you’ve stolen someone’s wife, what would stop you from stealing his money?
INJUSTICEshould follow suite, since once you have stolen someone’s wife and money, what would you do if not suppressing justice?
BLASPHEMY should follow, since when you live in a society that tolerates all the above, you’d soon curse your mother and father for bringing you to the world, and curse G-d for creating this world!
A sad case to remember. It demonstrates everything we’ve just said.
Years ago I knew a member of our synagogue, a decent fellow, a physician, who was really a dedicated religious man.
His wife, on the other hand, was not so much religious. She actually was caught eating in non kosher restaurants
Which may not seem such a bad thing to you, but it does betray the fact that tradition and G-d were far away from her mind.
She simply did not take G-d seriously.
After a while, one day when the husband came home unexpectedly, he caught his wife with another man in their living room.
The husband told me later that if he had a gun, he would have shot them both, and then kill himself.
Moreover, how shocked he was later to discover that for years his adulterous wife had supported her lover by lots of her husband’s money.
Then, when the case came to court, she hired the best lawyer in town who smeared the poor husband so much in the court’s eye that
the poor husband lost the custody of their children, lost his home, and finally left town.
This was such a gross distortion of justice that the entire community kept talking about that for years.

I wonder: who told this psychological downfall to Moses, having grown up in Pharaoh’s home? How could he know so well the depth and the secrets of the human soul? How could he know that WE ARE BUILT TO WITHSTAND THE CASCADE OF THE BASIC SIX COMMANDMENTS OF EDEN?

6: Cascade of Passions

Note that the Commandments present a cascade of passions:
IDOLATRY is derived from our passion to adore and worship something.
ADULTERY is derived from our passion to procreate.
BLOODSHED is derived from our attraction to violence
THEFT represents our passion to acquire wealth and power
INJUSTICE is derived from our passion to rule over and conquer.
BLASPHEMY is derived from our innermost desire to rebel against our CREATOR.
Thus the Six Commandments of Adam in Eden address our innermost passions.
Only the greatest psychologist could have seen that!

7: We need the Commandments to create Eden on Earth

When the CREATOR formed Adam in Eden, He told him “to till it and preserve it.” The phrase actually means that Adam and Eve received Six Commandment in Eden as a condition for staying there. Hence there was no ‘free lunch’ even in Eden.
When Adam and Eve were driven out of Eden to live on Earth, they carried with them the obligation to abide by the Six Commandments. Henceforth they would live on Earth as long they abide by the Six Commandments.
Noah’s generation was washes away for having violated all the Six Commandments of Adam.
We too would face the same fate once we’ve breached the Rainbow Covenant and have violated Noah’s Seven Commandments.
On the other hand, if we abide by the Six, we would convert Earth to Eden.

8: The Commandments as personal guidance

We are bound to face the Six Commandments each and every day. We are born to encounter them. They dictate our lives.
It behooves every Noahide to think about them every day as we wake up, and pray to G-d that he would help us to overcome their attraction and win our daily trial.

The Six Commandment accompany us as we grow.
As children, we learn to abide and revere our parents. We also learn to revere and abide by our FATHER and MOTEHR in Heavens (Who are ONE, as we’ll learn.)
Then as we grow up we pass by sexual maturation and confront ADULTERY.
Then we grow to become energetic young people, capable of violence and BLOODSHED.
Then we grow in wisdom to engage in economical growth and face THEFT.
Then we grow even more to become wiser and engage CIVIL ORDER and JUSTICE.

Humanity too passes in history through the cascade of these miraculous Commandments.
This is seen in the Book of Genesis. We wil learn how the Book takes us through the Commandments one after the other, in a precise and predicted way.
Yes, the primordial Six Commandments of Adam and Eve have acted like a program through which each of us goes through the day, and humanity has walked in them throughout history.

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This article was orignally posted on http://www.noahidesevencommandments.com/default.asp 

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Opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those of Noahide Nations