Chapter 3: Light Another Candle
Before sailing forth and plunging into a detailed discussion of the commandments, ordinances and statues contained in the Torah, I need to discuss a few matters. My premises so far have surely elicited statements like: ‘but you are not supposed to teach Torah to gentiles’ or ‘the goyim have the seven Noahide laws to live according to’. So in this section I want to discuss that Jews are supposed to teach Torah to the goyim (nations), what exactly is meant with the 613 commandments and what are the so called Noahide Laws.
If Israel, is supposed to be a ‘light unto the nations’ [see Chapter 2 of my Blog, and Is. 42:6 & Ps. 37:6], then saying the nations are not supposed to study and learn the Torah, is quite an illogical statement. As I have stated in a previous chapter, ‘to be a light’ surely means to show The Way; to clarify details of the way; and to spread the good life as promised and instructed by G-d, by giving information and instructions contained in the Torah. The latter in fact is what the title of this blog refers to. One can light another candle from one that is already lit and that will not diminish the light of the first In fact it will spread even more light! Rav Binny Freedman noted “we are meant to educate the world; to be a role model of how society can be” (*1)
To state that gentile or Bnei Noach should not learn Torah, totally negates Is 2:2-4.
And it shall be in the latter days that the mountain of the House of יהוה [G-d] is established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills. And all nations shall flow to it. And many peoples shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of יהוה,to the House of the Elohim of Ya’aqob, and let Him teach us His ways, and let us walk in His paths, for out of Tsiyon comes forth the Torah, and the Word of יהוה from Yerushalayim
Surely Israel was to be a light from the outset. Note for example: Deu 4:5,6, and 8:-
‘See I have taught you laws and right-rulings, as יהוה my Elohim commanded me [Moses], to do thus in the land which you go to possess. And you shall guard and do them, for this is your wisdom and your understanding before the eyes of the peoples who hear all these laws, and they shall say, ‘Only a wise and understanding people is this great nation!’….And what great nation is there that has such laws and righteous right-rulings like this Torah which I set before you this day?‘
Learning Torah first of all means to learn who the Creator of our world is, why he chose Israel to live according to His instructions and what the light is that they are to show to the world. On the first or primary level it does not infer rabbinical Judaism – that is something quite different. In fact I sometimes wonder if my fellow Jews are not jealous of non-Jews learning about the marvels, beauty and depth as well as secrets of the Torah. Why are they afraid to share the Torah?
See what G-d said: “There shall be one law for you, it shall be for proselyte and native (*2) alike, for I יהוה am your G-d” [Lev24:22] Read also Deu29:9-14 and “Gather together the people – the men, the women, and the small children, and your stranger who is in your cities – so that they will hear and so that they will learn, and they shall fear יהוה, your God, and be careful to perform all the words of this Torah” (Deut31:12)
When one learns that there are 613 commandments [248 positive & 365 Negative / Prohibitions] – and they will always say in the same breath ‘No -one can actually keep all 613’ – makes it sound even more mysterious or daunting. Yet no one usually then clarifies that very many commandments only applies to the Temple or the priests and the Kohen HaGadol. Also, that some only applies to the land of Israel; some only applies to women. Therefore those that apply to everyone, men, women and children, Israel as well as the proselyte and the ‘stranger in your midst’ make the fact that ALL people everywhere are supposed to follow G-d’s word much more understandable and an option to seriously consider. Rambam [Moses ben Maimond (Maimonides) 1135-1204] (*3) stated that Jews may teach Torah to Christians, because they accept the divinity of the Tora, [and] in order to correct misunderstandings (Responsa 149) 5 p.xxvi] Yet there are many Rabbis that disagree. (*4)
It is necessary and very important to point out that without the understanding of the Hebrew that the Torah is written in, incredible and marvelous information is hidden from the reader [more about this later – see Chapter 7]. Just as important is the resultant mistranslations that occur – and there are very many.
The lack of understanding the Hebrew text, and also insufficient knowledge of the traditional Jewish understanding of most of these commandments, lead to a skewed interpretation which leads to false teaching and therefore a cynicism and abhorrence of the so called “Old Testament” / Tenach as well as Torah, or even more false, Christians that maintain ‘the Law was nailed to the cross’. [More about this later – see Chapter 5]
Let me point out a few examples. Probably one of the most common that is referred to in a sarcastic and critical tone, is the command stated in Exsodus 21:24 “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand and a foot for a foot…” This sound shocking and even primitive today, but one must be careful not to just consider one tree and not see the forest. This statute (directive) cannot be understood or applied in isolation of the whole of the Torah; its context, history or cultural feed ground. When one has a comprehensive understanding and knowledge of the Scriptures, one would automatically realize that we are not to interpret or understand this statute literally.
(See also Levitikus 24:17-22)
First of all we learn we are created in the Image of G-d (Gen 1:26, 27) and then we learn our G-d is a loving and caring Father that is closely involved with mankind and our lives and actions. Very importantly we learn that Justice and Righteousness is very much part of the character of G-d. We read in Exodus 34:6,7- ‘…. יהוה, יהוה The God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty…’
Furthermore we are instructed ‘You shall not commit a perversion of justice…with righteousness shall you judge your fellow’ [Leviticus 19:15] Disfiguring a person, or to impair a person so that he/she cannot work, will not be righteous, neither gracious or loving. Therefore the sages stated that a monetary compensation should be paid that would be “equal” to the harm caused, e.g. a scribe or artisan will be seriously hampered by losing an eye and should be compensated for loss of earnings. (*5)
Another example where a poor translation lends a very different meaning is when G-d instructed Israel to build a Tabernacle (Mishkan). In Exodus 25:8 we read in English:
They shall make a Sanctuary for Me – so that I may dwell ‘among’ them
But the Hebrew word betuach does not mean ‘among’ you, but within you. This makes quite a difference. This surely infers that this G-d desires a personal relationship with each one. That each one of Israel potentially has G-d in and with them, and in their holy walk with Him, following His commandments, they as a nation will reflect and reveal G-d; “the goal of the Torah is to establish a nation of human beings who seek perfection in their relationship with one another, no less than in their relationship with God” [11.692]
Another example where one needs to understand the historical and cultural context as well as keep in mind the overall tone and principles of Torah, is the law concerning the ‘unsolved murder of a stranger’. [Read Deuteronomy 21:1-9] A stranger is found murdered in a field. The elders and judges of the closest towns then have to measure the distance to each town to see which is nearest. The elders of the latter town “shall take a heifer, with which no work has been done, which has not pulled with a yoke…” and sacrifice it in a valley which cannot be worked or sown. The meaning of this strange ancient ceremony is to repent for the inhospitality of the inhabitants of the town that obviously did not offer the stranger a place to stay or food, nor accompanied him on his way. The mitzvah is therefore to be hospitable to strangers. A commentary also noted that this ceremony will attract a crowd and possibly lead to the murderer’s identity.
It goes without saying that the former is an example of how important it is for gentiles to be instructed by Torah learned scholars or rabbi’s. And this brings us to the so-called 7 Noahide Laws.
The Noahide Laws are not listed like the Ten Commandments are as a unit, as in Exodus 20 as well as Deuteronomy 5 (*6). These seven laws for the Nations were not even mentioned by Rabbi Yehudah HaNassi in the Mishnah (author of the Oral Torah, completed ±200CE) They are only mentioned after that by Rabbi’s in the Talmud’s Gemara. ‘Israel’s Talmudic Sages had recorded the basic Seven Commandments by about 200CE – the doctrine of the Rainbow Covenant was one of the first things they wrote out’ [12.42] (*7)
In the Talmud tractate Sanhedrin [56a] one reads: [My numbering added]
Our Rabbis taught: Seven precepts were the sons of Noah commanded: 1. Social laws; 2. to refrain from blasphemy; 3.idolatry; 4. Adultery; 5. Bloodshed; 6. Robbery; 7. And eating flesh cut from a living animal.
And on page/folio 56b we read:
‘For a Tanna of the school of Menasseh taught: The sons of Noah were given seven precepts, viz., [prohibition of] 1. idolatry, 2. adulterty, 3. murder,4. robbery, 5. flesh cut from a living animal, emasculation and 6. forbidden mixtures…R. Judah b. Bathyra maintained: he was forbidden 7. blasphemy too. Some add 8. social laws. [Talmud, Sanhedrin, 56b]
There is clearly a problem here if one only considers the number mentioned in each quote, as well as the terminology used. Furthermore, considering also the ‘source’ of these so called Laws and where they are written down, it’s no wonder that Christians are not familiar with them. It is also only lately that we find books written about them. “Unfortunately, there [is] very little authoritative material to guide even Rabbis” that lately have been guiding the many Gentiles that have committed themselves to observe this universal Noahide Code. [7.13]
Let us just consider “social laws” as an example of the obvious shortcomings of the Noahide Laws as a moral and ethical basis for ordering society all over the world. These are usually referred to as ‘court system / courts of justice / establishing laws, police and courts. One can by mentioning only one example of one country, illustrate the obvious shortcomings of presenting the Noahide Code as a universal directive for moral and ethical behavior, without incorporating the whole of the Torah. The Nazis also had so called laws, courts of justice and police, but these were not conducted according to G-d’s way and principles!
Weiner writes in his book The Divine Code, a book attempting to explain the Noahide Laws: ‘permission for earthly judgment based on Torah Law applies only for a competent and empowered Torah-based court..’ [7.54] This statement – like so many others in his book – highlights the problem that I have with Rabbis, books and people that refer to the Noahide Laws with a broad sweep and as some panacea for how gentiles should conduct their lives. The former quote, clearly underlines the fact that the Nazi’s justice system does not qualify as a just and acceptable system. Therefore, the question how should we / humankind then live, still stands, and is not answered by the Noahide Code.
In fact, his book almost reads like reading the Mishnah or Guide for the Perplexed by Maimonides. In other words, its not that simple. Weiner actually points out that ‘it is incumbent on one who does know the truth…to teach him God’s truth and the commandments which apply for him as a Gentile, and to correct and improve his ways’. [7.55] (*8) The tragedy is that it is incumbent upon the people to whom the Torah was given, to inform the world of nations about G-d’s way for man, but because of persecution and exile throughout history, they were rejected, their hands were proverbially tied and their insight and wisdom lost to the world. After the first century CE, pagan influence and distortions infiltrated the Way of the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. [More about that later – see Chapter 5].
Considering the term ‘adultery’ used in the Bible, it’s often referred to as sexual immorality. But without referring to Leviticus 18-20, some cultures will find pedophilia, bestiality, pederasty, marring an eight year old girl to a man of 35 or 65, as acceptable.
Michael E. Dallen in his book The Rainbow Covenant, tries to present a clear understanding of what the Noahide Code entails. As in Weiner’s book, the discussion is too limited. These Only 7 Laws are too limited. One is left with a whole big elephant in the room and questions like, “ but what about…” These I hope to point out and touch upon in my blog. Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh stated: “But keeping the seven Noahide mitzvoth does not suffice. This level of Torah study alone cannot fully realize the idea of tikkun olam (spiritual repair of the world in preparation for Messianic days).” (*9)
FOOTNOTES
*1 Rav Binny Freedman, Bereishit discussion, Isralight, 2016.
*2 Proselyte is someone that converted to Judaism. See Exodus 12:48&49. This is one of the many passages in which the Torah states that the convert is to be treated as equals, and one of Israel.
*3 One of the greatest Sages of Judaism.
*4 There are historical statements by Rabbis as well as in the Talmud that explains this, but is not applicable to this discussion now. Suffice is to say that they maintained Christians will distort what was written.
*5 For more details read Rav Binny Freedman’s discussion of Portion of Mishpatim, 2018, in ‘Small Tastings of Torah, Juidaism and Spirituality’; Isralite.org.
*6 The Ten Commandments are neither listed, nor appear, nor are discussed in the Koran, Hadith or Sura. Very very few Westeners are aware of this!
*7 See Mishnah, Tosefta Avodah Zarah 8:4; Tlmud, Hullin 141a-b, Seder Olam 5, Sanhedrin 56a-59 , Bava Kamma 38a; Midrash , Genesis Rabbah 16:9, 24:5, 34:8, Deutronomy Rabbah 2:17, 2:25, Song of Songs Rabbah 1:16; Jerusalem Talmud, Kiddushin 1.
*8 “Rambam writes in Laws of Kings 10:1 that a Gentile is liable for transgressing the Noahide Commandments due to negligence, since he should have learned them. But it seems that he is only referring to a situation in which the general community knows the laws…. It is clear that this only applies to the Noahide commandments that need to be taught (since they are not dictated by logic), such as details of the prohibitions against worshipping idols and eating flesh taken from a living animal. But for the logical prohibitions such as stealing and murder, it is obvious that a community is obligated to learn and know them…” [7.55]. Again this brings us face to face with the problem that in the Koran theft and murder is often sanctioned. So what is the answer?
*9 Dr. Rivkah Lambert Adler writes in her article The Time Has Come for Mass Torah Study for Gentiles, “Many Jews view the Torah as a gift from God that belongs to the Jewish people alone but is that still the case? More specifically, should Torah study only be for Jews” She then refers to a transcript of a talk The Fourth Revolution: Torah Study for Gentiles, by Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh, one of Israel’s foremost teachers of Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) and Chassidut (the study of the inner dimensions of Torah). “It is the task of the Jewish people to teach and disseminate the Torah of the Noahides to all of Mankind, Rabbi Ginsburgh acknowledged. [see Breakingisraelnews.com, 7 Feb. 2018]