זכרון למעשי בראשית The Seventh day as a memorial of creation for all humanity.

In the latter days, it seems that they will:

לכו ונעלה אל הר ה" אל בית אלהי יעקב וירנו מדרכיו ונלכה בארחתיו

Gentile nations in the messianic age: Come let us go up ... For from Zion shall the Torah go forth, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem

Gentile nations in the latter days in Jerusalem at the Feast of Sukkot

הנותר מכל הגוים: עלה לירושלים, להשתחות לצבאות, ולחגג חג סכות

May God-fearing gentile Noahides commemorate Jewish Holidays as voluntary acts of discipleship, and if so, how?

TLDR: Yes, gentiles may commemorate the appointed times, use the opportunity to worship, pray, and learn the holy law and prophets and rejoice, but they must not claim that it is an "inheritance" (morasha) or claim that they are "betrothed" to God through this sign of the Sinai covenant. They may perform the deeds as voluntary acts of discipleship, but not as "holy obligations" or "mitzvot". Therefore they should not say "sacramental" blessings of the form "אשר קדשנו במצויתו וצונו לעשות כך וכך" since they are not commanded in the associated deeds, they are volunteers.. What for a Jew is a "mitzvah", may for a Noahide be a "maasei tov", a good deed. But only if the Noahide is not neglecting the other seven mitzvot in which he actually is commanded. Doing a ritual act in which he is not required, is sometimes a positively sinful: if he does them under false pretenses or in a manner likely to mislead others or promote himself, which is a form of robbery; if it causes him to neglect other moral duties; if he compels other gentiles to perform the deed by treating them as "mitzvot", commands, rather than as "nedivot" - voluntary acts of generosity.

Scholars are invited to respond with additional analysis and explanation.

Someday I will make a modified "Noahide siddur" for the seventh day. More important is the continual daily prayer: A Noahide Order of Blessing and Prayer -- סידור נחי (This is a suggested order, based on my personal practice: it is not a command.)

דברים י״ג:א׳

(א) אֵ֣ת כׇּל־הַדָּבָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר אָנֹכִי֙ מְצַוֶּ֣ה אֶתְכֶ֔ם אֹת֥וֹ תִשְׁמְר֖וּ לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת לֹא־תֹסֵ֣ף עָלָ֔יו וְלֹ֥א תִגְרַ֖ע מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ {פ}

Deuteronomy 13:1

(1) Be careful to observe only that which I enjoin upon you: neither add to it nor take away from it.

מצוה עשה משפת בצדק

Equal Justice under Law: the commandment of righteous judgment

ישעיהו ס״ו:כ״ב-כ״ג

(כב) כִּ֣י כַאֲשֶׁ֣ר הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם הַ֠חֲדָשִׁ֠ים וְהָאָ֨רֶץ הַחֲדָשָׁ֜ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנִ֥י עֹשֶׂ֛ה עֹמְדִ֥ים לְפָנַ֖י נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה כֵּ֛ן יַעֲמֹ֥ד זַרְעֲכֶ֖ם וְשִׁמְכֶֽם׃ (כג) וְהָיָ֗ה מִֽדֵּי־חֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ בְּחׇדְשׁ֔וֹ וּמִדֵּ֥י שַׁבָּ֖ת בְּשַׁבַּתּ֑וֹ יָב֧וֹא כׇל־בָּשָׂ֛ר לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֥ת לְפָנַ֖י אָמַ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה׃

Isaiah 66:22-23

(22) For as the new heaven and the new earth Which I will make Shall endure by My will —declares the LORD— So shall your seed and your name endure. (23) And new moon after new moon, And sabbath after sabbath, All flesh shall come to worship Me —said the LORD.

בראשית א׳:י״ד-ט״ז

(יד) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים יְהִ֤י מְאֹרֹת֙ בִּרְקִ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם לְהַבְדִּ֕יל בֵּ֥ין הַיּ֖וֹם וּבֵ֣ין הַלָּ֑יְלָה וְהָי֤וּ לְאֹתֹת֙ וּלְמ֣וֹעֲדִ֔ים וּלְיָמִ֖ים וְשָׁנִֽים׃ (טו) וְהָי֤וּ לִמְאוֹרֹת֙ בִּרְקִ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם לְהָאִ֖יר עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן׃ (טז) וַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֱלֹהִ֔ים אֶת־שְׁנֵ֥י הַמְּאֹרֹ֖ת הַגְּדֹלִ֑ים אֶת־הַמָּא֤וֹר הַגָּדֹל֙ לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶת הַיּ֔וֹם וְאֶת־הַמָּא֤וֹר הַקָּטֹן֙ לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶת הַלַּ֔יְלָה וְאֵ֖ת הַכּוֹכָבִֽים׃

Genesis 1:14-16

(14) God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate day from night; they shall serve as signs for the set times—the days and the years; (15) and they serve as lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth.” And it was so. (16) God made the two great lights, the greater light to dominate the day and the lesser light to dominate the night, and the stars.

בראשית א׳:ל״א-ב׳:ג׳

(לא) וַיַּ֤רְא אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וְהִנֵּה־ט֖וֹב מְאֹ֑ד וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם הַשִּׁשִּֽׁי׃ {פ}
(א) וַיְכֻלּ֛וּ הַשָּׁמַ֥יִם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ וְכׇל־צְבָאָֽם׃ (ב) וַיְכַ֤ל אֱלֹהִים֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה וַיִּשְׁבֹּת֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מִכׇּל־מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה׃ (ג) וַיְבָ֤רֶךְ אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־י֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י וַיְקַדֵּ֖שׁ אֹת֑וֹ כִּ֣י ב֤וֹ שָׁבַת֙ מִכׇּל־מְלַאכְתּ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָ֥א אֱלֹהִ֖ים לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃ {פ}

Genesis 1:31-2:3

(31) And God saw all that He had made, and found it very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. (1) The heaven and the earth were finished, and all their array. (2) On the seventh day God finished the work that He had been doing, and He ceased on the seventh day from all the work that He had done. (3) And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because on it God ceased from all the work of creation that He had done.

משנה תורה, הלכות מלכים ומלחמות י׳:י׳

בֶּן נֹחַ שֶׁרָצָה לַעֲשׂוֹת מִצְוָה מִשְּׁאָר מִצְוֹת הַתּוֹרָה כְּדֵי לְקַבֵּל שָׂכָר. אֵין מוֹנְעִין אוֹתוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹתָהּ כְּהִלְכָתָהּ. וְאִם הֵבִיא עוֹלָה מְקַבְּלִין מִמֶּנּוּ. נָתַן צְדָקָה מְקַבְּלִין מִמֶּנּוּ. וְיֵרָאֶה לִי שֶׁנּוֹתְנִין אוֹתָהּ לַעֲנִיֵּי יִשְׂרָאֵל. הוֹאִיל וְהוּא נִזּוֹן מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל וּמִצְוָה עֲלֵיהֶם לְהַחְיוֹתוֹ. אֲבָל הָעַכּוּ''ם שֶׁנָּתַן צְדָקָה מְקַבְּלִין מִמֶּנּוּ וְנוֹתְנִין אוֹתָהּ לַעֲנִיֵּי עַכּוּ''ם:

Mishneh Torah, Kings and Wars 10:10

A non-Jew¹¹³One who had accepted the Seven Commandments, i.e. a Resident Convert. who wishes to perform another Torah Commandment¹¹⁴Other than learning Torah or observing Shabbos. (merely) in order to receive a reward is not prevented from so doing in the Halochically correct way. Thus, if he brings the Olah (burnt) offering, we accept it from him. If he gives charity, we accept it from him. It appears to me, however, that we give these monies to the Jewish poor since he (the Resident Convert) is sustained by Israel, and they have a commandment to keep them (the Jews) alive. However, if a non-Jew¹¹⁵One who didn’t accept the Seven Commandments. gives charity, we take it and give it to the non-Jewish poor¹¹⁶We take for the “sake of peace”, but give it back to them since it is a disgrace for Jews to have to receive charity from non-Jews..

משנה תורה, הלכות מלכים ומלחמות י׳:ט׳

עַכּוּ''ם שֶׁעָסַק בַּתּוֹרָה חַיָּב מִיתָה. לֹא יַעֲסֹק אֶלָּא בְּשֶׁבַע מִצְוֹת שֶׁלָּהֶן בִּלְבַד. וְכֵן עַכּוּ''ם שֶׁשָּׁבַת אֲפִלּוּ בְּיוֹם מִימוֹת הַחל אִם עֲשָׂאָהוּ לְעַצְמוֹ כְּמוֹ שַׁבָּת חַיָּב מִיתָה. וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר אִם עָשָׂה מוֹעֵד לְעַצְמוֹ. כְּלָלוֹ שֶׁל דָּבָר אֵין מְנִיחִין אוֹתָן לְחַדֵּשׁ דָּת וְלַעֲשׂוֹת מִצְוֹת לְעַצְמָן מִדַּעְתָּן. אֶלָּא אוֹ יִהְיֶה גֵּר צֶדֶק וִיקַבֵּל כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת. אוֹ יַעֲמֹד בְּתוֹרָתוֹ וְלֹא יוֹסִיף וְלֹא יִגְרַע. וְאִם עָסַק בַּתּוֹרָה אוֹ שָׁבַת אוֹ חִדֵּשׁ דָּבָר. מַכִּין אוֹתוֹ וְעוֹנְשִׁין אוֹתוֹ וּמוֹדִיעִין אוֹתוֹ שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב מִיתָה עַל זֶה. אֲבָל אֵינוֹ נֶהֱרָג:

Mishneh Torah, Kings and Wars 10:9

A non-Jew who busied himself with Torah is liable with his life¹¹²From Heaven, because others will see him perform Mitzvohs and being engaged in Torah and will be deceived. They will think him a practicing Jew and err after him.. He must involve himself in their Seven Commandments only. Similarly, a non-Jew who “rested” as one would on Shabbos, even on a weekday, is liable with the death penalty. There is no reason to mention (that he is culpable) if he invented his own holiday. The principle here is that we do not permit them to make a new religion and create new commandments for themselves based on their own reasoning. They may only become Righteous Converts and accept upon themselves all the Commandments, or they must observe their own (Seven) Laws only, and not add or detract from them. If a non-Jew busied himself with Torah or made Shabbos or made up something new, we give him lashes and punish him and tell him that he is liable with the death penalty for doing this. But he is not executed.

סנהדרין נ״ט א

ואמר ר' יוחנן עובד כוכבים שעוסק בתורה חייב מיתה שנאמר (דברים לג, ד) תורה צוה לנו משה מורשה לנו מורשה ולא להם וליחשבה גבי שבע מצות מ"ד מורשה מיגזל קא גזיל לה מאן דאמר מאורסה דינו כנערה המאורסה דבסקילה מיתיבי היה ר"מ אומר מניין שאפילו עובד כוכבים ועוסק בתורה שהוא ככהן גדול שנאמר (ויקרא יח, ה) אשר יעשה אותם האדם וחי בהם כהנים לוים וישראלים לא נאמר אלא האדם הא למדת שאפילו עובד כוכבים ועוסק בתורה הרי הוא ככהן גדול התם בשבע מצות דידהו:

Sanhedrin 59a

And Rabbi Yoḥanan says: A gentile who engages in Torah study is liable to receive the death penalty; as it is stated: “Moses commanded us a law [torah], an inheritance of the congregation of Jacob” (Deuteronomy 33:4), indicating that it is an inheritance for us, and not for them. The Gemara challenges: But if so, let the tanna count this prohibition among the seven Noahide mitzvot. The Gemara explains: According to the one who says that the verse is referring to the Torah as an inheritance, this prohibition is included in the prohibition of robbery, as a gentile who studies Torah robs the Jewish people of it. According to the one who says that the verse is referring to the Torah as betrothed, as the spelling of the Hebrew word for betrothed [me’orasa], is similar to that of the word for inheritance [morasha], the punishment of a gentile who studies Torah is like that of one who engages in intercourse with a betrothed young woman, which is execution by stoning. The Gemara raises an objection to Rabbi Yoḥanan’s statement from a baraita: Rabbi Meir would say: From where is it derived that even a gentile who engages in Torah study is considered like a High Priest? It is derived from that which is stated: “You shall therefore keep My statutes and My ordinances, which if a man does he shall live by them” (Leviticus 18:5). The phrase: Which if priests, Levites, and Israelites do they shall live by them, is not stated, but rather: “A man,” which indicates mankind in general. You have therefore learned that even a gentile who engages in Torah study is considered like a High Priest. The Gemara answers: There, in the baraita, the reference is to a gentile who engages in the study of their seven mitzvot. It is a mitzva for a gentile to study the halakhot that pertain to the seven Noahide mitzvot, and when he does so he is highly regarded. §

רש"י על סנהדרין נ״ט א:ב׳:א׳

מורשה לנו - ולא להם ואיכא משום גזל כדמפרש:

Rashi on Sanhedrin 59a:2:1

This is an act of thievery.

Beit Ha'b'chira, R' Menachem Ha'Meiri on Sanhedrin 58b:

I. ...and this is what is hinted here in "The non-Jew who observes Sabbath" - that one punishes him, saying: either he must take upon himself the yoke of the commandments, or he must refrain from innovating in our practices. II. But even when he appoints for himself other days, just as they said here "even on Monday" - they do not allow him to innovate and establish it as a festival for himself, resting on that day based on the concept of a Festival - for it looks as if he is a member of our people. But for the rest of the commandments, one should not prevent them from him, for they said to accept his sacrifices and his charities. III. And this is the rule if he engaged in Torah not for the sake of observing its essential commandments, but rather because his heart desires to acquire a deep understanding of our Torah and our Talmud - in this case he deserves to be punished, for people will infer that he is one of us because they see that he knows much - and as a result they may go after him errantly. IV. In any event, anyone who engages in the principles of the seven commandments along with all of their details and all that entails from them - even though this includes the majority of the principles of Torah, we pay him respect, even as much as the High Priest, for there is no fear of someone going after him errantly since he is engaged in what is his. V. And all the more so if the purpose of his inquiry is to arrive at the purpose of our Torah in its entirety, with the assumption that if he should find it perfect, he shall change his ways and convert. And all the more so if he is engaged and observing its essential commandments for their own sake - even if this involves parts of the Torah other than the seven commandments.

(copied from another scholar's source sheet, and I forgot who:)

that Ukimpta (only 7 mitzvoth bnei noach) in historical context --> Rabbi Meir makes it sound like a good thing ("Kohen Gadol"). RY makes it seem bad. Gemara tries to modify what RM said (he was only allowing 7MBN. What changed between RM to RY? What fostered this Ukimpta?

--> if the Gemara is reinterpreting Tannaic statements to be more relevant to their time period, what does that say about modern Orthodoxy today?

--> we ignore this in university settings --> are we violating Halacha? is there a certain recognition of context?