ז מצוות בני נוח

The sons of Noach were given seven commandments: courts, idolatry, [blasphemy,] forbidden sexual relations, bloodshed, theft, and [consuming] the limb of a living animal. Justice, how so? Just as Jews are commanded to set up courts in their cities, so too are the sons of Noach commanded to set up courts in their cities. Idolatry and blasphemy, how so? The sons of Noach are executed only with the sword. Forbidden sexual relations, how so? Any prohibited sexual relation that a Jewish court would inflict capital punishment, the sons of Noach are forbidden [from doing so]. And every prohibited sexual relation that a Jewish court would prohibit, the sons of Noach are put to death on their account according to Rabbi Meir. But the Sages say, there are many forbidden sexual relations on account of which a court would not inflict capital punishment and about which the sons of Noach are not warned. For engaging in a forbidden sexual relationship, a Jew is judged according to the Jewish law and idolators are judged by the law of idolators. I have only the prohibition on a young woman alone. Bloodshed, how so? An idolator [who kills] an idolator or an idolator who kills a Jew are liable. A Jew [who kills] an idolator is exempt. Theft, how so? One who stole or robbed or [took] a female war captive and so on, an idolator [who did so to] an idolator or an idolator [who did so] to a Jew, it is prohibited. A Jew [who did so] to an idolator, it is permitted. [Eating] from the limb of a living animal, how so? A limb loosely connected to an animal and it is not brought up [enough] for healing is prohibited for a son of Noach and one needn’t even mention a Jew. And if it is brought up enough for healing, it is permitted to a Jew, and one needn’t even mention a son of Noach. If one took a bird which is not an olive’s-bulk and ate it, Rabbi would exempt him and Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Shimon would obligate him. And if the limb of it makes someone liable, shouldn’t the whole of it make someone liable? If one strangled it and ate it, he is exempt. Rabbi Hananya ben Gamliel said, on account of blood from a living animal. Rabbi Hidqa says, on account of castration. Rabbi Shimon says, on account of sorcery. Rabbi Yosei says, all that is said in the parsha of the sons of Noach they are warned, as it says, “Let no one be found among you who consigns a son or daughter to the fire . . . one who casts spells . . . for anyone who does so is abhorrent to God” (Deut 18:10-12). Is it possible that scripture has subjected [one to punishment] without forewarning? Rather it warns and after that subjects [one to punishment]. This teaches that it warns first and after that subjects [one to punishment]. Rabbi Elazar says, all kilayim are permitted to the sons of Noach to sow or to wear kilayim. It is prohibited to breed [mixed animals] or graft trees.

(Ibid. 7) "And he took the book of the covenant and he read (it) in the ears of the people.": But we do not know from where (he read it). R. Yishmael b. R. Yossi says: From the beginning of the creation until here. Rebbi says: The mitzvoth that were commanded to Adam, the mitzvoth that were commanded to the sons of Noach, and the mitzvoth that were commanded in Marah and all of the other mitzvoth. R. Yishmael says: What is written at the beginning, viz. (Leviticus 25:1-3) "And the L–rd spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying … then the land shall rest a Sabbath to the L–rd. Six years shall you sow your field, etc.", sabbatical years, Jubilee years, blessings and curses. What is written at the end? (Ibid. 26:46) "These are the statutes and the ordinances and the Toroth that the L–rd gave between Himself and the children of Israel on Mount Sinai by the hand of Moses." (At this,) they said: We take it upon ourselves. When Moses saw this, he took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, viz. (Exodus 24:8) "And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it upon the people," saying to them: You are (hereby) tied and bound and committed. Tomorrow come and take upon yourselves all of the mitzvoth. R. Yossi b. R. Yehudah says: On that day all of the acts (of their induction into the covenant) were performed.... (Ibid. 19:10) "and have them wash their garments": Whence is it derived that they (themselves) required immersion? It follows a fortiori, viz.: If where washing of garments is not required (e.g., in an instance of touching a sheretz), immersion is required, how much more so here, where washing of garments is required. There is no washing of garments in the Torah where immersion is not required.

The Gemara asks: According to Rabbi Ḥanina ben Gamliel, why do I need the Torah to write this halakha with regard to descendants of Noah, and why do I need the Torah to repeat it at Sinai with regard to Jews? Aren’t Jews also descendants of Noah? The Gemara answers that it is to be understood in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina; as Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says: Any mitzva that was first stated with regard to the descendants of Noah and was repeated at Sinai was stated for this group and for that group, i.e., it applies to both gentiles and Jews. But a mitzva that was stated with regard to the descendants of Noah and was not repeated at Sinai among the mitzvot given to the Jewish people was stated for the Jewish people and not for the descendants of Noah. And we have only the prohibition against eating the sciatic nerve to which this classification applies, and this is according to the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda, who holds that the verse: “Therefore the children of Israel do not eat the sciatic nerve, which is on the hollow of the thigh, until this day” (Genesis 32:32), is referring to the sons of Jacob, who were commanded to observe this prohibition even though they had the status of descendants of Noah.

Variantly: "And He said: The L-rd came from Sinai": When the L-rd appeared to give Torah to Israel, it is not to Israel alone that He appeared, but to all of the nations. First He went to the children of Esav, and He asked them: Will you accept the Torah? They asked: What is written in it? He answered: "You shall not kill" (Shemoth 20:13). They answered: The entire essence of our father is murder, as it is written (Bereshith 27:22) "And the hands are the hands of Esav." And it is with this that his father assured him (Ibid. 27:40) "And by your sword shall you live." He then went to the children of Ammon and Moav and asked them: Will you accept the Torah? They asked: What is written in it? He answered "You shall not commit adultery." They answered: L-rd of the Universe, ervah (illicit relations) is our entire essence, as it is written (Ibid. 19:36) "And the two daughters of Lot conceived by their father." He then went and found the children of Yishmael and asked them: Will you accept the Torah? They asked: What is written in it? He answered: "You shall not steal" (Shemoth, Ibid.) They answered: L-rd of the Universe, our father's entire essence is stealing, viz. (Bereshith 16:12) "And he (Yishmael) shall be a wild man, his hand against all." There was none among all of the nations to whom He did not go and speak and knock at their door, asking if they would accept the Torah, viz. (Psalms 138:4) "All the kings of the earth will acknowledge You, O L-rd, for they heard the words of Your mouth." I might think they heard and accepted; it is, therefore, written (Ezekiel 33:31) "And they did not do them (the mitzvoth)." And (Michah 5:14) "And with anger and wrath will I take revenge of the nations because they did not accept (the mitzvoth)." And even the seven mitzvoth that the sons of Noach took upon themselves they could not abide by, until they divested themselves of them and ceded them to Israel. An analogy: One sent his ass and his dog to the threshing floor, loading his ass with a lethech (a dry measure) and his dog with three sa’ah. The ass went and the dog buckled, whereupon he took a sa'ah from it and put it on the ass; and so with the second (sa’ah) and so with the third. Here, too, Israel accepted the Torah with all of its explanations and inferences; but the sons of Noach could not even abide by the seven mitzvoth that they did take upon themselves, until they divested themselves of them and ceded them to Israel, wherefore it is written "And he said: The L-rd came from Sinai, etc."

And on the new moon of the third month he went forth from the ark, and built an altar on that mountain. And he made atonement for the earth, and took a kid and made atonement by its blood for all the guilt of the earth; for everything that had been on it had been destroyed, save those that were in the ark with Noah. And he placed the fat thereof on the altar, and he took an ox, and a goat, and a sheep and kids, and salt, and a turtle-dove, and the young of a dove, and placed a burnt sacrifice on the altar, and poured thereon an offering mingled with oil, and sprinkled wine and strewed frankincense over everything, and caused a goodly savour to arise, acceptable before the Lord. And the Lord smelt the goodly savour, and He made a covenant with him that there should not be any more a flood to destroy the earth; that all the days of the earth seed-time and harvest should never cease; cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night should not change their order, nor cease for ever. "And you, increase ye and multiply upon the earth, and become many upon it, and be a blessing upon it. The fear of you and the dread of you I shall inspire in everything that is on earth and in the sea. And behold I have given unto you all beasts, and all winged things, and everything that moveth on the earth, and the fish in the waters, and all things for food; as the green herbs, I have given you all things to eat. But flesh, with the life thereof, with the blood, ye shall not eat; for the life of all flesh is in the blood, lest your blood of your lives be required. At the hand of every man, at the hand of every (beast), shall I require the blood of man. Whoso sheddeth man's blood by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God made He man. And you, increase ye, and multiply on the earth." And Noah and his sons swore that they would not eat any blood that was in any flesh, and he made a covenant before the Lord God for ever throughout all the generations of the earth in this month. On this account He spake to thee that thou shouldst make a covenant with the children of Israel in this month upon the mountain with an oath, and that thou shouldst sprinkle blood upon them because of all the words of the covenant, which the Lord made with them for ever. And this testimony is written concerning you that you should observe it continually, so that you should not eat on any day any blood of beasts or birds or cattle during all the days of the earth, and the man who eateth the blood of beast or of cattle or of birds during all the days of the earth, he and his seed shall be rooted out of the land. And do thou command the children of Israel to eat no blood, so that their names and their seed may be before the Lord our God continually. And for this law there is no limit of days, for it is for ever. They shall observe it throughout their generations, so that they may continue supplicating on your behalf with blood before the altar; every day and at the time of morning and evening they shall seek forgiveness on your behalf perpetually before the Lord that they may keep it and not be rooted out. And He gave to Noah and his sons a sign that there should not again be a flood on the earth. He set His bow in the cloud for a sign of the eternal covenant that there should not again be a flood on the earth to destroy it all the days of the earth. For this reason it is ordained and written on the heavenly tables, that they should celebrate the feast of weeks in this month once a year, to renew the covenant every year. And this whole festival was celebrated in heaven from the day of creation till the days of Noah-twenty-six jubilees and five weeks of years: and Noah and his sons observed it for seven jubilees and one week of years, till the day of Noah's death, and from the day of Noah's death his sons did away with (it) until the days of Abraham, and they ate blood. But Abraham observed it, and Isaac and Jacob and his children observed it up to thy days,

Do not defile yourselves in any of those ways, for it is by such that the nations that I am casting out before you defiled themselves. Thus the land became defiled; and I called it to account for its iniquity, and the land spewed out its inhabitants. But you must keep My laws and My rules, and you must not do any of those abhorrent things, neither the citizen nor the stranger who resides among you; for all those abhorrent things were done by the people who were in the land before you, and the land became defiled. So let not the land spew you out for defiling it, as it spewed out the nation that came before you. All who do any of those abhorrent things—such persons shall be cut off from their people.

The word of GOD came to me: O mortal, those who live in these ruins in the land of Israel argue, “Abraham was but one man, yet he was granted possession of the land. We are many; surely, the land has been given as a possession to us.” Therefore say to them: Thus said the Sovereign GOD: You eat with the blood, you raise your eyes to your fetishes, and you shed blood—yet you expect to possess the land! You men have relied on your sword, you have committed abominations, you have defiled one another’s wives—yet you expect to possess the land! Thus shall you speak to them: Thus said the Sovereign GOD: As I live, those who are in the ruins shall fall by the sword, and those who are in the open I have allotted as food to the beasts, and those who are in the strongholds and caves shall die by pestilence. I will make the land a desolate waste, and its proud glory shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, with none passing through. And they shall know that I am GOD, when I make the land a desolate waste on account of all the abominations that they have committed.

Six precepts were commanded to Adam:a) the prohibition against worship of false gods;b) the prohibition against cursing God;c) the prohibition against murder;d) the prohibition against incest and adultery;e) the prohibition against theft;f) the command to establish laws and courts of justice.Even though we have received all of these commands from Moses and, furthermore, they are concepts which intellect itself tends to accept, it appears from the Torah's words that Adam was commanded concerning them.The prohibition against eating flesh from a living animal was added for Noah, as Genesis 9:4 states: 'Nevertheless, you may not eat flesh with its life, which is its blood.' Thus there are seven mitzvot.These matters remained the same throughout the world until Abraham. When Abraham arose, in addition to these, he was commanded regarding circumcision. He also ordained the morning prayers.Isaac separated tithes and ordained an additional prayer service before sunset. Jacob added the prohibition against eating the sciatic nerve. He also ordained the evening prayers. In Egypt, Amram was commanded regarding other mitzvot. Ultimately, Moses came and the Torah was completed by him.

Thus [God] will judge among the nationsAnd arbitrate for the many peoples,And they shall beat their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning hooks:Nation shall not take upSword against nation;They shall never again know war.

As you did, so shall it be done to you;Your conduct shall be requited.Yea, against all nationsThe day of GOD is at hand. That same cup that you drank on My Holy MountShall all nations drink evermore, Drink till their speech grows thick,And they become as though they had never been. But on Zion’s mount a remnant shall survive,And it shall be holy. The House of Jacob shall dispossessThose who dispossessed them. The House of Jacob shall be fire,And the House of Joseph flame,And the House of Esau shall be straw;They shall burn it and devour it,And no survivor shall be left of the House of Esau—for GOD has spoken.