For most, the Biblical account of Noah and the flood begins with lions, tigers, and peacocks strutting two by two into a wooden ark and ends with a rainbow and a promise of no more worldwide deluges. But for a growing number of people around the globe, the seven ethical instructions Jewish tradition says were given to Noah, as he started a new life after the rain, are a code for morality and a key to a meaningful life.
These seven universal moral precepts – set up courts, don’t kill, don’t steal, don’t commit forbidden relations, don’t worship idols, don’t blaspheme, and don’t eat meat that came from a living animal - seem simple enough until you start to try to live by them.
Taking A Closer Look At Judaism’s Universal Laws
For most, the Biblical account of Noah and the flood begins with lions, tigers, and peacocks strutting two by two into a wooden ark and ends with a rainbow and a promise of no more worldwide deluges. But for a growing number of people around the globe, the seven ethical instructions Jewish tradition says were given to Noah, as he started a new life after the rain, are a code for morality and a key to a meaningful life.
These seven universal moral precepts – set up courts, don’t kill, don’t steal, don’t commit forbidden relations, don’t worship idols, don’t blaspheme, and don’t eat meat that came from a living animal – seem simple enough until you start to try to live by them.
Big questions linger behind the broad strokes of what’s come to be known as the Seven Noahide Commandments. Travis Smith of Albuquerque, NM, who has been observing Noahide precepts for several years wanted to know: “What about end of life issues? Birth control? Is it okay to download pirated music from the Internet?”
Smith’s questions have been echoed by several thousand Noahides living in the USA, and far beyond – in Canada, Germany, England, Poland and Kenya.
To fill in the details, a book of groundbreaking scholarship on the topic of practical application of the Noahide precepts has just been released. Sefer Sheva Mitzvot Hashem, The Book of Seven Divine Commandments, published by Ask Noah International, is available through Kehot.com and is already in several Judaica bookstores across the U.S.
Goyim need guidance
This is so needed! All the Chabad Houses around the world that are approached by goyim now have this great resource to turn to. Sometimes it gets really hard to know what to say to these people…