The Divine Code Daily Dose

[Hrvatski Noahid]

The Tetragrammaton is the essential four-letter Name of G-d (Y-H-V-H), which was uttered only by the kohanim (Jewish priests) at certain points of their service in the Holy Temple of Jerusalem. Beyond this prescribed usage one is not allowed to pronounce this Name as it is written, thus also known as "the ineffable Name." In sacred service, as public Torah-readings, it is substituted by the Name Ado-nai, and in vernacular speech and writing by the Hebrew term HaShem (lit. "the Name"), which is also the general non-sacred substitution for the term "G-d." (In this and other Names of G-d in Hebrew, one or more dashes or apostrophes are inserted in the word to avoid writing an actual Divine Name that is forbidden to be erased or dishonored.) (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2011, p 259).

[Hrvatski Noahid]

If one creates or upholds a new religion, he is liable for this transgression, and he should be warned about this. However, this transgression by itself does not make a person liable for capital punishment from a court (unless he violates one of the Seven Noahide Commandments through an act that is a capital sin).

Anyone who creates a new religion denies the command of G-d to all nations to keep the Seven Noahide Commandments, and transgresses the essential commandment of them all. Even if a new religion includes observing the Noahide Commandments, they are not being observed because they were commanded by G-d and revealed through Moses, but rather because of this newly created religion. It is therefore forbidden to preserve any newly created religion (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2011, p 194-195).

[Hrvatski Noahid]

Normally one is punished only for offences involving an action. The sin of blasphemy, however, is one of a very small group of offences where speech on its own is deemed tantamount to criminal action. While actual articulation alone in this context will incur full penalty, blasphemous thoughts, too, are serious sins (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2011, p 260).             

[Hrvatski Noahid]

What is considered a holy Name (other than the Explicit Name), and what is considered an attributive name? The holy Names of G-d (specifically in Hebrew) are those that are forbidden to be erased after they are written down in a permanent fashion. In addition to the Explicit Name (Y-H-V-H or Ado-nai), these Names are Ai-l, E-lohim, E-loha, Sha-dai, Tziva-ot, Ehe-yeh and Y-ah, as well as any variant of E-lohim, such as E-lohehah ("your G-d," if "your" is singular), or E-lohaihem ("your G-d," if "your" is plural), or E-lohainu ("our G-d") − all these have the same holiness as the Name E-lohim.

The attributive names are "the Merciful One," "the Compassionate One," "the Creator," and the like, and any other attributive name (including a name in any language other than Hebrew) by which a person clearly is referring to G-d, Who is the Creator of the universe (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2011, p 264).

[Hrvatski Noahid]

Capturing animals and putting them in a zoo for human pleasure appears to be permitted, since this human benefit overrides the animal's discomfort. Likewise, it is permitted to raise docile animals in captivity, since a person has pleasure in seeing these animals, and it can alleviate a person's loneliness. This is not comparable to one who hunts animals needlessly, even though a person gets pleasure from hunting, since by hunting he derives pleasure from the actual suffering of the animal, which is forbidden. In contrast, for animals in a zoo or raised in captivity, the person derives pleasure from seeing or being with the animal, and a small discomfort caused to an animal by not living in its natural habitat is overridden by the benefit to the person (who has a pet) or to large numbers of people (who visit a zoo).

Needless to say, a zoo or a pet owner should not subject an animal to cruelly inhumane conditions. Rather, there is a responsibility to provide a reasonable degree of comfort to the animal (and doing so will also increase the pleasure which people will be able to derive from the animal) (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2011, p 350-351).

[Hrvatski Noahid]

In any Gentile marriage, if the two partners wish to separate, they may divorce at any time that either so desires. When the man sends the woman away from his house with the intention that she should not return to him, or when she leaves of her own accord with the intention not to return, they become separated, and she is considered divorced and single, and is not married anymore in the judgment of Torah Law. Within the Noahide Code, there is no need for Gentiles to have a divorce document. Nevertheless, it is preferable if there is a formal civil procedure for divorce in the society (such as a legal document or court record) (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2011, p 527).

[Hrvatski Noahid]

Starting in the 1960's, this brash new vision — masked as either civil rights, diversity, or tolerance — has inundated western society with a barrage of propaganda and half-truths that are carefully designed to convince us (contrary to the weight of clinical evidence) that homosexuality, transgenderism, incest, bestiality, pedophilia, and many other sexual "freedoms" are simply alternative lifestyles that must be accepted as genetically predetermined and therefore entitled to the same degree and kind of protection as racial and religious diversity. However, such false messages run directly contrary to G-d's eternal truths and, indeed, our own common sense. By tolerating a permissive sexual agenda, we ignore at our peril the warning of the prophet Isaiah who said (5:20), "Woe to those who speak of evil as good and of good as evil; who make darkness into light and light into darkness; they make bitter into sweet and sweet into bitter!" (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2011, p 466).

[Noachide]

Starting in the 1960's, this brash new vision — masked as either civil rights, diversity, or tolerance — has inundated western society with a barrage of propaganda and half-truths that are carefully designed to convince us (contrary to the weight of clinical evidence) that homosexuality, transgenderism, incest, bestiality, pedophilia, and many other sexual "freedoms" are simply alternative lifestyles that must be accepted as genetically predetermined and therefore entitled to the same degree and kind of protection as racial and religious diversity. However, such false messages run directly contrary to G-d's eternal truths and, indeed, our own common sense. By tolerating a permissive sexual agenda, we ignore at our peril the warning of the prophet Isaiah who said (5:20), "Woe to those who speak of evil as good and of good as evil; who make darkness into light and light into darkness; they make bitter into sweet and sweet into bitter!" (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2011, p 466).

This paragraph and one before are my favourite in all Introductions of the Divine Code. I always come back to them and gladly read it.

[Hrvatski Noahid]

Just as it is forbidden to harm someone (as part of the prohibition against murder), it is also forbidden to cause another person suffering through one's speech. This is morally and logically binding, as Hillel said as a summary of the entire Torah, "What is hateful to you, do not do to your friend."

It is forbidden to humiliate or embarrass another person, even if only with words, or to call another person by a name that is embarrassing to him, or to tell him something that is embarrassing to him.

The Sages said, "One who causes his fellow to pale in public does not have a portion in the World to Come," meaning that (a) one is forbidden to insult another person with words to an extent that his facial appearance changes, and (b) this is punishable by G-d (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2011, p 453-454).

[Hrvatski Noahid]

This paragraph and one before are my favourite in all Introductions of the Divine Code. I always come back to them and gladly read it.

Here is the paragraph you mentioned: We live in a strange time, a time when moral relativism appears to be ascending and moral absolutes descending. The culture in which we live has created a world with an unprecedented confusion of values, accelerated by social changes occurring at a pace that would have been unimaginable even a generation ago. This new vision of morality (which, in reality, mirrors much of ancient paganism) is often rationalized as a virtually all-permissive, "anything goes" social system founded on a concept of universal "tolerance." Unfortunately, this concept of tolerance is, in actuality, simply a facade used to mask an agenda of sexual licentiousness (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2011, p 466).

When I was a boy, I did not see LGBT communities in Croatia. Now my neighborhood has an LGBT center and an LGBT club. 

[Noachide]

Here is the paragraph you mentioned: We live in a strange time, a time when moral relativism appears to be ascending and moral absolutes descending. The culture in which we live has created a world with an unprecedented confusion of values, accelerated by social changes occurring at a pace that would have been unimaginable even a generation ago. This new vision of morality (which, in reality, mirrors much of ancient paganism) is often rationalized as a virtually all-permissive, "anything goes" social system founded on a concept of universal "tolerance." Unfortunately, this concept of tolerance is, in actuality, simply a facade used to mask an agenda of sexual licentiousness (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2011, p 466).

When I was a boy, I did not see LGBT communities in Croatia. Now my neighborhood has an LGBT center and an LGBT club.

In my country we have gay parades, lesbian Prime Minister and someone from government, not that long ago, announced that Serbia will adopt gay marriages. Still situation is better than in Western countries.

[Hrvatski Noahid]

It is permissible for a Gentile to prostrate to G-d, whether he is doing so in prayer or not. If he prostrates to G-d when he is not praying, he should do it in a manner of honor and awe. And when he bows down to G-d, he should not include in this prostration any words other than prayer, thanks, or praise to G-d (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2011, p 96).   

[Hrvatski Noahid]

In my country we have gay parades, lesbian Prime Minister and someone from government, not that long ago, announced that Serbia will adopt gay marriages. Still situation is better than in Western countries.

We have gay parades. But we banned gay marriages. I agree the situation is better in Eastern Europe.

[Hrvatski Noahid]

It is forbidden for a person to tell lies, or act in a smooth-tongued and luring manner in order to deceive or persuade. One should not speak one thing outwardly and think otherwise in his heart. Rather, his inner self should be like his image that he shows to the world. He may not deceive people, and instead he should always pursue truthfulness (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2011, p 122). 

[Hrvatski Noahid]

It is the practice of idol worshipers to make a mark on themselves or to tattoo their bodies as a sign of idol worship, e.g. to show that they are servants who are sold to the idol and marked for its service. It is also their practice to cut themselves with vessels and wound their bodies, and to scratch themselves for their idols. All these practices are rituals of idol worship even though they are not its main rituals, and they are therefore forbidden as idolatrous practices if one intends it for idolatry. (One is generally forbidden to wound himself, with a few exceptions - e.g., circumcision or cosmetic surgery.)

It is also forbidden for one to wear a specific garment that is worn by idol worshipers in the name of their idol, if he intends to do so for that purpose (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2011, p 248).

[Hrvatski Noahid]

A person should not say, "I will steal and apportion the money to poor people," for this is considered doing "a mitzvah (meaning, a meritorious and good deed) that comes about through a sin." This is disgusting and hateful in the eyes of G-d, and is not considered a good deed at all (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2011, p 573).

[Hrvatski Noahid]

It is also forbidden to steal from relatives or to take something of theirs without their knowledge, to use it without permission. This applies even if one knows with certainty that if his relative learned that he did this, the relative would be happy that he benefited in this way. As long as permission has not been given, this is forbidden as theft (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2011, p 572). 

[Lisa]

Jews are still not allowed to eat these animals you listed, whether they're alive or already killed/slaughtered.  Of course non Jews can eat shell fish.  But once shrimps are fished out if the water wouldn't they already be dead?  I know that lobsters are taken alive from fish tanks and boiled to death in hot water.  That doesn't sit well with me.  As for snakes, are there people anywhere that eat them regularly?

The prohibition against flesh from a living animal does not apply to: arthropods (e.g. shrimp, lobsters, insects); reptiles (e.g. snakes, lizards); amphibians (e.g. frogs); mollusks (e.g. snails, squid, octopus, clams, oysters, scallops); annelids (e.g. worms); fish; jellyfish; or starfish (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2011, p 301).

[Hrvatski Noahid]

Jews are still not allowed to eat these animals you listed, whether they're alive or already killed/slaughtered.  Of course non Jews can eat shell fish.  But once shrimps are fished out if the water wouldn't they already be dead?  I know that lobsters are taken alive from fish tanks and boiled to death in hot water.  That doesn't sit well with me.  As for snakes, are there people anywhere that eat them regularly?

Of course, some topics apply to both Jews and Gentiles, but this book only comes to teach the Noahide Code. Jews should not use this text to determine their own obligations, which are more restrictive and numerous.

It seems that shrimps do not die immediately when they are fished out of the water. If one wishes to kill any living creature for the purpose of eating it, he has no permission to be cruel and cause it needless suffering in the process. An example would be one who keeps live lobsters, and when he wishes to prepare them for food he drops them alive into a pot of boiling water.

If there is a needed benefit for a person to do so, even such as the case of certain creatures whose taste is better when they are boiled alive, it is not forbidden to do so. If not, one is obligated to kill the animal first in a less painful way, even if this takes a little extra effort, since this is not enough of an excuse to permit causing such suffering to a living creature. The Rabbinical term for such an act is the causing of "tza'ar ba'alei hayim." 

I think that snakes are eaten regularly in China and West Africa, but I am not sure. 

[Hrvatski Noahid]

As implied from the statement of the Torah, "And you shall rule over the fish of the sea, the fowl of the heavens, and all beasts that swarm on the earth," Adam was granted dominion over all living things and given permission to use them to perform any labor or tasks. Noah was also granted permission to kill an animal to eat any part of its flesh, and to use portions of its body for other useful purposes (for example, its hide for clothing and its bones to fashion utensils). Mankind was not, however, granted permission to kill or wound any animals purposelessly, or to cause them unnecessary pain. This is not permitted with regard to any animal, even fish, sheretz creatures, reptiles, or other small crawling creatures (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2011, p 345).

[Hrvatski Noahid]

With the ascent of the Jews to nationhood in the Land of Israel, the surrounding nations, and especially the people from those nations who chose to take up residence in the Holy Land, returned to an awareness of the Seven Noahide Commandments. As the Jews encountered national successes and failures during the 440 years preceding, and the 410 years following, the construction of the First Holy Temple by King Solomon, the appeal of the Noahide Code among the surrounding nations waxed and waned (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2011, p 20).

[Hrvatski Noahid]

During the time of the Second Holy Temple (350 B.C.E.- 70 C.E.), a large movement of "Heaven Fearers" was active in the Roman Empire. These were Gentile adherents to the One G-d of Israel, who directed their religious loyalty to the Jewish Sages and the Holy Temple. It is nearly impossible to find any unbiased sources on this subject outside of the Talmud and Midrash, because after the Temple's destruction, these Torah-observant Gentiles became prime targets of the enforcers of the pagan Roman religion, and later of the missionizing activities of innovative new religions which began to vie for the Divinely appointed authority of the Torah tradition. The best non-Torah historical accounts of the "Heaven Fearers" are found in the writings of Josephus (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2011, p 20).

[Hrvatski Noahid]

But a Gentile who does not observe his seven commandments, even if he learns about them but not for the sake of fulfilling them, is indeed sinful, and he will be punished by the Hand of Heaven for this Torah learning. If he serves idols (or follows other paths of heresy), and nevertheless involves himself in Torah learning, he is liable for capital punishment by the Hand of Heaven (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2011, p 92).     

[Hrvatski Noahid]

Modern-day slavery is a severe and widespread problem. Especially grave is the sin of kidnapping young girls, G-d forbid, and selling them for sex slavery (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2011, p 504).

[Hrvatski Noahid]

The prohibition of theft is unique in that it affects almost every aspect of a person's life, since humans are social beings who must deal with each other continuously, in buying, selling, exchanging, etc. One is always dealing with others, either in person or remotely. The focus of this commandment is to accept and honor another person, his needs, and his possessions. As the Sages taught (Tractate Avot 2:12): "Rabbi Yosay said: Let the money of your fellow be as dear to you as your own." Theft in its different forms causes corruption that deteriorates and endangers the society, until the brink of destruction (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2011, p 562).