The Divine Code Daily Dose

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With Rabbi Moshe Weiner's acceptance in 2005 to produce the foundation for this effort, an in-depth codification of the Noahide precepts, the goal became a reality. Volumes I and II of his Sefer Sheva Mitzvot HaShem (The Book of Seven Divine Commandments), were compiled in Hebrew during the next two years, with many points of scholarly advice from the renowned Torah authority, Rabbi Zalman Nehemiah Goldberg of Jerusalem (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2018, p 19-20).

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Vol. I was published in 2008, Vol. II was published in 2009, and Vol. III in 2012. These are the source texts for this translation. (The next planned edition this English series will include additional chapters on issues related to the commandment to establish laws and courts.) (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2018, p 20).

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3. How the practical details of the Noahide Code are determined

Gentiles are obligated to fulfill the Seven Noahide Commandments because they are the eternal command of G-d, transmitted through Moses our teacher in the Torah. Since the explanation of every commandment in the Written Torah is established according to the Oral Torah,⁴ as it was given over through Moses our teacher and transmitted from generation to generation through the Jewish Sages, it can thus be concluded that the rules which guide Torah-law decisions in regard to the 613 Jewish Commandments are the same rules which guide Torah-law decisions for Gentiles, aside from a few exceptions that are explained in this work.

⁴ See the Introduction by Rabbi J. Immanuel Schochet to Part I of this work (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2018, p 20).

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Rambam (Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, or Maimonides, 1135-1204) was the first to codify these commandments, albeit in very concise form, and his rulings are known to be based on the same rules that guide the Oral Torah for the Jewish commandments, unless he stated a specific exception. This reasoning is born out by the numerous discussions in the Talmud that deal with the Noahide commandments (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2018, p 20).

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In determining the Torah Law for Gentiles more comprehensively, Rabbi Weiner used the rulings in Rambam's Mishneh Torah as the main foundation, since Rambam is the principle Torah-law authority in this area. The importance of Rambam as a primary authority in the precepts of the Jewish people is well known. In the words of Rabbi Yosef Karo (1488-1575), author of the Shulhan Aruh (the Code of Jewish Law): "For he (Rambam) is the most famous Torah-law authority in the world."⁵ Thus, on any issue for which Rambam differed from only one other Torah-law authority, the opinion that Rabbi Yosef Karo decided upon for his Shulhan Aruh was Rambam's.

⁵ Quoted from Rabbi Yosef Karo's Introduction to his book Beit Yosef (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2018, p 20).

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This holds even more so for the precepts of the Noahide commandments, for Rambam is nearly the only Rishon⁶ who took responsibility for authoritative teachings in this area. The other well-known classic Rabbinical works, such as Tur and Shulhan Aruh, did not provide explicit rulings on Torah Law for Gentiles. Instead, we must gather insight from different points that they wrote regarding observance of Torah precepts for Jews, and these in turn imply their opinions about observance of Torah precepts for Gentiles.

⁶ Rishon refers to leading Rabbis during 1000-1500, who succeeded the later Talmudic Sages (200-500) and Ga'onic Sages (589-1038) in the transmission of the Torah tradition. (See Miraculous Journey, by Rabbi Yosef Eisen.) (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2018, p 21).

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Therefore, Rambam is the main Torah-law authority whose opinion is to be considered in these matters, and therefore his opinion is given more weight than any other single authority. Still, exceptions can be found, and in Sheva Mitzvot HaShem, Rabbi Weiner extensively researched and cited the broad spectrum of Rabbinical sources. In the few cases where a majority of the other Rishon authorities and the Shulhan Aruh all differ from Rambam, Rabbi Weiner decided the Torah Law according to their teachings, and not according to the opinion of Rambam (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2018, p 21).

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In every case, Rabbi Weiner clearly explained the spectrum of sources, and the basis of his conclusions, in his footnotes for the text of Sheva Mitzvot HaShem. There are fewer footnotes in this English edition, and they are abridged, to limit the amount of technical Rabbinical discussion that is not relevant for most readers (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2018, p 21).

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Some topics apply to both Jews and Gentiles, but this book only comes to teach the Noahide Code. Thus, Jews should not use this text to determine their own obligations, which are more restrictive and numerous. Questions on Torah observance by any individual may be directed to observant Jewish Torah scholars, or sent to AskNoah.org (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2018, p 22).

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5. How the past can be uplifted by disseminating this message

Finally, we need to address a point that arises in the minds of many Gentiles who accept and follow the truth of the Noahide Code. This is a question about Divine fairness: what can be said about Gentiles who never had access to awareness and information about the wellsprings of the Noahide Code, which is now finally being disseminated throughout the world? Surely many good people, who did many good deeds, passed on without having had the opportunity to know of, or much less observe, the Seven Noahide Commandments. Did they not deserve the opportunity to receive a portion in the future World to Come through faithful observance of the Noahide Code? (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2018, p 22-23)

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It is fundamentally important to recognize that G-d is fair and just, and therefore no deserving soul is denied the opportunity to earn a place in the World to Come.⁸ G-d's ways, including how He accomplishes this, are ultimately inscrutable and beyond the understanding of mortals. However, on such a fundamental question, there must be answers that we can relate to on a practical basis. The growth of the world population has accelerated greatly over the past few hundred years, from 791 million in 1750, to 3 billion in 1959, to 7.6 billion in 2018. Thus, the world's population at this time, when the Noahide Code is finally being presented openly for all mankind, is surely more than able to contain the reincarnated souls⁹ of all good and deserving Gentiles who have lived in the past. This may be G-d's way to give a soul an extra opportunity it deserves, to make amends and to become righteous. Therefore, it is a great service to every soul in the world today if we, together, will make this opportunity known and available. With G-d's help, through your help, we will accomplish this task, and very soon, with the coming of the Messiah, "the occupation of the whole world will be solely to know G-d,"¹⁰ and "the earth will be as filled with knowledge of G-d as water covering the sea bed."<sup>11

8</sup> For a text that teaches numerous fundamental spiritual topics within Torah as they relate to Gentiles, see Seven Gates of Righteous Knowledge, by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, pub. Ask Noah International, 2017.

⁹ See Soul Searching, by Yaakov Astor, pub. Targum Press, 2003.

¹⁰ Rambam, Laws of Kings 12:5.

¹¹ Isaiah 11:9 (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2018, p 23).

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It is fundamentally important to recognize that G-d is fair and just, and therefore no deserving soul is denied the opportunity to earn a place in the World to Come.⁸ G-d's ways, including how He accomplishes this, are ultimately inscrutable and beyond the understanding of mortals. However, on such a fundamental question, there must be answers that we can relate to on a practical basis. The growth of the world population has accelerated greatly over the past few hundred years, from 791 million in 1750, to 3 billion in 1959, to 7.6 billion in 2018. Thus, the world's population at this time, when the Noahide Code is finally being presented openly for all mankind, is surely more than able to contain the reincarnated souls⁹ of all good and deserving Gentiles who have lived in the past. This may be G-d's way to give a soul an extra opportunity it deserves, to make amends and to become righteous. Therefore, it is a great service to every soul in the world today if we, together, will make this opportunity known and available. With G-d's help, through your help, we will accomplish this task, and very soon, with the coming of the Messiah, "the occupation of the whole world will be solely to know G-d,"¹⁰ and "the earth will be as filled with knowledge of G-d as water covering the sea bed."<sup>11

8</sup> For a text that teaches numerous fundamental spiritual topics within Torah as they relate to Gentiles, see Seven Gates of Righteous Knowledge, by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, pub. Ask Noah International, 2017.

⁹ See Soul Searching, by Yaakov Astor, pub. Targum Press, 2003.

¹⁰ Rambam, Laws of Kings 12:5.

¹¹ Isaiah 11:9 (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2018, p 23).

Amen, I always enjoy reading this part about reincarnated souls.

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Amen, I always enjoy reading this part about reincarnated souls.

I hope that my dead ancestors will be reincarnated and become righteous Gentiles.

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I hope that my dead ancestors will be reincarnated and become righteous Gentiles.

Let's hope that our ancestors are or will be reincarnated and that they will find out beauties of the Torah.

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Let's hope that our ancestors are or will be reincarnated and that they will find out beauties of the Torah.

Amen!

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The Master of the universe commanded Adam, the first man,¹ on the day of his creation,² as it says,³ "And the L-rd G-d commanded 'the man' (Adam) ..."

¹ Tractate Sanhedrin 56b.

² It is explained in Tractate Sanhedrin 56b that all of the Noahide Commandments can be exegetically derived from Genesis 2:16, "And the L-rd G-d commanded the man, saying, ...," which was stated to Adam in the Garden of Eden on the day of his creation; see Tractate Sanhedrin 38b.

³ Genesis 2:16 (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2018, p 24).

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G-d commanded six precepts to Adam:

1) the prohibition against worshiping false gods;

2) the prohibition against cursing G-d's Name;

3) the prohibition against murder;

4) the prohibition against specific forbidden sexual relations;

5) the prohibition against theft;

6) the commandment to establish laws and courts of justice.⁴

The Creator added to these when He commanded Noah not to eat flesh that was removed from a living animal, as it says,⁵ "And G-d blessed Noah, ... But flesh, with its soul in its blood you should not eat." These seven precepts are called the Seven Commandments for the B'nei Noah ("Children of Noah," i.e. Gentiles, who are non-Jews).<sup>6

4</sup> This includes an obligation for leaders to inform their communities about the Noahide precepts.

⁵ Genesis 9:1 and 9:4. (This applies to land mammals and birds, as will be explained in Part IV, Chapter 1.)

⁶ Rambam, Laws of Kings 9:1 (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2018, p 24).

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When Moses our teacher was called up on Mount Sinai, he received the Torah's commandments directly from the Holy One, blessed be He, together with their explanations. Moses received the entire Torah from G-d - both the Written Torah (the Five Books of Moses) and the Oral Torah. The Oral Torah is the explanation of all the commandments, which are very concisely recorded in those Five Books.<sup>7

7</sup> Rambam, Introduction to the Mishneh Torah (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2018, p 24).

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Included in the Torah, G-d also repeated and gave to Moses the Seven Commandments for the Children of Noah, along with their explanations and their details.

All the Gentiles of the world were henceforth eternally commanded to accept upon themselves and to fulfill these seven Divine precepts, because the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded them in the Torah, and He made known through Moses our teacher that the descendants of Noah had previously been commanded to do them.<sup>8

8</sup> Rambam, Laws of Kings 8:11 (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2018, p 25).

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These seven commandments have general rules and many details, and all of them are described in the Oral Torah, just as the 613 commandments (mitzvot in Hebrew; singular mitzvah) that the Jewish people were commanded to observe. The Jewish Sages and the faithful Rabbinical authorities in every generation are commanded to explain the Torah to the rest of the Jewish people. They are also commanded to explain the Noahide commandments to the Gentiles, and to teach them how these seven mitzvot should be fulfilled.<sup>9

9</sup> Tosafot, Tractate Hagigah 13a, states that it is an obligation for the Jews to teach and inform the Gentiles of the Seven Noahide Commandments. (Due to the extreme difficulties of the extended Jewish exile, this was not possible in most societies until our recent generations.) (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2018, p 25).

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We are not to rely on anyone else to provide explanations of any part of Torah, whether for Jews or Gentiles, aside from accepted Jewish Torah scholars, for they alone, as students of the earlier Torah Sages, are the authorities who explain the Oral Torah.¹⁰ (Rambam describes the Torah Sages of the Talmud as "the mainstay of the Oral Torah.")<sup>11

10</sup> These are the Jewish Sages and faithful Orthodox Rabbis, whose responsa and teachings may be cited by laypersons.

¹¹ Rambam, Laws of Rebellious Ones 1:1. There were no drawn-out differences of opinion until the Supreme Sanhedrin ceased after the destruction of the Second Temple. Until then, a difference arose only about a matter (or a required degree of strictness) that was not received from Moses. When this arose, the Sages debated and established the Torah Law according to the majority in the Supreme Sanhedrin, and it was accepted by the Jewish people (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2018, p 25).

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In addition to observing the Seven Noahide Commandments with their many details, a Gentile is commanded to act in the proper ways that human intelligence would compel him, whether these are obligations to G-d or to other people, or to society as a whole (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2018, p 25).

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Even though Gentiles are not commanded in detail about these parameters of proper conduct, nevertheless, G-d carefully checks and judges all the ways of every person. There are actions for which the individual or the society is liable to be punished, since such behavior is not appropriate for the human race, even though it is beyond the scope of the Seven Commandments.<sup>12

12</sup> The true specialty of mankind is expressed in Tractate Avot 3:14: "He (Rabbi Akiva) used to say: Beloved is man, for he was created in the image (of G-d); it is even a greater love that it was made known to him that he was created in the image (of G-d), as it is stated (Genesis 9:6): For in the image of G-d He made man" (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2018, p 25-26).

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Societal morality is included in the commandment of "judgments" (dinim), by which the Children of Noah were commanded to set up courts of law, and judges who will supervise and warn society about prohibited behaviors. But G-d will look upon the ways of an individual and judge him for his every action, even if he is not under the jurisdiction of a court of law, or if the court is not able to judge him, or if the court does not know about his behavior (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2018, p 26).

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Tractate Sanhedrin 104b relates the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Even though idol worship and forbidden sexual relations were rampant there, in outright rebellion against G-d, His decree of their total destruction came because they punished any performer of charity and kindness with tortuous execution. Hence it is obvious that G-d demands moral conduct from mankind, even though it is not explicitly commanded. Ramban on Gen. 6:2 explains why the Generation of the Flood was punished specifically because of theft, even though they violated all their commandments, because theft is a logical prohibition that no one can negate by saying, "we did not know we were commanded" (the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Ask Noah International, 2018, p 26).