By the Grace of G-d

GUEST ESSAY:

My thoughts on "Sefer Sheva Mitzvot Hashem,"

authored by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, Jerusalem

(pub. Ask Noah International, Feb. '08)

by Mrs. D. L., an observant Noahide

As an alternative to trying to convert to Judaism, being a Noahide caused much, much less turmoil in my family. And now we finally have the new book "Sefer Sheva Mitzvot Hashem" from Ask Noah International. It is authoritative, like the Shulchan Aruch (the Code of Jewish Law), and it finally gives the Rabbis a real alternative to offer to Gentiles when they say they want to convert, or if they have heavy questions. This is in addition to the information that can be obtained through Ask Noah International on their web site and on-line forum (www.AskNoah.org), and more in-depth for those who are truly interested. A lot of Gentiles have settled into a particular path because they don't realize there is an alternative given for them by G-d in the Torah. I am excited about the new book, and that it will also be coming out in English.

When I first discovered the truth and the teachings of the Torah, I started practicing "keeping kosher" and "keeping Shabbos" for a few years. Then I realized that it wasn't going to work for me, because I would not easily be able to eat with my grown children unless I cooked, and there would be lots of other similar hardships with my family (like not being able to go driving to places with them from Friday night until Saturday night, for example). Then I found out that the Orthodox Rabbis are also authorities for the Torah's precepts for the Noahides, just like for the Jews, and then I felt comfortable about living with Noahidism because of Ask Noah International. Their outreach work is super awesome! I realized that it is not in "G-d's plan" that Gentiles should need to convert to Judaism in order to find spiritual truth and reward, and that accepting G-d and the Torah as a Gentile means being a Noahide, and I feel great about it.

There is another book, "Path of the Righteous Gentile," that I was using up until now. It is good, but even the authors concede that it isn't a comprehensive or complete book, and it leaves the Noahide with a lot of questions. In some areas it leaves the Noahide thinking that he or she can do a lot of things that instead are really inappropriate, and in other areas it is too strict by saying that a Noahide has to follow Torah precepts that are really only for the Jews. In Rabbi Moshe Weiner's book "Sefer Sheva Mitzvot Hashem," all of those important issues are finally clearly sorted out and answered, with all of the research presented.

And while we can direct questions to AskNoah.org, what is so great about the "Sefer Sheva Mitzvos Hashem" is that there is now an authoritative code book for the Noahide commandments, just like the Orthodox Rabbis have been using for Jews and their commandments for almost a thousand years. And everything is referenced in detail, so we Noahides are much, much, much more apt to follow things properly, seeing now how it all comes from G-d (via the Orthodox Rabbis and the Torah sources). And I feel it is extremely appropriate that the Rabbis should have it first in Hebrew as the foundation, before it comes out in English and other languages.

I obtained a copy of the "Sefer Sheva Mitzvos Hashem" for the local Rabbi in my area, because I have been attending his "Chabad House" synagogue for years, and he says "it is a well done, scholarly and complete book, and a good guide." He says that he "is happy that someone undertook this phenomenal project," and "it is a tremendous resource." I was happy watching him, with his wife, reading it at their home.

It is obvious to me to that the Rebbe, in his talks, showed without any doubt that he cared for all people in the world, both Jews and Gentiles, and he said loving and brilliant things about both groups of peoples, and what they should be doing to serve G-d and make the world a better place, and how and why that should be done.

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