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Noahides going to Shul (Synagogue)
#1
What is a Noahide's responsibility when it comes to going to Shul on the Jewish Sabbath and/or Holy days? I know they are welcome there, but is it an obligation for them to go? If so, how often do they need to go?

Thanks!
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#2
A Noahide has no responsibility or obligation to attend any organized religious services. This is a totally optional and personal decision which can be considered, in consultation with the Rabbi of the Orthodox synagogue, and with your mentor if you have one.
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#3
BS"D

Greetings Jason,

Just for yourself as a Noahide, it wouldn't matter if you chose to walk or drive to the shul (synagogue). Walking is fine (and good exercise), as long as you are not making a point of observing any Sabbath restrictions. And you are allowed to drive and do all of your other normal activities on the Sabbath and Jewish Holy days.

The problem that arises with driving right up to the shul, instead of parking one or a few blocks away and walking from there, is that someone might see you walking right from the car to the shul, or from the shul to the car, and mistakenly think that you are a Jew who's violating his Sabbath or another Holy Day.
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#4
Michael Dolan Wrote:That being said, perhaps it would be best to contact the Rabbi of the synagogue you're thinking of attending and getting his input on it rather than just walking in, since it's obvious not all agree that it's a place for gentiles.

I know some Rabbis who are already comfortable with Noahides attending their synagogue services, and some who are not yet comfortable. That's why I answered in Post #2, above:

Director Michael Wrote:This is a totally optional and personal decision which can be considered, in consultation with the Rabbi of the Orthodox synagogue, and with your mentor if you have one.
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#5
My rabbi, and every other rabbi (Orthodox) whom I've asked, has pointed at the sign above the door. Everywhere I've ever lived and in every synagogue I've visited, there's been a sign or engraving, either on the bulletin board in the synagogue yard or carved above the door to the building or to the sanctuary: "My house shall be a house of prayer for all peoples." The most recent one explained that one could be a non-Jew:

* hoping to convert,
* observing the path of B'nei Noach,
* hoping to broaden their worldview,
* looking to learn about Judaism as a form of general religious studies (often done with other members of a religion/theology class),
* wanting to understand the beliefs and practices of a Jewish friend or colleague,
* helping to honor and celebrate a Jewish acquaintance's life cycle events, such as bar/bat mitzvah,
* feeling an attraction to Judaism which he has yet to understand or explain to himself, but who might eventually realize that they have a Jewish soul and feel ready to approach conversion.

He said that any of those reasons were perfectly valid reasons for a non-Jew to come to synagogue. Moreover, a Jew should be modest enough to avoid directly asking a visitor why they were there; all they should ask is whether they have plans, or might welcome an invitation to the family's Shabbat table.
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#6
Hi,

Michael Dolan (above) said he got this answer from a Rabbi: "Synagogues are intended for Jewish worshipers, so is not appropriate for non-Jews to attend."

This is a particular problem for me because this is how I feel that most people feel. It's difficult for me to be a Noahide because I have no place to 'lay my hat' (so to speak). No place to worship and no place to fellowship. This also means that my children (should I have them) will also have no such place.

I feel like: Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 56:3 - Now let not the foreigner who joined the L-rd, say, "The L-rd will surely separate me from His people," ..... (continued)

It's very lonely here and while there is a need to be seperate I think some (if not most) have forgotten about the foreigner. Part of me is hesitant to say this yet the other part feels like most people probably feel the same way.

Is there a question here? Yes, why are things this way?
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#7
Randy Wrote:... It's difficult for me to be a Noahide because I have no place to 'lay my hat' (so to speak). No place to worship and no place to fellowship. This also means that my children (should I have them) will also have no such place.

On the other hand, you DO have the wonderful blessing of knowing that you are following G-d's Truth and
G-d's Will. You can worship G-d in any neighborhood, and you know that He Himself is everywhere. You can make your own home a place of Noahide fellowship for your family. And certainly you can be friendly with people who haven't yet started following the Noahide path, as long as they are not acting as a bad influence on you or your family members.

In the long term, you can look forward to more people in your area becoming Noahides (there might already be others who you just haven't yet met, or recognized as such), or you could think about moving to a place where there is already a faithful Noahide community.

Randy Wrote:I feel like: Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 56:3 - Now let not the foreigner who joined the L-rd, say, "The L-rd will surely separate me from His people," ..... (continued)

Just for accuracy, please note that this verse is talking about converts to Judaism. It is not talking about Gentiles (including Noahides).

Randy Wrote:It's very lonely here and while there is a need to be seperate I think some (if not most) have forgotten about the foreigner. Part of me is hesitant to say this yet the other part feels like most people probably feel the same way.
Is there a question here? Yes, why are things this way?

The world is still enduring a state of spiritual exile, from the time of the destruction of the Second Holy Temple, and the First Holy Temple, and the expulsion of Adam and Hava (Eve) from the Garden of Eden. But all of those exiles are only temporary, until the time when Moshiach comes, which will happen very soon. And you can see the obvious signs of that all around. Especially in the growing Noahide movement, and the fact that the Noahide Commandments have at long last been authoritatively codified (in the book "Sefer Sheva Mitzvot HaShem," published a few months ago by Ask Noah International, and soon to appear in translation).
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#8
Director Michael Wrote:... Especially in the growing Noahide movement, and the fact that the Noahide Commandments have at long last been authoritatively codified (in the book "Sefer Sheva Mitzvot HaShem," published a few months ago by Ask Noah International, and soon to appear in translation).

This is VERY good news! I am pouring over my copy of volume one at least once a week (on average), and am eager to get volume 2.
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#9
If a Noahide is listening to a recorded lesson on Torah, Talmud or Tanya or other works, and the speaker recites a prayer prior to beginning the lesson, should a Noahide reply with "Amein" when the Jews in the class do?
If the Noahide does NOT understand what the blessing SAYS (the exact words), should he or she reply with "Amein" in that case? (Assume the Noahide understands it is (probably) the standard prayer a Jew recites before studying Torah).
If a Jew is reciting the blessing for wine, but the Noahide has no wine and is not going to sip any when the prayer is finished (or any other such instance when the Noahide is not going to enjoy the same blessing the prayer is concerning), should the Noahide reply with "Amein"?
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#10
Mattityahu ben Noach Wrote:If a Noahide is listening to a *recorded* lesson on Torah, Talmud or Tanya or other works, and the speaker recites a prayer prior to beginning the lesson, should a Noahide reply with "Amein" when the Jews in the class do?

As the traditional response when hearing a blessing said to the One True G-d, "Amein" should be said only immediately after hearing the blessing said "live" - either hearing the speaker's voice in person, or through a microphone and amplifier, or as it is transmitted "instantaneously" (in our perception) through a telephone call, or an audio hook-up, etc. In all of those "remotely-transmitted" cases, it is the power of the speaker's own instantaneous voice that is driving the microphone that is converting the voice to electrical signals that are being transmitted to drive an audio amplifier, to make a copy of the sound in another place.

However, if the speaker's blessing is pre-recorded and played at a later time, "Amein" should not be said, and if it said, it is considered to be an "Amein" that said "in vain."

Mattityahu ben Noach Wrote:If the Noahide does NOT understand what the blessing SAYS (the exact words), should he or she reply with "Amein" in that case? (Assume the Noahide understands it is (probably) the standard prayer a Jew recites before studying Torah).

If the Noahide at least recognizes G-d's Name that is being said "live" [at that time, not prerecorded and played back later], and that it is a properly intentioned blessing to the One True G-d (even if he doesn't understand all of the exact words), then he should still say "Amein."

Mattityahu ben Noach Wrote:If a Jew is reciting the blessing for wine, but the Noahide has no wine and is not going to sip any when the prayer is finished (or any other such instance when the Noahide is not going to enjoy the same blessing the prayer is concerning), should the Noahide reply with "Amein"?

Yes. Because the "Amein" response is the listener's acknowledgement that the speaker's words are true - that indeed, blessed is the One True G-d.
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