The need for a Rabbi and related questions

[Director Michael]

Reading the Divine Code, I see that some things bring liability in a court and some things are stated as "forbidden." Take for instance, to bow down to an idol brings liability, but to read omens is forbidden.
But what does forbidden mean?
Does forbidden mean it won't affect a person's place in the World to Come but it shouldn't be done?
Does forbidden mean that it breaks one of the 7 commands?

If something is identified there as forbidden for a Gentile, but it does not bring liability to capital punishment within the Noahide Code, that means it is a sin, but it doesn't violate the strict letter of any of the specific 7 Noahide Commandments. Thus:
- a Noahide court/government could make a decree that it will be forbidden within their civil laws, subject to a lighter penalty
- the person who has committed the forbidden act must stop it altogether, and repent to G-d for the sin he committed
- if the person is a sincerely faithful Noahide who observes *at least* the letter of 7 Noahide Commandments as given by G-d through Moses at Mt. Sinai, he can merit a place in the World to Come as Pious Noahide, even if he transgressed in the lighter "forbidden" sins. But if he does not repent from those sins, they will need to be purged from his soul through difficulties in this world, or after his death (for example, for a period of time in the spiritual fire of Gehinnom).

When something is "permissible," does that mean that it may be wrong but it's allowed under the 7 commandments? Would permissible mean that it's something that God "doesn't like" (really rough terms, sorry) but is OK for Gentiles? Or does it mean just everything that is not prohibited?

"Permissible" means that within the precepts of the Torah Law itself, it is not forbidden by the word of the law - neither within the strict law of the specific 7 Noahide Commandments nor by any additional Rabbinical ramifications of those laws. Therefore it is not a sin for a person to do that thing.

However, there is a grey area in which a person might do something permitted, but for evil intentions or rebelliousness. For example, in some cultures, it is very normal and accepted to eat insects, and for a Noahide that is permitted. However, if a person in a Western society, in which that is viewed as disgusting, would walk into a high-class tuxedo dinner event and start eating a bunch of insects that he brought in with him, just for the sake of shocking and sickening the other dinner guests, that would be a sinful behavior.

Also, some things permitted within Torah Law may be outlawed on some logical basis by a society, acting within its permitted powers according to the Noahide commandment for Laws and Courts. For example, although the Torah permits polygamy for Gentiles, that only applies when it is accepted by the society and its laws. If the society makes civil laws against polygamy, then it becomes "forbidden" (not permitted) as an offshoot of the Noahide commandment for Laws and Courts.

So for example, reading omens is forbidden. But it doesn't bring the death penalty. So does that make it permissible but it puts a Noahide on a "low" level?

No. It is not permissible, and it is sinful.

Going through the daily readings of the Divine Code, I notice a place that says that it is important for a Noahide to learn what is prohibited and what is permissible. I'm getting a bit confused about what these terms mean. It's like there are three categories not just two, not simply prohibited and permissible, but rather capital crimes, forbidden acts that are not capital crimes, and "permissible." But I'm not sure if permissible includes forbidden acts that are not capital crimes.

No, "permissible" does not include forbidden acts that are not capital sins.

I'm asking because I want to start actually memorizing the laws. It's easy to know the 7 main commands, but I want to memorize the general rules under each but in the correct way and level so I don't think that something is a capital crime when it is not, and I don't mistake a permissible act for a capital crime.

That's a very useful exercise. I invite you to send me your list to look over.