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Principles of Noahide Faith
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Randy Wrote:My question is, can the promises in the second part of the Shema (Deuteronomy 11:13-21) noting the statement in Deuteronomy 11:2 "And know ye this day; for I speak not with your children that have not known, and that have not seen the chastisement of the L-RD your G-d, His greatness, His mighty hand, and His outstretched arm" does this statement apply only to gentiles or to all Jews and can one abstractly assume that if one does what is outlined in Deuteronomy 11:13-21 that one, regardless of heritage, could reasonably assume to receive the same promises? And can these promises abstractly be assumed to what they seem to imply that if you do good, good will come to you and if you do bad that bad will come to you or are these statements to be considered exactly literal?

I often wonder how much is literal to specific people in a specific time in a specific place and how much is guidelines and not actual rules? What promises and actions are to whom?

The verses Deut. 11:12-21 are G-d's message exclusively to Jews, which can be readily seen from the fact that within these verses there are seven positive Jewish mitzvot commanded, which are not commanded upon Gentiles, and it also mentions the eternal covenant of G-d's gift of the Land of Israel to the Jews, as He swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The promises in these verses of miraculous Divine blessings for the bounty of the Land of Israel apply during a time of Divine favor and redemption for the Jews, when they are serving G-d properly in the Land of Israel. This was experienced somewhat during the 40 splendorous years of the reign of King Solomon. This will be fully realized during the Messianic Era, may it come very speedily.

The fact that the principle of "if you do good, good will come to you, and if you do bad, bad will come to you," is universal for all mankind is not based on these verses. It happens to be the 11th of the 13 Foundations of Torah Faith, as enumerated by Maimonides (Rambam). He cites the source verses:

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The Eleventh Foundation is that G-d, blessed be He, gives reward to one who obeys the commandments of the Torah and punishes one who violates its prohibitions. The greatest reward is the World to Come, and the greatest punishment is kareis (spiritual excision, "cutting off" [of the soul]). We have already said enough on this topic [earlier in the Commentary]. The verse which teaches this foundation is [when Moses says to G-d], "And now, if you will forgive their sin; and if not, please remove me [from Your book which You have written]" to which G-d responds, "...Whoever has sinned against Me, him will I blot from My book" (Exodus 32:32-33). This indicates that He knows the servant and the sinner, to give reward to this one and punishment to the other.
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Messages In This Thread
Principles of Noahide Faith - by Director Michael - 06-04-2007, 02:30 PM
Principles of Noahide Faith? - by Joachim ben Noach - 07-04-2009, 12:01 AM
RE: The Principles of Faith - by Director Michael - 07-10-2009, 03:43 PM

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